It's time to harvest cauliflower—let's do it right.

Cauliflower tends to overgrow, so it's important to know the approximate ripening time for the heads. Delaying harvesting by a few days can result in crop loss and reduced quality.

The harvest period for this crop depends on many factors. It is influenced by light, temperature, and quality of care. The determining factor is the variety's characteristic—the ripening period.

When to cut cauliflower from the garden

A cauliflower head's readiness for harvesting is determined by its appearance. The head should be 10-15 cm in diameter at harvest time. The florets should be tightly packed together. If harvesting is delayed, the head will lose its firmness and original color.

The influence of weather

Cauliflower doesn't like heat. If the days are hot, above 25°C, the heads will develop poorly, and mostly the leaves will grow. Optimal conditions for head formation are between 18°C ​​and 20°C.

Drought doesn't promise a large harvest. If there's no rain, the cabbage can be watered every three days. Insufficient soil moisture affects the quality of the harvest. The heads grow small and have a mediocre flavor. Cauliflower doesn't like full sun, so it's best planted in partial shade at midday and sunlit in the morning and afternoon.

Collection time

When choosing a variety, gardeners pay attention to the ripening period. This determines the harvest time. Early cauliflower varieties form heads first and are eaten in the summer. Mid-season and late-season cauliflower are better for storage, but the short summer may not allow for their ripening. These varieties are grown in regions with warm and long autumns.

How to cut cabbage

Any sharp kitchen knife will do for harvesting. If the head is fully formed, at least 10-15 cm in diameter, trim the stalk just below the head, not just below it. A few leaves should remain.

If autumn is drawing to a close and the heads have not yet fully formed, then resort to the following technology:

• prepare containers: a plastic box, a thick garbage bag;
• the cabbage is dug up along with the roots, the lower tier of leaves is torn off, and it is placed in a prepared container;
• the box (bag) is lowered into the cellar and brought into the greenhouse;
• add a little soil into the container and water it.

This method helps preserve the harvest for four months, while the inflorescences gain weight. High humidity (95%) and good air circulation are essential for continued growth.

In August and September, cut the heads regularly. Inspect the heads every 2-3 days. If you neglect them, the inflorescences will lose their firmness and beautiful color.

Is cabbage afraid of frost?

In autumn, a drop in average daily temperatures to 8°C slows the formation of heads but does not affect their marketability. Plants may develop reserve shoots—new, small heads that need to be broken off.

Unlike white cabbage, which gains juiciness during the first frost, frozen cauliflower heads lose their marketable appearance and don't store well. If cold weather threatens, cover the garden bed with spunbond and harvest the florets promptly. Small heads should be left to grow before the first frost.

Storage Features

Cut heads of cabbage are not exposed to light. The harvest can be stored for up to 60 days in a cellar (room) where the temperature does not exceed 2°C and the humidity is around 90-95%. The inflorescences are stored in plastic containers covered with cling film or hung by the stalks.

The heads will keep in the refrigerator for a month or a little less without losing their nutritional value. To prevent them from wilting, pre-heat them:

• wrapped in several layers of paper (newspaper);
• put in a food bag;
• wrapped in cling film.

For city dwellers, the best place to store cauliflower is in the freezer. The harvest will stay safely there all winter long. The time spent preparing the cauliflower for storage is well worth it later. Any dish made with frozen cauliflower florets is very quick to prepare.

The process of preparing inflorescences for freezing is simple:

1. After cutting, soak the cabbage head in a large amount of water for 30-60 minutes. Any insects on it will float to the surface.
2. The head is disassembled into inflorescences, and they are washed with a colander in running, cold water.
3. Boil water in a large saucepan, add salt, and blanch the inflorescences.
4. The cabbage is rinsed with cold water, dried, placed on trays for freezing, and sent to the chamber.
5. Frozen inflorescences are poured into bags, packaged, the packaging date is indicated, and they are placed in the freezer.

Conclusion

Cauliflower's nutritional benefits are many times greater than those of white cabbage. Growing the crop is simple. The harvest can be stored in the freezer; proper freezing preserves its valuable properties.