Cauliflower looks odd..

[bills]

I have grown some wonderful heads of cauliflower over the years. This year my heads don't look very good. They are not tight and firm like they should be, but rather loose, and the floret clusters vary in height..


They are the exact same seed I have grown in the past, the self blanching Snowball variety. Our weather has been extremely hot and dry this summer. I may be a tad frugal on the watering for fear of the well running dry, but they get their fair share.
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I wonder if this loose head business is from them bolting before completely mature? Sound reasonable? If that is the case there is very little I can do about that this year. If its a nutritional thing, perhaps I can prepare the bed better for them next year.

Anybody else suffer from this? Any ideas on the cause?

 

[hoodat]

I think you answered your own question. heat and dry soil will spoil cauliflower every time. better luck next year.

 

[bills]

I suspected as much, but I wasn't 100% sure if that was it or not..

Dare I direct seed some this late, for a fall crop?

 

[hoodat]

I've seen some in the catalogs that mature in as little as 50 days. Do you have that much time before a hard frost?

 

[bills]

Yes, it's actually pretty mild right on up till mid November around here. We usually get a fair share of rain on and off though, usually starting in October. That may be a benefit..

I expect if I have the right seed I may still be able to grow some.