Cauliflower Planting and Harvest Time, Differences from Broccoli, and Storage and Fresh-Keeping Methods
Cauliflower, also known as flower cabbage, cabbage flower or cauliflower, cabbage flower, kale flower, foreign cauliflower, ball cauliflower, is a very popular vegetable.So when is cauliflower planted and harvested? How long is its growth cycle? What is the difference from broccoli? What storage and fresh-keeping methods are there?According to grower Wu Xiangsheng, the growing period of extremely early-maturing varieties is 30 to 40 days; early-maturing varieties generally 50 to 60 days; mid-maturing varieties 70 to 90 days; and late-maturing varieties require more than 90 days.
When is cauliflower planted and harvested?
Planting:
The normal season for sowing cauliflower is to start sowing in autumn, grow through winter, and normally come to market and reach the table after the Spring Festival. In spring it begins to flower, and the seeds mature in April or May. Seedling raising in summer and autumn: raise seedlings during the high-temperature season from August to October. At this time the temperature is generally above 25°C, sometimes at a high temperature of 30-35°C, and there are also heavy rain and hail hazards, so shade netting is used for open-field seedling raising. The seedling age is generally 35-40 days. Sowing or direct hole planting can be used. The seedling stage averages about 30 days, and from planting to harvest is 80-90 days. It is slightly more winter-hardy; when the seedling stem is 10mm thick it can be affected by low temperature and complete the vernalization process.
Harvest:
The climate difference between north and south China is huge, and the varieties planted in different places also differ noticeably. Cauliflower variety types are divided by maturity into extremely early-maturing varieties, early-maturing varieties, mid-maturing varieties and late-maturing varieties, and they are generally harvested in autumn and winter.
What is the difference between cauliflower and broccoli?
Broccoli and cauliflower are not the same vegetable. In fact, broccoli and cauliflower both belong to the cruciferous cabbage family of vegetables, but one is white and one is green; they are a pair of “sister flowers” in the cabbage family. So cauliflower is not broccoli; there are still subtle differences between the two.
1. Cauliflower, also known as flower cabbage, cabbage flower or cauliflower, is a cruciferous vegetable and a variety of cabbage. The head of cauliflower is a white flower head, similar to broccoli. Cauliflower originated along the Mediterranean coast, and its product organ is a curd formed by the aggregation of pure white, shortened, tender flower buds, flower branches, flower stalks and so on; it is a vegetable with low crude fiber content, fresh and tender quality, rich nutrition and delicious flavor that people enjoy eating.
2. The morphological characteristics and growth habits of broccoli are basically similar to those of ordinary cauliflower; it belongs to the cruciferous genus Brassica, species cabbage, and is a 1-2 year herbaceous plant. The plant is tall; depending on the variety, after about 20 leaves grow, the flower stem is drawn out, with flower buds clustered at the top. They are tightly clustered into a curd shape, hemispherical in form, and the flower buds are blue-green, hence it is commonly called green cauliflower. The leaves of broccoli are blue-green and alternate, gradually turning dark blue-green, with a thicker waxy layer and narrow, long petioles. Its leaf shapes include broad-leaf and long-leaf types. The root stem is thick with a thin epidermis; the central pith cavity has a high water content and is fresh and tender, and the root system is well developed.
Appendix: Cauliflower storage and fresh-keeping methods
Different varieties of cauliflower have different storage tolerance. Only by choosing storage-tolerant varieties can storage and fresh-keeping be achieved and considerable economic benefits obtained. At present, storage-tolerant varieties are mainly mid- and late-maturing varieties; early-maturing varieties are not suitable for storage. The sowing period should be arranged according to the length of the variety's growth period and the local suitable storage time; generally, sowing and planting should be appropriately later than for fresh-eating cauliflower, so that the harvest period falls before the soil freezes. Harvesting too early, when the temperature is high, makes storage difficult; harvesting too late is prone to frost damage and low yield. In cultivation management, do not use large-flood irrigation; the furrow irrigation method should be used. Water less or not at all 7-10 days before harvest. During the mid and late stages of curd growth, cover the curd with outer leaves to protect it from sun and frost damage. On the basis of applying an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
1. The curd standard suitable for cauliflower storage is: a medium curd with a diameter of about 15 cm and a weight of 0.5-0.8 kg. The curd is dense, pure white, free of pests, free of viruses, free of damage and free of pollution.
2. At harvest, if about 2 months of short-term storage is intended, 4-6 small leaves can be left to protect the curd, which also helps preserve vitamin C. If the storage period exceeds 2 months, curds without leaves should be stored, because in the later stage of storage the leaves easily rot, giving the curd a moldy smell, affecting the curd's flavor and thus losing edible value. At harvest, damage to the curd should be avoided, because damaged curds turn yellow and dark during storage, develop brown spots and rot.
3. The temperature suitable for cauliflower storage is 0-1°C. If the temperature is too high, especially above 10°C, it easily causes the curd to discolor, bolt, lose water and shrink, and rot, losing storage value; below 0°C, frost damage easily occurs, the curd becomes locally transparent, and after warming brown spots appear, affecting the curd's flavor and storage. The relative humidity suitable for cauliflower storage is 90%-95%. If the humidity is too low, the curd easily dehydrates, shrinks and becomes limp, and the flower branches loosen, losing commercial value and edible value.