How to Grow Kohlrabi
Instruction for Growing Kohlrabi
in Your Vegetable Garden
| Nutrition | Watering Instructions | Harvesting |
| Climate | Fertilizing Instructions | Storage |
| Soil | Challenges | Tips |
| Planting |
*** Easy To Grow ***
Kohlrabi looks something like a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, and tastes similar to a broccoli stem. This garden vegetable is known for the edible root, but the leaves are also edible. While it is somewhat similar to a turnip, growing kohlrabi provides a nice treat during hot summer weather when turnips struggle.
How to Grow Kohlrabi: Nutrition Information
Kohlrabi contains: Chromium, Potassium, Dietar Fiber, Manganese, Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin C, B6, Copper
How to Grow Kohlrabi: Climate & Growing Conditions
Kohlrabi tolerates all gardening climates (from sub-zero to tropical). Growing Kohlrabi is most succesful in sunny, well-drained soil.
How to Grow Kohlrabi: Preparing the Garden Soil
Kohlrabi will grow most fruitfully in soil that is rich in organic matter (compost, manure) and that is well-drained. Growing Kohlrabi requires a soil pH level of between 6.5 to 7.5. (Instructions: How to test your garden soil pH level.)
Unlike some other root crops, do not hill the soil around the vegetable as it grows.
Gardening Tip for Growing Kohlrabi - It has a shallow root system, so keep the garden bed free from competing weeds. (Remove weeds carefuly, such that you don't disturb kohlrabi's roots.)
How to Grow Kohlrabi - Planting:
Kohlrabi doesn’t normally tolerate transplanting, so it’s best to plant the seeds directly into your garden bed. Sow seeds from mid-summer to autumn. If you have a cooler gardening climate, you can also sow an additional crop in early spring.
Prepare the garden bed with an application of a complete fertilizer (mixed into the soil) a few weeks before you plant.
When the seedlings reach about 2" high, thin to about 6" apart.
How to Grow Kohlrabi - Watering
When growing kohlrabi, it's important to keep the soil moist. If the soil dries out, the kohlrabi will likely be tough.
How to Grow Kohlrabi - Fertilizing
Boost growth by giving a dose of fertilizer (compost tea is my favorite) one month after planting.
Gardening Tip for Growing Kohlrabi - If you have sandy soil, you may want to apply a light fertilizer more frequently through the growing season.
How to Grow Kohlrabi - Gardening Challenges
When growing kohlrabi, you see: cabbage moth caterpillars, white butterfly, center grub, or downy mildew.
If you see leaves that are turning yellow, that most likely is telling you that there's a magnesium deficiency in the soil. If so, mix 1 oz Epsom salts with 5 quarts of water and water the ground around the plants with it.
How to Grow Kohlrabi - Harvesting
Growing kohlrabi's requires between 8 and 10 weeks in growing season. Harvest once the vegetable root has reached 2 or 3 inches in diameter.
Gardening Tip for Growing Kohlrabi - Don't wait for the root to get bigger than 3", or it will be too tough.
Kohlrabi tends to go to seed when the temperatures drop below 60 degrees (F).
See: How to freeze vegetables - Kohlrabi
Gardening Tips From Our Readers
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Note: the advice and information contained herein is based upon our experience and study. As with any advice, please apply at your own discretion.