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Cauliflower, Snowball Y

 Cauliflower, Snowball Y, Heirloom

Heirloom. Organic. No garden is complete without Cauliflower. There are many varieties of Cauliflower to choose from and every gardener is sure to find one to suit their tastes. Snowball Y Cauliflower do well in almost any garden as they are not too fussy about soil.  They're easy to plant, they don't need any time consuming staking, trellising, or poling because they grow on compact, sturdy plants, they grow well even in poor soil.  Snowball Y Cauliflower has six heads covered by green leaves. Introduced by Ferry-Morse Seed Company in 1947  Developed from "Snowball" cauliflower. Tasty snow white 6", dense, heavy, heads are tucked away amongst silvery-green leaves. A self blanching variety as the leaves curl around heads protecting them from sun.  Excellent for home or market use.  Well adapted to short season areas. Cauliflower does best in cool weather so spring or fall (start plants in summer for fall harvest) planting are best for this plant to thrive.  Harvest will be in about 70 days from planting.  

Planting Snowball Y Cauliflower

While starting seeds of the Snowball Y Cauliflower is not necessarily difficult, the right conditions will make the process successful. Sow Snowball Y Cauliflower seeds directly in the ground in the spring when the threat of frost has passed or start in containers several weeks before transplanting into soil. Keep the ground moist but not wet for the first couple of weeks. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot for planting for the best performance. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position.  Snowball Y Cauliflower plants need regular watering. Height: 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide Days to harvest—65 to 70 Days

Spacing: 18-24" inches Depth: 1/4  inch Germination: 10-20 days

Starting from Seed Indoors

Generally, the time to start your seeds is about 6- 8 weeks before the last expected spring frost date in your area, planting the seedlings outdoors about 2 weeks after that date. Another way to figure is to plan on setting out sturdy seedlings in the garden when night temperatures stay in the mid-50 degree range both day and night. Count back and sow seeds 6 to 8 weeks before that date normally arrives. Place a few seeds (5 to 10) into each pot and push them into the soil with your finger. Cover the seeds to a depth of approximately 1/4 inches of the potting mix. Mist each  pot with water until the soil appears moist. Place the pots in an area which will provide both light (which is required for germination) and heat, preferably about 65 to 70 degrees F and at least 8 hours of light each day. Check on the seeds every day and keep the seeds damp but not drenched by misting with your plant mister. You should see sprouting in about 10 to 20 days. Once your seedlings have reached about 4 to 6 inches in height, choose an area in your garden to transfer them. You can also use containers like barrels or clay pots. Dig holes twice the width and depth of each of your pots. Fill up each hole with water then let it drain off. Place a pot in the hole center and level so that your seedling is at the same level as the surrounding soil. Push dirt in carefully all the way to fill the hole back up. Water each seedling carefully so as not to soak the leaves or stem.

Direct-seeding into the Garden

Turn over the area you've selected to a depth of approximately 1/2 inches. Rake the area until it's level and smooth. Water the area until the soil is damp but not saturated. Scatter the seeds in the area. Gently rake the area to distribute the seeds further and protect them from birds. Or, press the seeds into the soil and cover with no more than 1/4 inches of soil. You can also place 2 to 3 seeds every 18 to 24 inches in rows approximately 18-24 inches apart, and cover seeds with 1/4 inches of soil. Place planting stakes around the area so you will know where to water. Check on your seeds about once a day. Make sure to mist the soil whenever it appears dry. Germination for Snowball Y Cauliflower plants is approximately 10 to 20 days, depending on the warmth of the soil.   

Germination Problems

Growing plants from seeds successfully depends on a lot of factors and this makes it impossible to guarantee success on every batch of seeds planted.  Factors include, soil composition, PH, temperature, moisture levels, seed depth, soil density, seed viability, seed storage and many others.  We tested the germination of all our seeds and this seed variety is around 80%, but your results may vary based on exactly how you plant and all the environmental factors.  Good luck.