Kohlrabi – Vegetable garden

Kohlrabi (known as stem turnip) is a hardy, cool-season vegetable belonging to the cabbage family. It has a turnip-like appearance, with leaves standing out like spokes. The edible portion is an enlarged stem that grows just above the groundline. It is a strong biennial developed as a yearly. It has a swollen globe-formed stem that makes it resemble a turnip developing on a cabbage root. Stems can be white, purple, or green and is finished with a rosette of since a long time ago stemmed blue-green takes off. Kohlrabi is milder and sweeter than either cabbage or turnip.

Scientific name: Brassica oleracea
Common name: Kohlrabi

How to grow and maintain kohlrabi:

Planting:
Plant kohlrabi in late winter or early spring before the heat of summer and the stem gets woody. The best production is in the fall when the plants mature during cool conditions. Sow seed 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in the row and cover. Thin seedlings to 2 to 5 inches apart. Transplant the surplus seedlings if more plants are needed in
the row.

Watering:
Water the beds thoroughly at least once a week, and check between waterings to ensure that the soil beneath the mulch is still moist. During times of drought, kohlrabi loses its tenderness and becomes woody.

Fertilizing:
Fertilizing isn’t necessary unless you notice your plants are slow to mature. If this is evident you can use a garden fertilizer per the directions.isn’t necessary unless you notice your plants are slow to mature. If this is evident you can use a garden fertilizer per the directions.

Harvest:
It has the best and mildest flavor (resembling mild white turnips) when it is small. Unfortunately, many gardeners allow kohlrabi to grow too large before harvesting. Large, older kohlrabi is tough, woody and may have an off-flavor. Harvest (pull and cut off the leaves) when the stem is 2 to 3 inches in diameter.