Cauliflower 'White Excel' (Brassica oleracea) – White-Headed Vegetable Plants (12 Plants in 2 x 6-Cell Trays)

Cauliflower 'White Excel' is a dependable white-headed cauliflower for British vegetable plots, grown for large, dense, bright white curds. This is Brassica oleracea in the Botrytis Group, and it suits both beginner and experienced grow-your-own gardeners.

You receive 12 young plants, growing in 2 plastic trays of 6 cells with one plant to each cell. They are ready to plant out into a raised bed, allotment or vegetable patch once the risk of frost has passed, from late spring into early summer.

Cauliflower is not reliably hardy, so wait until the frosts are over before planting out, and harden the plants off gradually if they have been kept under cover. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with firm, fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is not acidic, and dig in well-rotted compost or manure first. Firm the soil before planting and space the plants about 45-60cm apart. Water in well and keep watering regularly in dry spells, because any check to growth can give small button heads instead of a full curd. Allow roughly 12 to 16 weeks from planting to harvest, with cutting from summer into autumn depending on conditions.

Cauliflowers are a favourite with pigeons, cabbage white butterflies and cabbage root fly, so cover them with fine mesh or netting and fit a root fly collar at planting.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Cauliflower 'White Excel'
• Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 45-60cm tall and 45-60cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Upright brassica with broad outer leaves protecting the central white curd
• Perfect For: Raised beds, allotments, vegetable patches and kitchen gardens
• Planting Position: Full sun, sheltered from strong winds
• Soil Type: Firm, fertile, moisture-retentive soil, neutral to slightly alkaline
• Hardiness: Not reliably hardy, plant out after the last frosts
• Maintenance: Water regularly, protect from pigeons and brassica pests
• Seasonal Interest: Harvest from summer into autumn
• Type: Grow Your Own vegetable