How Far Apart Should You Plant Cauliflower?
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GardenSays
Your 8×4 ft raised bed fits 8 cauliflower plants at 21-inch spacing.
- Between plants
- 21 in
- Grid
- 4 × 2
- Total plants
- 8
Cauliflower plants need 18-24 inches between plants, and in a raised bed you can use that same spacing in both directions — no walking rows needed. At the 21-inch midpoint, that's 4 along the bed and 2 across — 8 plants.
Calculated result · 1 verified source · Checked 2026-07-17 · How we decide
Why
Crowding is the most common spacing mistake: closer planting doesn't add yield, it adds shade, disease pressure, and small fruit. When in doubt, use the wider end of the range.
- Air circulation between mature plants is the cheapest disease prevention there is.
- Roots spread wider than the plant looks in June — spacing is set for August size.
When this doesn't apply
- Compact cauliflower plants can take the tight end of the range; large or vigorous ones want the wide end.
- Square-foot gardening compresses further than these numbers — it trades yield per plant for yield per bed and needs diligent feeding.
How this was calculated
- 1. In-row spacing21 in
Cauliflower: 18-24 inches between plants (extension guidance); midpoint used
- 2. Intensive grid4 × 2 plants
Raised beds skip walking paths: plants sit on a 21×21 inch grid. 96÷21 along, 48÷21 across (edge margins included in the division)
- 3. Total8 plants
4 × 2
Data sources
- University of Maryland Extension — Growing Cauliflower in a Home Garden — Set out 5-7 week transplants 3-4 weeks before the frost-free date; spacing 18-24 in-row x 24-36 between rows; full sun; 50-80 days from transplanting; cut before curd sections separate (compact, firm, white); blanch at ~2 inches by tying outer leaves, 4-8 days. (checked 2026-07-17)
What changes this answer
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Your next decisions
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Time cauliflower transplants — the fussiest cole crop hates stress
When to Harvest Cauliflower
Blanch and cut cauliflower while the curd is still compact
How Often to Water Cauliflower
Keep shallow-rooted cauliflower evenly moist through curd development
Broccoli Spacing
Space broccoli for full central heads in rows or raised beds
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