“Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Mark Twain

Purple of Sicily Cauliflower has purple heads that turn to a bright green when cooked so if Mark Twain is right this variety went to a unique school! Planted nineteen of these cauliflower seedlings in the garden today. Ten of them are planted in a handful of the new dirt and covered with a milk jug greenhouse. Nine of them did not get this special treatment and are planted in the “regular” garden dirt and left exposed and uncovered.

Purple Cauliflower Row

The uncovered seedlings are planted on the outside (fence side) of this row staggered between the milk-jug-protected seedlings. I did this: not because I think we really need nineteen cauliflower plants (hello, overkill!) but I figure the bugs can attack the uncovered ones and give the protected ones a chance to get off to a great start. I had so many “extra” seedlings and I just have a hard time discarding little seedlings!

Special Treatment…

And Exposed!

It will be interesting to see if there is a marked difference in how they grow. We have never tried growing cauliflower before and I have actually never even seen purple cauliflower before (aside from pictures).

Purple Cauliflower Row

This particular variety supposedly resists most pests. In reviews (on http://www.rareseeds.com) people said bugs ate the leaves but this was just a cosmetic problem as they left the heads alone. The reviews also said this variety was particularly tasty. I only used half of the seed packet so if these do well and we like them maybe we will grow them again as a fall crop!

Cauliflower is in the cabbage family and onions and garlic are good companion plants. I have two types of onion seedlings about ready for planting so I think I will plant them throughout this row.