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Cauliflower is ready to transplant once seedlings are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall and about six weeks old, into firm, fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Standard summer and autumn types are usually ready to harvest 60–70 days after that transplant, but winter and spring types take considerably longer — three to six months from sowing.
The short answer
Ready in
60–70 days after planting out
Site
soil pH 6.5
Biggest risk
White blister
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group)
11 sources cited · Verified
Quick Facts
Factor
Value
Soil pH
6.5 - 6.5
Germination temp
24°C
Optimal growing temp
10-25°C
Minimum survivable temp
-5°C
Time to harvest
60-70 days after planting out
Drainage
RHS: cauliflowers grow well in soil with a pH of about 6.5; chalk, clay, loam or sand soil types, rich and well-drained with high moisture-holding capacity.
Lifecycle
annual/biennial, grown as annual
Edible parts
flower buds (curd)
Documented problems
6 diseases, 11 pests, 2 nutrient issues
At a Glance
Diseases
White blister
Albugo candida
RHS cauliflower guide names white blister among named problems.
Damping-off (seedling collapse at soil line); Wilting with chlorotic, dropping leaves
Seed that rots before emergence, or seedlings collapsing at the soil line. A transplant-raising problem more than a bed problem: use fresh commercial mix, containers cleaned with a 10% bleach solution, and…
Alternaria leaf blight
medium
Alternaria dauci
Brown circular spots with concentric target rings, and small dark stem lesions on seedlings. Active between 60 and 90°F in moist conditions and overwinters on crop residue, so clearing the bed at season end plus a…
Downy mildew (general)
medium
Grey mould on the underside of the leaf with yellowing, later browning, on the upper surface directly above it. A moisture problem rather than a heat one: space widely so leaves dry, and water at soil level.
Black rot of brassicas
high
Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris
Yellow V-shaped lesions cutting in from the leaf margin, with the point of the V aimed at a vein; the veins blacken and the rot can reach the stem. Seed- and transplant-borne, so it usually arrives on bought plants…
Pests
Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)
Delia radicum
RHS cauliflower guide names cabbage root fly among named pests.
RHS cauliflower guide names cabbage caterpillars among named pests.
Flea beetles
Chrysomelidae: Alticini (various spp.)
RHS cauliflower guide names flea beetles on brassicas among named pests.
Mealy cabbage aphid
Brevicoryne brassicae
RHS cauliflower guide names mealy cabbage aphid among named pests.
Slugs
Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)
RHS cauliflower guide names slugs and snails among named pests.
Cabbage webworm
medium
Hellula rogatalis
Small, tan and brown striped with a dark head. It webs itself into the new growth for protection and attacks the buds and growing point, which causes lateral budding and can ruin a plant that would otherwise have made…
Cross-striped cabbageworm
medium
Evergestis rimosalis
Alternating black and white stripes across the back with a yellow stripe along the side, reaching about three-quarters of an inch. It hatches in masses and can rapidly skeletonise a plant, then drops to pupate just…
Diamondback moth caterpillar
high
Plutella xylostella
Clemson calls it "the most serious insect pest of brassica crops in South Carolina" despite being small, up to half an inch. The tell is a window-pane effect: the caterpillar eats the underside and leaves the upper…
Cabbage looper
high
Trichoplusia ni
Up to 1.5 inches, moving in the distinctive looping gait, and it makes far bigger holes than diamondback moth -- Clemson puts one looper at roughly the damage of five diamondback larvae, so finding one matters more.…
Imported cabbageworm
medium
Pieris rapae
About an inch long and recognisable by its fuzzy appearance; Clemson rates it at about two-thirds the damage of a looper. It pupates in a chrysalis on the host plant, so it can be removed with the plant.
Harlequin bug
medium
Murgantia histrionica
A shield bug with a striking reddish-orange and black pattern; the eggs look like tiny black-and-white striped barrels laid in rows, which makes them easy to find and destroy. Piercing-sucking feeding leaves distinct…
Nutrient Issues
Boron (B)
deficiency
Correction
RHS names cauliflower among the boron-sensitive vegetables. In cauliflower, calabrese and cabbage the symptoms are hollow stem and a browning curd. Boron is less available above pH 7, so avoid liming already-alkaline ground; test soil pH rather than adding boron blind, as the margin between deficiency and toxicity is narrow.
Molybdenum (Mo)
deficiency
Correction
RHS names cauliflowers specifically: molybdenum deficiency causes "whiptail", elongated twisted leaves in which only the midrib develops, while the curd stays white (distinguishing it from boron deficiency, which browns the curd). Worse on acid soil, where less molybdenum is available to roots. Long term, test and correct soil pH before growing brassicas; short term, apply fritted trace elements containing molybdenum before sowing or planting.
Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.
Growth Stages
Stage
BBCH
Notes
Germination & seedling
0
Cauliflower is raised from seed, sown thinly about 1.5cm (¾in) deep in modules or a seedbed rather than sown direct, so plants can be grown on and transplanted without a check to growth. RHS: sow indoors from late winter for early summer crops, or outdoors from spring; Clemson notes transplants are produced in about five to eight weeks. Keep the compost consistently moist and harden plants off before planting out — any check at this stage can trigger premature "buttoning" (tiny, useless curds).
Vegetative growth (transplanting & leafing)
3
Transplant when plants are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall, at about six weeks old, into firm, fertile, moisture-retentive soil — loose or poor soil gives small, distorted curds. Spacing depends on type: RHS spaces summer/autumn cauliflowers 45–60cm (18–24in) apart in rows 60cm (24in) apart, winter/spring types about 70cm (28in) each way, and mini-caulis just 15cm (6in) apart; Clemson sets plants 18in apart in rows 3ft apart. Water in well, keep weed-free, feed with nitrogen for strong leaf growth, and net against pigeons and cabbage white caterpillars.
Curd formation (heading)
4
As the plant matures the growing point forms a tight curd of immature flower buds. Even, uninterrupted moisture is critical now: RHS says cauliflowers grow best in soil that is damp at all times — dry soil can stop growth so the head fails to form correctly — and Clemson stresses plants should never be short of water or fertiliser. To keep white curds pale, snap and fold the inner leaves over the curd (or tie them) to shade it from sun; in winter, bunch and tie the leaves over the curd and use fleece to protect it from hard frost.
Maturity & harvest
8
Cut the curd as soon as it is large enough while still firm and compact — RHS warns that once the head starts to separate it is past its best; Clemson gives roughly 60–70 days from transplanting, though winter types take far longer (three to six months from sowing overall). Harvest in the cool of the morning by cutting through the stem with a sharp knife, leaving a few wrapper leaves around the curd to protect it. Curds do not store for long, so cut as needed or keep in the fridge for a few days.
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…
Cauliflower is raised from seed sown about 1.5cm deep in modules, then grown on and transplanted -- any check to growth this early can trigger premature "buttoning" (tiny curds).
These source is specific to this region. The full list of 11 sources behind this guide (Clemson Cooperative Extension, FAO EcoCrop, Ohio State University Extension (Ohioline) and others) is in the references of our UK guide to cauliflower; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does cauliflower take to grow?
Typically 60–70 days after planting out, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH does cauliflower need?
A pH of about 6.5–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect cauliflower?
Our data links 6 diseases and 11 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
This page gives you the thresholds; the planner turns them into your own calendar. It works from what you can observe and measure in your garden rather than from dates written for somebody else’s latitude.
Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing.
How this guide is put together
The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against international horticultural research and extension sources. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.
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