DePurple Cauliflower Seeds

Days to Maturity: 103 from direct sow; 68 from transplant

Determinate

A highly adaptable variety with consistent performance under a variety of environmental conditions, DePurple Cauliflower is grown as a flower vegetable. Attractive as well as productive, the plant sets dense, 7-inch+, dome-shaped heads with eye-catching lavender-pink curds. Cauliflower is considered a superfood for its nutrient rich content, having a high (top 20) Aggregate Nutrient Density Index score (ANDI), or micronutrient-per-calorie density. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains phytonutrients, including glucosinolates, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds.

An herbaceous biennial, typically grown as an annual, DePurple Cauliflower is a member of the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae), commonly called crucifers, brassicas, or cole crops.

DePurple Cauliflower grows best in a sunny location with organically rich, well-draining soil. Consistent moisture and cool temperatures (between 50° and 70°F) are important to keep the heads from becoming bitter and buttoning. Mulching helps to maintain moisture and to keep the roots cool. Regular fertilization may be beneficial.

A cool-season, winter-hardy vegetable, the toughest of the cool-season crops, one of the first to be planted in the garden, cauliflower can be direct sown into the garden as soon as the soil is workable in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. But it can also be started indoors 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting, spring and fall. It needs cold temperatures to germinate and grow but is sensitive to heavy frost.