Snowball Y Improved Cauliflower
Snowball Y Improved Cauliflower: 68-75 days to harvest, 5-10 days to germinate, 18-24 inches between plants, pH 6.0-7.0, hardy in zones 6-9. Fruit runs to about 6-8 inches diameter. Give it full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours) and 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture water. Because this is a hybrid, seed saved from it will not repeat the parent — plan on fresh seed each year.
Sowing
Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost. Transplant when soil temperature is 60-65°F. Can direct sow in summer for fall harvest.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter and good moisture retention
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches
- Height
- 10-24 inches
- Season
- Cool season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Pure white
- Size
- 6-8 inches diameter
- Shape
- Dense, compact globe-shaped head
- Flavour
- Sweet, nutty, mild with tender texture
In the kitchen
Steaming, roasting, mashing, rice substitute, raw in salads, pickling, and gratins.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, cabbage root maggots
- Diseases
- Clubroot, black rot, downy mildew, bacterial soft rot
- Resistance
- Improved resistance to clubroot and black rot
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | August – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | July – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | July – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | May – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | April – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Protein (g)
- 1.64
- Fat (g)
- 0.238
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 4.72
- Fibre (g)
- 1.95
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 67.1
- Folate (µg)
- 97
- Calcium (mg)
- 20.4
- Iron (mg)
- 0.334
- Magnesium (mg)
- 14.2
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 39.7
- Potassium (mg)
- 274
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.234
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Snowball Y Improved Cauliflower?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Snowball Y Improved Cauliflower suits these too.
- Amazing 68 days
- White Hot Cauliflower 68 days
- Paxton 67 days
- Cabbage 'Stonehead' 70 days
- Lavender 70 days
- Fioretto 70 70 days