Cauliflower planting calendar
When to plant cauliflower — pick your state
Cauliflower timing swings hard by climate — choose your state for sow, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to its USDA zone and frost window.
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific
Common questions
When should I plant cauliflower?
More temperature-sensitive than broccoli — optimal growing range is 15–18 °C (60–65 °F); temperatures above 27 °C (80 °F) cause loose, ricey curds, while a sharp frost below −3 °C (27 °F) can damage developing heads. Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost and transplant 2–3 weeks before last frost. Blanch white varieties by tying outer leaves over the curd when it reaches golf-ball size, or choose self-blanching types. Succession planting is difficult in spring in hot climates (zones 7+); fall crops from a midsummer sowing are often more reliable. Because the right window depends on your local frost dates, pick your US state above for a calendar with exact sow, transplant, and harvest dates.
Does the best time to plant cauliflower vary by state?
Yes — planting dates swing by several weeks across the US because each state sits in a different USDA zone with its own frost window. Every state page here gives cauliflower dates calibrated to that state's climate.
How are these cauliflower planting dates calculated?
Each state's dates come from that state's dominant USDA hardiness zone and NOAA average frost dates, then adjusted for cauliflower's cold tolerance and days to maturity.