Permascaping, by Homegrown Foods
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Cauliflower growing

Cool-season produce

Cauliflower

Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group

Steady moisture and mild weather help form compact curds. Heat or frost stress can interrupt head quality; blanch white varieties if needed.

EdibleCool-season crop
Growing spaceVegetable bed
Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b
Crop familyBrassicaceae (mustard)
Life cycleAnnual crop
Phoenix planting windowStart seed in August–September; transplant September–January, best in fall.
How to plantStart in trays and transplant into cooled beds; direct sowing is possible in early fall.
Plant spacing18–24 in
FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.
Time to harvestAbout 90–100 days from transplants; 120–130 from seed
SuccessionStagger fall transplants by 2–3 weeks.
Special categoriesEDIBLE
Typical harvestCut firm heads in winter before curds loosen.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Cold hardinessCover in a hard freeze below 28°F

Plants take light frost, but the curd is easily damaged. Cover heading plants when a frost is forecast.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 28°F

Right plant, right place

Will Cauliflower grow at your Arizona property?

Steady moisture and mild weather help form compact curds. Heat or frost stress can interrupt head quality; blanch white varieties if needed.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Irrigation

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Cauliflower thrive

  1. 1

    Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.

  2. 2

    Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.

  3. 3

    Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.

  4. 4

    Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the horticultural reference ↗

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.

Keep exploring

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