Cauliflower Snowball 200 Vegetable Seeds

Cauliflower Snowball is a Compact plants with smooth tight heads. Self-blanching variety due to upright outer leaves that curl around heads and protect from the sun. Excellent taste.

• A long-established favourite with tight heads that truly are snow white in colour and have excellent keeping qualities.
• Suitable for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter crops.

Though strictly speaking described as an early cauliflower, Snowball. is in fact far more versatile than that and can be used for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter production.

The compact plants produce a good crop of 5" - 6" (13 - 15 cm) pure white cauliflower heads that are tightly packed to the point of being solid and of superb quality - they freeze well too!

Recommended by the RHS to be an excellent attractant and nectar source for bees and other beneficial insects if allowed to 'go over' and flower (so if you have room leave any plants in that have gone too far rather than pulling them out straight away).

Cauliflower Snowball seeds can be sown in the open ground, in modules, peat blocks or pots. Caulis require a firm, fertile soil (pH 6.5-7.0) which is moisture retentive and free draining with a medium nitrogen level. 

• Seed will germinate in the range 10-30oC, with an optimum of 21oC. The ideal sowing depth is 12.5mm.
• Seed will germinate in 7-12 days, sometimes longer, depending on soil temperature.

Optimum spacing depends on the time of year, your requirement for the finished item. As a rough guide, summer crops at 53x53 (bed system), autumn crops 60x60 (bed) for large heads, down to 55x55cm for compact heads. Winter hardy crops around 67-67cm to 74x74cm

For Early Cropping:

• Sow under protection in trays February to March.
• Set out when large enough, and fully hardened off, 18" (45 cm) apart in rows 2 feet (60 cm) apart.
• Harvest approximately June - September.

For Main Cropping:

• Sow from March to May thinly in rows 6" (15 cm) apart. Sow in ½" (1 cm) deep drills.
• Thin to one seedling per 3" (7.5 cm) or transplant into suitable pots.
• Set out when large enough to handle 18" (45 cm) apart in rows 2 feet (60 cm) apart.
• Harvest approximately August - October.

For Winter Cropping:

• Sow May to June thinly in rows 6" (15 cm) apart. Sow in ½" (1 cm) deep drills.
• Thin to one seedling per 3" (7.5 cm) or transplant into suitable pots.
• Set out when large enough to handle 18" (45 cm) apart in rows 2 feet (60 cm) apart.
• Harvest approximately December - March.

For Over-Wintering:

• Sow August to September thinly in rows 6" (15 cm) apart. Sow in ½" (1 cm) deep drills.
• Thin to one seedling per 3" (7.5 cm) or transplant into suitable pots.
• Set out when large enough 18" (45 cm) apart in rows 2 feet (60 cm) apart under protection- greenhouse, polytunnel or cloche.
• Harvest approximately May - June.

Top Tips:

• Bend leaves over the developing head to protect from Sun during the Summer and frost in the Winter.
• Do not overfeed winter crops as this makes them more susceptible to frost damage.
• Protect from Pigeons - Pigeons love Brassicas (so do Partridges).
• Take precautions against the dreaded Cabbage White Butterfly - inspect your crop regularly, spray with our BioFriend Plant Defence regularly or use a physical barrier such as insect netting.

Suitable for the garden, allotments and containers.

Be prepared to water well and supplement feed with high-potash feed during season. Regular feeding is recommended.