Cauliflower is part of the cabbage family. However, unlike the cabbage plant, cauliflower can be easily stressed. If not taken care of properly it will lead to a less than adequate harvest.

If you are a fan of cauliflower (which I am once I cover it with melted cheddar cheese), then you should definitely add a head or two to your home vegetable garden.

Here are the steps you can take to ensure a good cauliflower harvest in your home vegetable garden.

Start by preparing the site where you cauliflower will be planted. Cauliflower grows best when the pH level of the soil is at least 6.5 and no higher than 7.5. You can test the pH level of your soil with a simple home test available at your local home or garden center.

Make sure you pick a spot in the garden that receives full sun light. Cauliflower can tolerate light shade, but if you want to ensure a good harvest, the sunny spot is where it's at.

When planting the seeds (or transplants from inside growing) space them out at least fifteen inches. You want to give the roots of cauliflower plenty of room to spread, dig deep and grow.

Cauliflower needs moderate to even watering. Keep the soil the cauliflower plant is growing in, moist, but not saturated. You can pick up a soil moisture gauge at your local garden or home center.

Cauliflower harvests best when you use the blanching method. This is the process of folding the leaves over the head of the cauliflower when it is about two to three inches in diameter. This limits the amount of sun exposed to the head itself and will provide for a whiter color and more flavorful plant.

After you have completed the blanching process check the heads every other day for maturity. When it has reached maturity it is time to be harvested. This usually occurs with a week to ten days after it has been blanched.

Beets, carrots, celery, onions and potatoes all make for great companion plants where as pole beans and strawberries make terrible companion plants. A companion plant is one that can grow near another with great success.

As you can see growing cauliflower is not all too much different from other vegetables. It has just a few different steps needed to make sure the plant is not under and undue stress.