Growing Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is grown for its swollen stem. In the North, the early crop may be started like cabbage and transplanted to the garden, but usually it is sown in place. In the South, kohlrabi may be grown almost any time except midsummer.

It is perhaps the hardiest of garden vegetables, and will grow long after your other garden vegetables have succumbed to the cold and frost. If you like celery, you will like it's celery like, nutty flavor.

As a member of the cabbage family, Kohlrabi prefers cool weather. If the weather in your area allows, you can get a spring and a fall crop. Most growth will occur in cool weather. If you can only have one crop, we recommend the fall crop, as the rabi will grow best ,and taste it's best, if it matures in cool weather.

The seeds may be started indoors and the plants transplanted in the garden; or the seeds may be drilled in the garden rows and the plants thinned to the desired stand. Kohlrabi has about the same soil and cultural requirements as cabbage, principally a fertile soil and enough moisture. Choose a site that gets plenty of sun.

Work plenty of compost and manure into your garden. Work in a general purpose fertilizer to promote quick growth. Kohlrabi does not need a deep soil, as it is the stem that grows into a bulb. Be sure to give it plenty of water and that your soil is well drained.

Clip young leaves for eating as steamed greens throughout the season. Harvest young, tender stems when they reach about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter.

Harvest Kohlrabi as the root gets larger than a tennis ball. General size range is three to five inches. Pick as much as you need, and let the remainder continue to grow. The leaves are also edible. They can be added to salads, or boiled like spinach.