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Cauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

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Cauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

layout: base.njk title: Cauliflower description: Growing Cauliflower in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: cool-season

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below
White cauliflower heads with protective leaves

Type: Biennial (grown as annual)
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Sun: Full sun (6+ hours, essential for proper head development)
Water: High (1.5-2" per week, consistent moisture absolutely critical)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5 (optimal 6.5-7.0)
Hardiness: Zones 3-10 (cool season annual, less cold hardy than broccoli/cabbage)

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: 1-3 lbs per head (variety-dependent). Colored varieties often smaller.
  • Per 10' row: 15-40 lbs (fewer plants, higher weight per plant).
  • Per season: With spring and fall crops: 25-60 lbs per 10' row annually.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

'Snowball Y Improved'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
  • Days: 70 days
  • Notes: Classic American heirloom. Pure white, smooth, rounded heads (6-7" diameter). Reliable self-wrapper (leaves naturally cover head). Cold tolerant. Standard for home gardens. Good for spring and fall. Mild, sweet flavor.

'Early White'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Burpee (burpee.com)
  • Days: 60 days
  • Notes: Early heirloom. Compact white heads (5-6"). Fast maturing. Self-wrapping. Good for spring crop. Tender, mild flavor. Less heat tolerant than fall varieties.

'Purple Cape'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
  • Days: 85 days
  • Notes: Heirloom from Italy. Purple heads (turn green when cooked). Cold hardy—can overwinter in zone 7+. Large heads. Sweet, nutty flavor. Beautiful ornamental value. Traditional winter variety.

'Graffiti'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek, High Mowing Organic Seeds (highmowingseeds.com)
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Modern colored variety. Deep purple heads (anthocyanin-rich). Turns green when cooked (cook briefly to retain color). Sweeter than white types. Cold tolerant. Beautiful raw and cooked.

'Cheddar'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Orange cauliflower (beta-carotene). Mild, sweet flavor. Doesn't need blanching. Cold tolerant. Nutritional boost from beta-carotene. Beautiful cheese-like color. Kids love it.

'Veronica' (Romanesco Cauliflower)

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Italian heirloom. Lime-green fractal heads (Fibonacci spirals). Stunning mathematical beauty. Nutty, delicate flavor. More heat sensitive than white types. Conversation piece. Requires cool weather for best formation.

'Alverda'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek
  • Days: 70 days
  • Notes: Green cauliflower heirloom. Pale green heads (doesn't need blanching). Sweet, nutty flavor. Self-wrapping. Cold tolerant. Unusual color, excellent taste. Less common than white.

'Snow Crown'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Burpee
  • Days: 55 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Very early, white heads. Self-wrapping. Heat tolerant for cauliflower. Uniform. Good for spring crop. Quick turnover. Mild flavor.

'Amazing'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds
  • Days: 65 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Large, white, uniform heads. Excellent self-wrapping. Heat and cold tolerant. Disease resistant. Holds well in field. Popular with market growers. Reliable in variable conditions.

'Gypsy'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Large, white heads with excellent protection. Cold tolerant. Good for fall crop. Heavy yielder. Disease resistant. Excellent flavor. Industry standard for fresh market.

🌾 Seed Saving

  • Method: Cauliflower is biennial—requires vernalization (cold period) to flower. For seed saving, select best heads, mark plants. In zone 6b/7a, most varieties must be dug before hard freeze, stored in cool, humid place (root cellar at 35-40°F with heads wrapped in damp sand or leaves), replanted in spring.

Some cold-hardy varieties can overwinter with heavy mulch. In spring, plants send up 3-5' flower stalks from center of curd. Yellow, four-petaled flowers bloom over 3-4 weeks.

Heavy insect pollination (bees, flies). Seed pods (siliques) mature 4-6 weeks after flowering, turning from green to tan/brown. Cut stalks when most pods brown but before shattering.

Hang in paper bags or on tarps in dry, ventilated area 2-3 weeks. Thresh by beating bags or rolling stalks. Winnow by pouring between bowls in breeze to separate seeds from chaff. - Isolation distance: 2 miles minimum (up to 5 miles for pure seed).

Cauliflower cross-pollinates readily with all Brassica oleracea varieties (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi—all same species). For pure seed, grow only one B. oleracea variety or cage isolated plants with netting and hand-pollinate. - Viability: 4-5 years when stored in cool, dry, dark conditions in airtight containers.

Medium-sized seeds store well. - Special notes: Save seed from minimum 5-10 plants to maintain genetic diversity. Select for head quality, wrapper ability (self-blanching), disease resistance, flavor, bolting tolerance. Cauliflower is most challenging brassica for seed saving— requires overwintering (cold damage risk) and has exacting requirements.

In zone 6b/7a, only very cold-hardy varieties reliably overwinter. Most must be stored indoors and replanted. Biennial requirement means seed saving requires two full seasons.

Consider starting with hardy varieties like Purple Cape for seed saving practice..

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead