One dying cauliflower

[Adilleynn]

I have one cauliflower that seems to be dying. It gets the same treatment as the rest. Should I be worried it might be something to spread to the others??

[gumbo2176]

I'd be more concerned about the spacing of your plants as they grow and mature. I leave a minimum of 24 inches between them since they grow so big before they mature and the heads are ready to pick. I grew 8 of them in the fall last year and each plant spread enough to crowd the row even with 2 ft. of spacing between plants.

Not sure how much you are watering, but the ground sure looks pretty dry. I've had some plants that just don't make it for one reason or another and the others not affected. I don't think I'd be overly concerned right now if I were you.

[rainbowgardener]

I agree soil is pale and dry. You can't get to great soil in one season, but you really want to work on building your soil. Good soil is the foundation of a good garden. Here's what you hope for your soil to be looking like:



Start a compost pile if you haven't already (we have a whole composting section if you aren't familiar with it). If it were me I would cover all that soil around and between the plants with a good layer of organic mulch -- not wood chips, but straw, shredded paper, grass clippings, pulled weeds, fall leaves, etc in any combination. It will prevent weeds, hold moisture in the soil and then break down to feed the soil.

I don't think you have told us where you are. Depending on your location and climate, it may be quite late in the season. I don't grow cauliflower, but I have a lot of broccoli, which is closely related. My broccoli is almost done. Cauliflower and broccoli are cool weather crops which will bolt if it gets too hot for them.

[Adilleynn]

Sorry, I'm in Alberta Canada. I just started the garden this year (got rid of the planting boxes) never grew cauliflower before, so I don't know much about it...

I was in a rush to get my plants out of the boxes as I was building my garden as the boxes were covering half the area I was building. (Kind of a spur of the moment decision) I haven't added anything to the soil as of yet, but I have been watering with a mix of fish emulsion and Epsom salt (mixes In the water)
Everything seems to be thriving so far, and I have green tomatoes starting to emerge. Zucchinis and cucumbers are flowering nicely, kohlrabi is starting to form..... but u do plan on adding to my soil come next season....
as for watering... I water usually in the evening and again mid day (except today as it's suppose to continue to rain well into the night...
thank you for your advice though... I appreciate it and can make use of it.

[applestar]

I think the fact that you usually water twice a day, yet the first photo looked dry -- means you may not be watering deeply enough at each watering. See what happens to the ailing cauliflower after the thorough soaking by the rain. Maybe this plant didn't have as well developed roots as the others and was not getting enough water due to not deep enough roots.

Also, are you adding Epsom salts to each watering? That may have been too much, but this rain may take care of that. Epsom salts is still salt and too much will be harmful. Besides, it is source of magnesium and sulfur -- micro-nutrients and not needed in very high amounts.

[Adilleynn]

I do not add Epsom salt and fish emulsion to every watering... I do it once a week.
I also have water wells under each plant where I add the water as to not waste water on dirt. I figured it was a good way to do it. I fill the pool for each plant and then fill it again each time I water. I thought it would be more direct for them to get water, and I don't have to run my sprinkler and make a mud hole.
As they get washed away by rain, I rebuild them...

[rainbowgardener]

Sorry... I didn't know you were in Canada... Your season is very different there than me down here in the American South. You may be right on track.