The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is advising gardeners in England to stop growing cauliflowers, citing the impact of climate change. The charity states that England's climate has changed significantly, making brassicas like cauliflower difficult to grow successfully.
Cauliflowers and related brassicas are described as thirsty crops that are easily stressed by high temperatures, leading to poor head formation. The RHS also suggests gardeners reconsider planting other brassica family vegetables, such as cabbages and Brussels sprouts.
According to provisional Met Office data, this summer was the UK's hottest on record. Temperatures in England reached 38.1C (100.1F) at Kew Gardens on 13 August, and June was confirmed as the country's hottest since records began in 1884. Scientists attribute these heatwaves to the climate crisis.
Guy Barter, the RHS's chief horticulturist, noted that brassicas have been the hardest hit in domestic vegetable patches. He suggests swapping them for alternatives that require less watering and offer a better chance of a good harvest. Horticulturalists at RHS gardens have been experimenting with warmer-climate vegetables, with some reporting successful crops of chillies, peppers, aubergines, and okra.