Cauliflower Orange Sunset F1

'Orange Sunset F1' cauliflower is an original early autumn variety. The vigorous, compact plants form beautiful bright orange curds that hold their colour when cooked. Excellent flavour. Sow from April to June and harvest from September to November.

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytris) is a popular vegetable belonging to the large Brassicaceae family (ex-Cole family). This biennial plant is grown as an annual for its edible flower head (meristem). It is thought to be native to the Island of Cyprus. The most common varieties display creamy white heads (or “curd”). However, more recently, different coloured cultivars have been introduced with orange, purple or green heads. Cauliflower has a mild, nutty taste. It is delicious eaten raw with dips, blended in velouté soups, or lightly steamed and added to gratins or quiches. It also goes very well with curry. From a nutritional point of view, it is very healthy: it is low in calories but very rich in vitamins, fibre and minerals. The orange varieties contain beta-carotene.

Cauliflower can be a rather tricky vegetable to grow. It requires deep, rich soil, and regular watering. It enjoys plenty of sun but not too much heat as this tends to make the florets taste more bitter. Better results are generally achieved in cooler, rainier climates. There are many varieties to choose from. By respecting the correct growing period, it is possible to harvest cauliflowers nearly all year round.

Harvesting: To harvest Cauliflower, simply cut off the central head with a sharp knife when it feels suitably compact and heavy.

Storage: Cauliflower does not keep very well. It is best to eat it quickly after harvesting, although it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. It is also possible to freeze the florets after having blanched them in boiling salty water for a few minutes.

Good to know: For the past few years, swede midges (Contarinia nasturtii) have been causing considerable damage to brassica plants. We recommend protecting your crops with insect netting from mid-May to mid-July.

Even if the vegetable garden is first and foremost a place for growing great quality veg, it’s always a good idea to leave a bit of room for flowers. Growing flowers alongside your vegetable plants will make your general gardening experience more enjoyable and is a great way to attract pollinators and repel garden pests! Flowers such as gaillardia, marigolds, zinnias, cosmos or nasturtiums can be sown in and around the rows of vegetables. Herbs such as dill can be very useful also. Bear in mind that some companion plants self-seed easily and can be a bit invasive (borage, chives, lemon balm etc.)

NB: This variety is marked F1 for "F1 hybrid" meaning that its qualities are derived from carefully selected parent plants. This results in a variety that is both full of flavour and resistant to diseases. Sometimes criticized or wrongly assimilated to GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds have the advantage of producing reliable, uniform, disease resistant plants. Unfortunately, these qualities will not be passed on to following generations.