Cauliflower
I haven't tried growing any brassica crops before this year, and had intended to put down cauliflower, brocolli and brussel sprouts, however this all got turned on its head when I planted way, way too many cauliflower. I had no idea how large these plants would grow, and now have ended up with a veritable sea of cauliflower plants in my garden bed.
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| Cauliflower plants have huge leaves and take up tonnes of space! |
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| My Field of Cauliflower |
The seedlings begin life deceivingly small, however following the seed packet instructions, I planted them at their minimum distance of 50cm. Next time I will give them about 60cm between plants, because their leave are huge, and I feel they are a little cramped. I initially started my seeds in January and planted them into a newly dug garden bed in February. Today most of the plants still do not have cauliflower heads growing except for one. which looks like it will be ready to be picked in a few days.
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| Cauliflower head |
Cauliflower pests!
White Cabbage Butterfly
By far the most destructive pest to the cauliflower is the caterpillars of the white cabbage butterfly, pictured below
source.
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| White Cabbage Butterfly |
These butterflies lay clusters of eggs under the leaves of all brassica plants, as well as some other varieites as well. In Canberra, they are everywhere, at first I would try and chase them down with a hose or stick, but as the relentless armies of butterflies fluttered forward towards my plants I have resigned myself to finding and squishing the caterpillars as I find them.
The butterflies are attracted to the plants by the smell of the plants leaves, and do a characteristic 'double touch' before laying their eggs on the undersides of the leaves. The first touch is to identify the host plant, and the second touch is to lay the eggs once an appropriate food source has been found.
The butterfly lays small yellow eggs, either in clusters or spread out on the underside of the leaf, and can fairly easily be removed, or squished. After they hatch the caterpillars begin life as tiny green little devils who grow in to fatter green devils as they age.
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| White Cabbage Butterfly Caterpillars |
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| Leaf Damage Caused by White Cabbage Butterfly Caterpillars |
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| More Leaf Damage |
Aphids
Most every gardener knows of aphids, the small sap sucking insects often farmed by ants, and they seem to love my cauliflowers, although only recently making an appearance. I am currently looking into an organic control method for these suckers, and I have heard a concoction of chilli and dishwashing liquid might do the trick, if anyone has any secret recipes they would like to share, post below!
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| Aphids hiding in a curled up portion of leaf |
Peas!
Well two months ago I posted about my pea seedlings coming up, and today I took my first small harvest of sugar snap peas.
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| First Harvest! |
I am growing shelling peas, and sugar snap peas, and both are doing well, although the shelling peas have only just begun flowering. The peas are growing both in pots and in ground, and for whatever reason they much prefer the pot environment growing large healthy leaves, and thick stems. The plants in the ground receive a few hours less sun each day and are much wimpier in comparison, although only planted three weeks later.
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| March 2013 |
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| April 2013 |
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| May 2013 |
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| May 2013 - Relatively small plants growing in the ground (planted three weeks later) |
These peas have been quite simple to grow, however do seem to drain a fair bit of water from the soil, requiring water every 2 days, or else they begin to wilt. They have not been harassed by any pests.. Yet!
The flowers on the pea plants, I find quite attractive as well, although plain and white.
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| Pea Flower |
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