DibbleGrowing cauliflower: from seed to harvest
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before planting out, timing it so the heads form in cool weather. Steady moisture and cool weather make tight white heads, while heat leaves them loose.
Planting dates for cauliflower by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April 30 | May 28 | August 24 |
| Zone 4 | May 28 | June 25 | September 11 |
| Zone 5 | June 9 | July 7 | September 28 |
| Zone 6 | June 23 | July 21 | September 29 |
| Zone 7 | February 21 | March 21 | October 18 |
| Zone 8 | July 30 | August 27 | April 18 |
| Zone 9 | August 15 | September 12 | March 12 |
| Zone 10 | August 14 | September 11 | March 12 |
| Zone 11 | October 23 | November 20 | January 30 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Cauliflower:
Better kept apart:
Family and rotation
Cauliflower is in the brassicas family. Hungry leaf crops. Follow legumes; avoid following other brassicas. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Kale
When to plantBroccoli
When to plantRadish
When to plantCabbage
When to plantBrussels Sprouts
When to plantTurnip
When to plant
Questions
When should I plant cauliflower?
It depends on your zone. Cauliflower is a half-hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow cauliflower?
About 70 days from transplant to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 14 days after that.
What grows well with cauliflower?
Good companions include Onion, Beet, Celery. Keep it away from Tomato, Strawberry.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.