Can cauliflower survive winter conditions?

Cauliflower winter survival depends on your climate and the protection available to you. Light frosts are acceptable; we have grown cold-hardy varieties that tolerate temperatures as low as 28°F, at night. But if it gets freezing hard (so hard it sounds like crunching glass), the plants are dead. In mild zones, you can extend the harvest through the winter with the proper techniques if that's your intention. I have overwintered cauliflower with great success.

Container strategies for surviving freezing zones. Plants that will flourish in ten-gallon pots (see cold-hardy section). Wheels should be attached so you can roll-lift plants into garages as the weather dictates. I have thermometer alarms in mine. I also water the plants very sparingly during the winter months, as the roots will otherwise freeze. I am glad I grow in containers during polar vortex weather, because otherwise I am certain I would have lost my crop.

Harvest Winter Cauliflower at a Midday Thaw. Examine the cauliflower heads once a week and cut them as they are ready. Let your knife be sharp, and cut the stem away at an angle of forty-five degrees, so that the frost may not form upon it. Place them in your cool cellars at once. I cut the small heads, because they are the slowest in growth. The exterior is frozen, but the curds inside are perfectly edible.

Read the full article: When to Plant Cauliflower: Expert Timing Guide