Why Does Cauliflower Loosen Its Heads? Causes and Control Measures Explained

Cauliflower, also known as caihua or yanghuacai, is one of the vegetables with a relatively high vitamin C content, and many problems can arise during its cultivation, such as head loosening. Head loosening refers to the situation where, during the enlargement of the cauliflower head, the head prematurely becomes loose and does not hold together in the center. So what causes cauliflower head loosening, and how should it be controlled? Let's find out together.

1. Reasonable watering

Cauliflower is fairly sensitive to moisture during the seedling stage. When the base water is sufficient, once the seedlings grow their first true leaves, they need to be watered once every 2-3 days, and before transplanting, water should be properly controlled. For late-maturing varieties, after the seedling-stabilizing period, when the head reaches 2-3 cm in diameter, they should be watered appropriately. Watering too early or too much will cause the leaves to stop growing or cause the head to loosen, but if watering is insufficient or too late, the plants will bolt early and the heads will loosen. Therefore, during the cauliflower growing period, watering should be reasonable, the correct timing should be grasped, and the amount of water at one time should not be too large; a method of watering little but often can be adopted.

2. Seedling management

The seedling stage of cauliflower still falls in the low-temperature season, so cold protection measures should be taken well. Methods such as covering with plastic film or tying straw mats can be used to keep the temperature between 17-20 degrees, and it must not be lower than 8 degrees. When raising seedlings, use nutrient pots or nutrient bags, and appropriately expand the nutritional area per plant. Only in this way can strong seedlings be formed, laying a solid foundation for high yield. When transplanting, carry soil with the seedlings and do not damage the root system.

3. Balanced fertilization

Before planting, apply 3000-5000 kg of high-quality decomposed organic fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer. The base fertilizer can provide sufficient nutrients for the entire growth period of cauliflower. Then apply reasonable topdressing at each growth stage. During the seedling stage, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be reasonably combined. At transplanting, apply 50 kg of diammonium sulfate and 30 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, plus a total of 5 kg of micronutrient fertilizer.

4. Tying or folding leaves

In order to prevent the head from turning yellow or pale yellow, you can tie and tidy a few leaves at the center of the cauliflower, or fold 2~3 leaves over the head, but do not tie them too tightly or break the leaves. This method can also prevent head loosening.

  The above is an introduction to the causes of cauliflower head loosening and control measures. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.