Kohlrabi is a variety of cabbage, behind which the species Brassica oleracea hides. The thickened corms provide a tasty vegetable. Their shape varies from spherical to flat-round to oval, and the coloring also varies depending on the variety.
When kohlrabi can be harvested depends entirely on when it was planted
This is how kohlrabi grows
The vegetable is a biennial plant. Harvesting takes place in the first year, because in the following season the cruciferous plant develops inflorescences and seed pods. The main season extends from May to October, with earlier or later harvesting also taking place from March to April or in November. The thickened part of the main shoot axis is harvested. Above the second or third leaf, the shoot axis grows in width, which is referred to as primary thickening. Kohlrabi is not a root vegetable.
The Harvest Window
Kohlrabi has no set harvest time. You can grow the vegetables from spring to autumn and harvest for a correspondingly long time if you place the seedlings in the bed at a different time. If you started cultivating immediately after winter, the first tubers will be ready to harvest before Easter. The later the cultivation takes place, the further back the harvest window shifts.
Grow in the garden
There are whitish, light to strong green or reddish and violet varieties with variable sowing dates, but they overlap. With the right combination of varieties and different planting times, the season can be fully exploited. Early kohlrabi tastes particularly mild, but can only be stored for two to three weeks. Autumn varieties can be stored for several months.
conditions
Kohlrabi proves to be sensitive to fluctuations in soil moisture. This can cause the tubers to burst open. Young plants need warmth for healthy growth. Adult specimens also tolerate low temperatures, although most varieties should not get frost in autumn.
Harvest tips
Harvest time begins as soon as the flat to spherical kohlrabi bulbs have reached the size of a tennis ball. The vegetables are ready to eat six to eight weeks after planting. At this point, the tissue is tender and ideal for eating raw. If the harvest takes place in the tenth to twelfth week, the yields will be larger. However, there is then a risk that the kohlrabi will become increasingly lignified. This risk is higher for white varieties than for blue cultivars. These grow more slowly and have a slightly longer ripening period.
Recognize the ideal ripening time:
- Leaves are rich green or purple in color
- wilted and yellowing leaves indicate overripeness
- burst tubers should be harvested as soon as possible
tips
The 'Super Schmelz' variety produces very large tubers and therefore needs more time in the bed. Sowing can be done from March to August. Harvesting is possible up to the first frosts in October.