By Matt Gibson
Native to northwestern Europe ( most potential Germany ) , kohlrabi is a efflorescence works that belong to the cabbage family . earlier arise in Europe , kohlrabi was brought to North America in the nineteenth century . Today , turnip cabbage is cultivated all around the world for culinary intention . Its flavour is described as juicy , crisp , and slightly sweet , like a mix between a radish and a Cucumis sativus . It can be enjoyed raw or cooked .
Depending on the motley , kohlrabi grows anywhere between six to 18 inch in height and 2 to 4 inches in diameter . Kohlrabi is a really strange and unique - wait plant . Its monumental , unripened or violet - greenish simoleons - like leafage has wavy , scratchy edge and long leafstalk which emerge from blockheaded , roundish root word . Cross - molded clustering of white or jaundiced flowers baby-sit atop its stalks .
The fruit which Brassica oleracea gongylodes is educate for , is four to five in tenacious seed pods , which are filled with tiny seed . The leaf and still hunt of the plant are also edible , and are often used as a garnish , or plate decoration . sort of turnip cabbage are split up into two main categories found on the color of the stems and the peel of the yield .
lily-white turnip cabbage varieties are typically light - fleeceable to cream slanted , and over-embellished varieties come in various shades of purple , from bright Battle of Magenta to deep purpleness . Though the color of the skin can vary greatly ground on the cultivar , all varieties have a creamy white flesh underneath .
Propagated by seed , kohlrabi can be engraft two times per year , once in the fountain , and again in the fall . Seed pods are typically ready for harvest in just 55 to 60 days after plant . Kohlrabi is rich in mineral such as copper , Ca , atomic number 19 and magnesium , as well as vitamin C , and multiple forms of vitamin B.
Varieties of Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi mixture are dissever into two dissimilar categories establish on the color of their taboo stratum of skin , which is either blanched , or purple . lily-white smorgasbord are typically not really white , but different shades of light green , whereas purple varieties range from calorie-free , lavender - like purple , to burnished , Battle of Magenta - purple , to dark purple .
There are over 30 different cultivars available to gardener around the world .. Instead of listing every cultivar , we have gather the most trusted form from each type to help nail down your tilt down to the secure possible selection of turnip cabbage varieties on the market . Also , away from color , we have name varieties found on fruit size of it , nimble maturing cultivars , deadbolt insubordinate varieties , and extended storage varieties so that you could considerably decide on the variety that ’s right for you .
Grand Duke – The pale - greenish grapefruit sized bulbs of the Grand Duke cultivar take 50 day to mature . Grand Duke turnip cabbage is the only cultivar to be grant an All American Selections honor .
Kossack – This cultivar is simply massive . It produces light - unripe bowling ball - sized medulla oblongata and tasty leaves which are like to collard greens . Matures in 60 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Sometimes spell Kossak .
White Vienna – Ready to glean in 60 to 65 days , White Vienna bring forth a flat incandescent lamp with pale - green to ashen skin . Very tasty .
Logo – Pretty , extremely unvarying plant used for babe veggie production in Europe . Early white force character . Plant in springtime once temperatures reach 60 degree F.
Early White Vienna – quick to harvest in 50 to 58 days , this heirloom variety produces a flat , greenish - lily-white bulb that is two inches panoptic . Early White Vienna is a gnome kohlrabi variety , with intermediate radical , short tops and miniature leave . Slow to bolt .
Korridor – Matures in 50 day , producing dark - unripe , erect leaves and white bulb .
Kolibri – This agile growing Dutch salmagundi matures in just 43 to 45 day . produce expectant to average - sized purple bulbs with almost fiberless ashen flesh . toughened stems make harvesting somewhat difficult . Stores well .
Rapid Star – Matures in 49 days , this nippy , cuke - corresponding bright - purple bulbed hybrid cultivar is slow bolt .
Purple Vienna – Also called Early Purple Vienna , this pop cultivar matures in 55 days . Purple Vienna grow flat bulbs with over-embellished skin and creamy white flesh .
Azur Star – Similar to Logo , the Azur Star is a highly undifferentiated plant which should be sown once temperature strive 60 degrees F. Produces blue - skinned bulbs . Bolt resistant .
Kossak , listed above in the white kohlrabi varieties , forms incredibly large bulbs . Though Kossak is a favorite for some gardeners due to its tasty parting and tender physical body , many gardeners prefer motley that produce intermediate - sized bulb . Here are a few of the upright medium - sized light bulb varieties .
Dyna – quick for crop in 60 day , Dyna is an open - pollinated variety . bring on eight to ten in bulbs that are sweet and warm . Similar to Superschmelz , but with purple skin . best when plant in summertime for an autumn harvest .
Tianstsin Strain – produce average - sized green bulbs with white flesh . From northern china .
Quickstar – Ready for crop in 49 to 59 24-hour interval , this early - maturing hybrid produces flat , round , smooth , six - column inch bulbs with pale green skin and coloured - greenish leaves . works are slow to absquatulate .
Early White Delicacy – Matures in 50 - 65 sidereal day , harvest when swollen stem is lawn tennis ball - sized .
Peking Strain – From northern China . Produces pale - fleeceable light bulb with white flesh .
Kossak – See above .
Gigante – Matures in 62 to 130 days , this monumental Czechoslovakian heirloom forms 10 - inch diam , 10 pound bulbs that do not get woody even if the works bolts . leave can be used like kale . Plant during the spring for a crepuscle harvest home . Root maggot immune . Stores well . Also known as Gigant and Gigant Winter .
Superschmelz – Plant in the summer for an autumn harvest . This open - pollinated multifariousness produces eight to ten column inch incandescent lamp that stay sweet and tender . Matures in 60 days .
Kolibri – See above .
Winner – Matures in 45 to 57 days . achiever is a hybrid variety that form pale - green , 18 - troy ounce , semi globe - regulate lightbulb .
Eder – quick for harvest in just 38 days , Eder get tender bulb with first-class flavor .
Sweet Vienna – Matures in 45 solar day , this variety produce three - in bulb with a sweet flavor .
Granlibakken – Ready for harvest time in 45 days , this cultivar produces light to intermediate - dark-green bulbs that hold well without becoming woody .
Rapid Star – See above .
other White Vienna – See above .
Azur Star – See above .
Quickstar – See above .
Growing Conditions for Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a nerveless conditions veggie that is quite cold tolerant . It is hardy to USDA zones two through 11 and should be add to the garden with early newbie so that it is finished grow and ready for harvest before the soil temperature start to warm up . Though it is not a root vegetable , kohlrabi prefer very similar growing conditions to root vegetable crops like radishes and carrots .
Kohlrabi prefers a full day of Lord’s Day exposure and a nutrient rich , consistently moist , loamy soil type with a slimly acidulent pH orbit between 5.5 and 6.9 . plant your turnip cabbage in raise beds , or taking the metre to double dig the soil before planting will help assure you of high - character bulb . Keep the stain moist and if possible , give your kohlrabi a nutritionary bonus with diluted compost tea when watering .
Be sure to harvest all of the bulbs before the conditions commence to warm up , as kohlrabi plants will bolt in warm atmospheric condition , though there are some varieties that are more bolt resistant if you subsist in a strong weather neighborhood . If you let one of your Brassica oleracea gongylodes flora run out , its bulb will turn woody and sulfurous very speedily .
Kohlrabi is a heavy affluent and your plants will grow more vigorously if given copious sum of money of nutrients throughout the grow time of year . Feeding your kohlrabi plant with organic ground amendment is recommend over using commercial-grade fertilizers . Amend the soil with lots of well - waste manure prior to planting and continuously enrich the soil by side dress each row of kohlrabi with compost up until the bulbs accomplish full maturity . And , as mentioned above , pee with a diluted compost teatime for an additional boost .
How to Plant Kohlrabi
Four to six week before you plan to move them outside , start your kohlrabi plant indoors . Kohlrabi loves nerveless weather , and will execute well if transition alfresco with early starters like radishes and pea , however , you’re able to also plant them directly into the garden after the last hard frost . Prepare the beds by dual digging with slews of well - rotted manure . Remove clumps , Stone , and any industrial plant rubble from previous time of year .
If you ’re come out your kohlrabi seeds indoors , plant them one - one-fourth to one - half inch beneath the filth spaced three to five inch aside in a small container or seeded player start tray . If implant flat outside , press seminal fluid into the soil about a half - inch deep in rows spaced 12 column inch apart . Thin seedlings down to four or five inches aside after the 2nd set of leave of absence sprout . Keep the soil well watered . Because of the declamatory size of the bulbs that it produce , kohlrabi is not a good candidate for container gardening .
Care for Kohlrabi
Keeping the ground around your kohlrabi plants moist and alimentary racy are the keys to successful Brassica oleracea gongylodes finish . supply a consistently even supply of water will insure sweet , tender bulbs . If the soil does n’t get enough moisture , the bulbs and stems will become woody , fibrous , and problematical . employment in compost throughout the time of year by side dressing each rowing . Give a boost to your kohlrabi plant with diluted compost tea , if possible .
How to Propagate Kohlrabi
Propagate turnip cabbage by seed by either starting indoors four to six weeks prior to the last hard halt in your area , or plant directly into the ground after the last severe freezing in your region passes .
Garden Pests and Diseases of Kohlrabi
cutworm are one of the few garden pests that trouble the kohlrabi plant . Prevent cutworm by placing collars around your industrial plant or by open outDiatomaceous Earth ( DE)when the plant life are young . suss out your industrial plant now and then for cabbage worms . Hand pick them off and trounce them . Also search for their egg , which they lodge in clusters on the undersurface of leaves . They can be destroyed simply by lightly rub your thumb over the undersurface of the leaves .
How to Harvest Kohlrabi
It ’s rather problematic to state when your kohlrabi is mature , as there is no colour modification to indicate ripeness , so you have to swear on the sizing of the bulb to determine when to reap . Luckily , unseasoned electric light and new farewell have the best flavour , so depending on the smorgasbord and the expect sizing of the cultivar that you are growing , harvest when it get through the expected size of it . Most intermediate - sized turnip cabbage bulbs should be harvested when the bulbs are between two and three inch in diam .
How to Store Kohlrabi
Store kohlrabi in a nerveless , dry locationuntil you are ready to employ them . Bulbs will outride fresh and crisp in the refrigerator for up to one month . If you require to freeze your Brassica oleracea gongylodes , it is best to blanch it first , unless you are planning to use it in just a few days . Blanch whole Brassica oleracea gongylodes bulbs boiling them for three minutes , and half - in cube for one min . Cool quickly . Drain and pat wry with a report towel and then put in in an airtight container leaving about a half - inch of headspace at the top of the container .
Kohlrabi might be a strange looking at vegetable , but it is a wholesome , nutritious , tasty treat that is definitely worthy of some space in your garden layer . It can be used to supersede broccoli or cabbage in formula , it can be eat raw or cooked in a variety of methods . Kohlrabi mate well with Japanese radish in soups and stew . The name kohlrabi actually means dinero - Brassica rapa , which it was probably title in a nod to its feel . It has the elusive spiciness of the turnip conflate with the unripened cruciferous vegetable crunch of fresh cabbage . What ’s not to like ?
Learn More About Kohlrabi
https://www.burpee.com/gardenadvicecenter/vegetables/kohlrabi/all-about-kohlrabi/article10029.html
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/kohlrabi/how-to-grow-kohlrabi.htm
https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_kohlrabi/
https://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/kohlrabi_facts/1558/
