<p>210-270 days. For the home gardener, we have blended six Dutch Walcherin types to increase the length of your harvest from one sowing date. This blend will mature from mid-March to late May. These heritage cauliflowers are the easiest to grow and were listed in the W.H. Steve's Seed Catalogue published in Steveston, BC in 1890. Dutch seed.</p><p>CULTURE: It is best to raise cauliflower from transplants. Start the early types from March through June, and autumn types in May and June. Use a sterile seedling mix and sow 1cm (1/2 in.) deep. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 7-30 deg. C (45-85 deg. F). Transplant out in 4-6 weeks when there are 6-8 true leaves. Spring transplants can withstand light frost without damage. Be really careful not to stress the seedlings by allowing them to dry out, get root bound or sun stressed; this leads to misshapen heads or bolting. From seeding to harvest, cauliflower must have slow, even growth to make a good head. Rich, humus-y soil is essential as cauliflower tends to have weak root systems. Heavy soils must be amended with organic matter. Fertilize with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil immediately below each plant. A soil pH of 6.5-7.0 is also important for best development, so add a cup of lime for every sq. meter. Space the plants 45cm by 45cm (18 in. x 18 in.). Maintain even soil moisture with regular watering. <br>DISEASE: CLUB ROOT: Club root is the most serious disease in all brassicas. It will persist in the soil for more than 10 years. The common sources of infection are through transplants, manure, and contaminated tools and shoes. IT IS NOT SPREAD ON SEED. Increasing pH to 7.0 with dolomite lime and improving the drainage will prevent infection. Use long rotations (over 5 years) and plant brassicas in last year’s potato patch. <br>HARVEST: When mature, the flowerettes are just beginning to separate. At this point the flavour is still at peak quality and the size is maximum. <br>SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to emergence: 5-20. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 7-30 C (45-85 F). Days to maturity: from date of transplant; add 20-25 days if direct seeding. One gram contains approximately 250 seeds. Usual seed life: 3 years.</p><p>Cauliflowers are thought to have originated in Crete, Cyprus or the eastern Mediterranean, and arrived in Italy in about 1490 - though a similar vegetable was grown by the Romans. They are first recorded in England by Gerard in the late sixteenth century, but did not become really popular unti the end of the eighteenth century. Today, hundreds of strains of this sturdy cole crop make it possible to produce them abundantly from April to early December in mild climates like the West Coast. A new development is the production of cauliflowers with 'miniheads' about 8cm across.</p>
