How's your overwinter cauliflower doing?...

Just curious as to what size other people's overwinter cauliflower is right now? This is the first year I've tryed growing them and only one looks like it could produce. I think it's the galleon variety.
Thanks

 

My Purple Cape has heads a couple of inches in diameter, as of a few days ago, in Burnaby.

 

Thanks vitog, I will take a closer look but I don't think I have a head yet. If that's the case do you think all hope is lost this year?

 

There are many varieties of overwintering cauliflowers; some form heads later than others. I wouldn't worry about it for at least another month.

 

Hi, I thought I'd resurrect this thread to ask a related question: How do you overwinter cauliflower? Do you cover with plastic or row cover? Or just let it grow in the open?

I ask because this year we tried to overwinter brussels sprouts and sprouting broccoli under a row cover tunnel from summer to November, but found what looked like mold at the growing points, so we uncovered from December onward to increase air flow. Ultimately they didn't do well (as you may have seen in my other post, likely due to low soil fertility), but we weren't sure if the row cover also caused some problems. I'd appreciate anyone sharing how they overwinter their cauliflower/brussels/broccoli.

 

There are overwintering varieties of broccoli and cauliflower that survive Vancouver winters quite well. Once in a while arctic air arrives early in the fall before the plants have hardened off, and then some of them might be killed. This winter all of my plants survived easily without any protection and will be producing heads soon. These are not the same as the standard varieties planted in the spring for production the same year. The seed packet should state if it is an overwintering variety. "Purple Sprouting" is the most common broccoli variety, but several cauliflower varieties are available.

Regarding brussels sprouts, most varieties will survive our winters with no damage. The only problem is fungal or bacterial rot encouraged by our usual cool, wet weather. This winter was particularly bad for the Jade Cross variety that I am currently still growing and harvesting. A variety named "Vancouver" seems to do better, but I didn't grow any this year for comparison. The nice thing about brussels sprouts is that they can be harvested all winter long. And if there are any left over sprouts in the spring, they will burst open and produce tasty flowering shoots that can be harvested for at least another month. I always leave the smallest sprouts for this late harvest, which is currently underway.

 

Thank you for your quick reply! We will definitely give overwinter brassicas another try, and I think we will remove the cover in October-ish, after some of those darned cabbage moths have hopefully died off. I'll give the 'Rudolf' sprouting broccoli another try, and still have some 'Red Ball' brussels sprouts seeds, but I may also try one of the varieties you mentioned as well - 'Jade Cross' or 'Vancouver'. I noticed that West Coast Seeds has a couple of overwinter cauliflower available so I may give 'Galleon' a go. Any other recommendations and tips are very welcome!

I guess part of the fun of gardening is trial-and-error!