Cauliflower is a vegetable that has 4 different stages of development. These stages include the germination stage, seedling stage, vegetative stage, and the maturation or flowering stage. Follow along with this detailed guide to learn more about each cauliflower growing stage.
1. Germination stage
Seed germination of cauliflower is the first developmental event in the life cycle of cauliflower. When you planted cauliflower seeds, the seeds will start to germinate in the presence of moisture, light, nutrients, and temperature.
Germination involves complex physiological processes and cannot be covered in a single blogger blog post. But, the main idea behind germination is that it is a molecular process in which mature and viable seeds of cauliflower resume active growth and development.
The germination stage is said to be completed when the first set of primary roots and leaves appeared. It is important to know that germination can only take place in the presence of light, temperature, moisture, and nutrients that are obtained from the seeds and the surrounding soil.
Related: Learn how to grow cauliflower from scraps here
2. Seedling stage
The next cauliflower growing stage after germination is the seedling stage. A seedling stage is simply a sporophyte growing put of a plant embryo from a plant seed. A typical plant seedling is made up of three main components: embryonic roots (radicle), seed leaves (cotyledons), and embryonic shoots (hypocotyl).
The young embryonic roots are the first primary structures that provide anchorage and help in the absorption of nutrients from the surrounding environment into the seedling. The young leaves are the first primary structures that absorb light from the surrounding. The next stage of growth is the expansion and advancement of these primary structures into complex structures also known as vegetative growth.
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3. Vegetative stage of cauliflower
This is the third stage of the cauliflower growth cycle. During this cauliflower growing stage, the expansion and development of young roots, shoots, and leaves occur. Leaves and roots differentiate to form complex structures such as stomata, lenticel, root hairs, and so on.
All these secondary components work hand in hand to synthesize and distribute food and water within the plant system. For instance, xylem and phloem are structures in plants such as cauliflower that help in distributing water and food from the point of synthetic to where they are needed.
Related: Learn more about how plants grow from the germination stage to the ripening stage
During the vegetative stage of cauliflower, heads will be formed and the general cauliflower will grow in height and wide.
As a person who is growing cauliflower, you need to supplement the cauliflower during this growing stage with regular watering and weeding. But, avoid giving your cauliflower a fertilizer that contains a high amount of nitrogen. This is because nitrogen can make your cauliflower not produce heads.
Read also: 6 Problems You Need To Remember When Growing Arugula
4. Flowering stage
The flowering stage in cauliflower is the time when the cauliflower grows buds and flowers. After the vegetative stage, cauliflower starts to produce flowers. Flowers formation is one of the main characteristics features of higher plants and the sign of reproduction in plants.
So, during the flowering stage, cauliflower has matured enough and developed all the important components required for reproduction. After cauliflower flowers, it produces seeds that will eventually be harvested. This is the last developmental event in the life cycle of cauliflower. To start the process, you need to plant cauliflower seeds or grow from cuttings.
Read also: How To Grow Arugula In Containers In 9 Easy Steps
Frequently asked questions
Why some of my cauliflower flowering?
Your cauliflower can be bolted and focused on producing seeds instead of the head because you waited for too long before you harvest. If you do not want your cauliflower to start flowering, make sure you harvest the vegetable early.
How long does it take cauliflower to flower?
Cauliflower can start to flower after 50 days of planting. However, this depends on the varieties of cauliflower. Some cauliflower varieties can take longer or lower than this time.
Read also: How To Grow Broccoli From Scraps And Seeds
Does cauliflower bloom more than once?
Cauliflower is a biennial vegetable, meaning it only lives for two years to complete its life cycle. Cauliflower can be grown and harvested as annuals. It can also be grown as biennials. So, when you grow cauliflower this year, it can bloom and produce seeds. If you allow the cauliflower without harvesting, it can also bloom the following year before it dies up.
Conclusion
In this article, I looked at the different cauliflower growing stages. I hope you will find the article helpful. Let me know if you have any questions.
