Cauliflower does not set in open ground: why does this happen and what to do
Cauliflower does not form the usual heads of cabbage, but inflorescences, which are used for food. Although this crop has been known for a long time, when growing it, gardeners often encounter various problems, the most common of which is the lack of ovaries. Let's take a closer look at the reasons why cauliflower doesn't set and look at the main mistakes when growing vegetables.
Why cauliflower does not set and what to do about it
Cauliflower is a demanding crop. There are many reasons why inflorescences form incorrectly or do not form at all. This is often due to mistakes that gardeners make when growing vegetables.
Bad Seeds
Poor-quality planting material is one of the reasons for obtaining plants that are too weak for fruiting or initially sterile, so when purchasing seeds it is important to take into account a number of nuances.
The selected variety or hybrid must be zoned in a specific region. Often, unscrupulous producers grow crops in the southern regions in order to collect the maximum number of seeds, and then sell them in regions where conditions are not suitable for cultivating certain varieties.
When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to the ripening time of the variety (the time of planting cabbage, the conditions for its cultivation and care requirements depend on this) and the recommended method of cultivation.Plants suitable for growing outdoors may not be suitable for planting in a greenhouse, and vice versa.
A few more recommendations for selecting and preparing seeds:
- give preference to varieties of domestic selection;
- check the expiration date of the planting material indicated on the packaging;
- make a choice in favor of products from agricultural firms with a good reputation and varieties included in the State Register of Russia;
- do not prepare seeds of hybrids - they do not inherit parental characteristics.
If seeds are collected from mother plants pollinated with other cruciferous plants, the plants grown from them often do not set forks.
This is interesting:
How to properly store cauliflower
If cauliflower blooms, what to do with it and can it be eaten?
Is it possible to include cauliflower in the diet while breastfeeding?
Improper care
Fulfillment of all agrotechnical requirements of the crop is an important condition for the formation of full-fledged inflorescences.
Landing dates
Seeds of early-ripening varieties are sown for seedlings in the first ten days of March, mid- and late-ripening varieties - after March 20.
Containers with crops are kept at a temperature of +20...+25°C, after germination it is reduced to +10°C for a week, then, until transplanting the seedlings into open ground, it is maintained at +20°C.
Seedlings of early varieties are transplanted into beds in early May, late varieties - in the last ten days of May. In this case, the average daily air temperature should not be lower than +18°C. If during transplantation it is below +15°C, after 4 weeks the cabbage will go into arrows with seeds, and the inflorescences will not set.
Watering and fertilizing
This is a moisture-loving plant, so insufficient watering often causes the absence of head ovaries.At the same time, excessive moisture and waterlogging of the soil lead to rotting, death of roots and leaves and the development of bacteriosis.
Reference. If there is sufficient rainfall, cauliflower is watered weekly, during dry periods - 2-3 times a week, using 10 liters of water per 1 m².
To increase air humidity, plantings are sprayed several times a week, and the soil is mulched with chopped straw or mowed and dried grass.
If there is a lack of nitrogen in the soil, the growth of cauliflower, especially early varieties, slows down, the upper leaves become pale, and the lower ones acquire a red or blue tint. An excess of this substance provokes increased leaf growth, which is why inflorescences do not form, the apical growth point dies off, and as a result, fruiting begins later or does not occur.
Lack of phosphorus causes the cessation of crop growth and the absence of inflorescence ovaries. In acidic soil, phosphorus is not fully absorbed, so lime or dolomite flour is added to the soil before adding it.
With a deficiency of potassium, plants weaken, turn yellow, and burn-like spots appear on them. With a lack of magnesium, cabbage, starting from the top, becomes a light marble color; over time, the leaves die off and the plant dies. A lack of boron and molybdenum prevents the formation of inflorescences.
Recommended fertilizer application schedule:
- when digging a site - 5 kg of fresh manure (in autumn) or 5 kg of humus (in spring) per 1 m²;
- 2 weeks after transplanting the seedlings into the ground - a solution of mineral fertilizers (2 g of superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride per 1 liter of water);
- after 12–14 days - re-watering with a solution of mineral fertilizers;
- when forming heads, water with a solution of boron and molybdenum (2.5 g of substances per 10 liters of water) at the rate of 1 liter for each plant.
If the soil is too depleted, the fertilizing rate is increased by a quarter.
Diseases and pests
Diseases and pests dangerous to cauliflower are described in the table.
| Disease/pest | Signs | Treatment/prevention |
| Mucous bacteriosis | Putrid spots appear on the heads of cabbage. | At the initial stage of the disease, with minor damage, the rot is cut off with a sharp knife. If it has affected most of the vegetable, it is torn from the garden and burned. |
| Blackleg | The disease affects seedlings, the base of the stems darkens, softens, and the plant dies. | Affected specimens are immediately destroyed. For prevention, seedlings are treated with Previkur 607 SL. |
| Alternaria blight | The leaves darken and concentric circles appear on them. | For prevention, seeds are treated with Planriz or Thiram. During the growing season, plants are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate. |
| Kila | The fungus attacks the roots of cauliflower, growths form on them, the root system rots, and the plant dies. | For prevention, ash is added to the soil; at the end of the season, the soil is sprinkled with dolomite flour. |
| Downy mildew | A white coating appears on the leaves and they gradually die off. | Affected areas of plants are removed to prevent the spread of the disease. Plantings are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or Polycarbacin. |
| cabbage fly | Larvae and eggs of the pest are visible near the stems. | The larvae and eggs are immediately removed, and the cabbage is hilled up. The procedure is repeated several times. The soil around the plants is sprinkled with an ash-tobacco mixture. |
| Cruciferous flea beetle | Small beetles damage all parts of plants.The larvae develop on the roots. | To prevent and control insects, weeds are regularly removed and the soil is treated with lime or ash. |
| Cabbage whites | Insect eggs are visible on the underside of the leaves. Yellowish-green larvae (caterpillars) eat holes in cabbage. | The eggs are harvested by hand, the plants are treated with the preparations “Bitoxibacillin” or “Lepidocide”. |
Why do cauliflower inflorescences stretch out?
If cauliflower does not form dense heads, but spreading bouquets of inflorescences, it means that the fertilization regime is disrupted or the plants do not have enough micronutrients.
To avoid such a problem and get a good harvest of cauliflower, it is important to plant the crop in nutritious soil enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers and timely apply fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, boron and molybdenum.
Read also:
The best Dutch varieties and hybrids of white cabbage
The best varieties of cabbage for pickling and storing for the winter
Conclusion
Every gardener can get a good harvest of cauliflower if he puts in some effort and fulfills all the agrotechnical requirements of the crop. First of all, it is important to choose the right seeds and determine the timing of their sowing, and then follow the recommendations for caring for plantings: timely watering, applying fertilizers and not neglecting preventive treatment of plants against diseases and pests.