Kohlrabi is an unusual vegetable which makes it quite fun to grow. Many people have never heard of it or simply don’t know how to grow this strange-looking crop.
Whether you prefer to eat it raw in salads or roasted in the oven, kohlrabi is a fantastic vegetable to add to your garden for a longer growing season.
Top Things To Know About Kohlrabi
Likes Cool weather - in the Brassica family
Season extender - will tolerate frost
Grows fast - only 45 - 60 days
Like 6.0 - 6.5 pH - Slightly acidic which suits Zone 6B
What IS Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is a crunchy vegetable that belongs to the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Its name is derived from the German words 'kohl,' which means cabbage, and 'rabi,' which means turnip.
If you are not familiar with kohlrabi it forms a bulb-shaped stem just above the ground. It has a tough outer layer which we peel off and then eat the tender juicy flesh inside.
I've heard them compared to both apples and turnips. I think they have a mild broccoli taste. The texture is juicy and crunchy. You can eat them raw or cooked.
Kohlrabi is a crunchy vegetable that belongs to the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
Season Extender
Like broccoli and cabbage, it loves cool weather and is great for extending the season. In zone 6 we can grow it as a spring and a fall crop. Although I personally think it does better in the fall.
However, if you plant every three weeks in early spring and again in mid-summer you will have a great harvest.
Kohlrabi Varieties
At Fox Run Environmental Education Center, we recommend growing the Vienna and the Gigante varieties of kohlrabi. Kohlrabi comes in purple and white varieties.
Vienna
I like Vienna which comes in both colors. It is ready in 55 days. The Vienna variety is a smaller, quick-maturing variety that reaches a diameter of about 3 inches. It has a delicate, sweet flavor and is perfect for slicing and eating raw in salads or as a snack.
Kossak
Kossak produces large 8-inch bulbs with a milder flavor and a crisp texture. 80 days to maturity.
Stores well for up to 4 months. Great cooked and is ideal for roasting, steaming, or using in soups.
Kohlibri
There is a variety that Johnny's carries called Kohlibri which only takes 45 days to mature. Great for survival food! If you plant it every week for three weeks you can extend your season.
Deep purple skin with white flesh. F1 Hybrid.
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How To Grow Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is hardy and easy to grow. They have similar needs as cabbage.
Likes full sun and slightly acidic soil. Kohlrabi actually does well in clay soils which many in Zone 6 have.
You can seed them in trays or transplant them out however since they like cool weather it's best to transplant them.
Seeding Indoors
So for a spring crop in Zone 6B that means seeding in early March and for fall in early August. Seed plants 1/2 inch deep in the moist starting mix.
Sow seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.
Direct Sow
You can direct sow them in the garden as soon as the soil temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix plenty of compost into your planting bed.
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Transplanting
Plant them about six inches apart for most varieties. The giant varieties like kossak need to be 12 inches apart.
Raised Beds and Containers
They will do well in containers and raised beds. Add in lots of well-rotted compost.
For square-foot gardening, you can plant 4 per square for smaller varieties or 1 in a 3-gallon grow bag.
Care
Kohlrabi likes to stay moist and needs 1.5 inches of water per week. Make sure you check container plants frequently.
Weeding is important. They don't like competition. Be careful not to weed too close to the stem.
My funny Kohlrabi story
The first time I planted kohlrabi I put it next to a bed of turnips. While the turnips were young I went out to gather some turnip greens. I wasn't paying attention and I inadvertently also gathered kohlrabi leaves. When I cooked them I noticed a different flavor and I realized what I had done.
I didn't know if they were edible or not. This was before smartphones. So I gave the whole mess to the goats!!!
The next day I talked to my extension agent and yes kohlrabi greens are edible!
Pests
So like cabbage they are prone to a number of pests including the dreaded cabbage white butterfly. The larvae feed on brassicas and love broccoli and cabbages and kohlrabi.
Flea beetles also love it.
One way to prevent pests is to cover them with mesh or row covers that prevent insects from physically getting to the plants. Row cover is also great for extending the season.
Aphids also like succulent leaves. Aphids can often be washed off with some soapy water or Safer spray. If pests get to be a problem I use Monterey Spinosad spray.
Companion Planting
Kohlrabi is friendly with most other garden plants. Dill. rosemary and sweet alyssum will help control pests.
Saving Seed From Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a biennial so we typically don't save seeds from them. However, like broccoli, they may bolt in the heat and produce seeds. Keep in mind these seeds may not be very viable.
As biennials, you would need to over-winter to collect quality seeds. You need to cover flower heads after pollination because they disperse seeds by shattering. Also, keep in mind it can cross-pollinate with any other brassica and would need at least 100 feet in between other brassica crops that would be flowering during the same period.
Allow the kohlrabi plants to mature fully and form pods. The pods will turn brown and dry up on the plants. Carefully remove the dried pods from the plants and place them in a paper bag. Label the bag with the date and the variety of kohlrabi.
Store the bag in a cool, dry place for about two weeks to ensure that all the seeds have fully dried. Once the seeds are dry, remove them from the pods and store them in a labeled envelope or jar.
Be sure to keep the seeds in a cool, dry, and dark place until it's time to plant them. With these simple steps, you can easily save kohlrabi seeds year after year and have a continuous supply of this delicious, nutritious vegetable.
Harvest
Harvesting kohlrabi is a relatively simple process. Harvest them when the bulb is 2-3 inches in diameter or tennis ball size.
It's important to avoid letting the vegetable grow too large, as they can become tough and woody. To harvest, firmly grasp the base of the vegetable and gently twist and pull upwards while applying downward pressure to the surrounding soil.
If the vegetable does not easily come out of the ground, gently loosen the soil around the base with a garden fork or trowel. Once harvested, kohlrabi can be enjoyed raw or cooked in a variety of dishes.
In this video I share easy ways to prepare kholrabi
Cooking
Like other brassicas, kohlrabi is very nutrient dense. They contain vitamins C, A, and K and the minerals calcium, potassium, and iron. In addition, they have phytochemicals that may help protect your body from certain cancers.
Kohlrabi needs to be peeled first before eating.
Ways To Serve Kohlrabi
Grated and put in salads or slaw
Combine with apples and gouda for a nice fall salad
Try some nutmeg on your kohlrabi
Cuit in cubs and saute in a frying pan
Roast for 30 minutes at 375 F
Check out this gluten-free kohlrabi noodles SAGE BROWN BUTTER KOHLRABI NOODLES WITH PINE NUTS
More Great Brassica’s You Can Grow!
Brussels Sprouts have a bad reputation as being ‘yucky’ from consumers and hard to grow for gardeners. However, this member of the Brassica family is a great addition to your garden.
I struggled with growing Brussels sprouts for years and made some major mistakes. And I wouldn't dare take any of what I grew to the farmers market…