Growing Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea gongylodes : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P P P         P P P P P

(Best months for growing Kohlrabi in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 4 - 10 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-10 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Your comments and tips

12 Jun 08, Rachel (Unknown climate)
Green Harvest
Stonemans
Lost Seed
21 Jan 08, sarita (Unknown climate)
where can we get the seed for this as well as luffa n bottle gourd n pipengea or ribbed gourd wanting to try some in cranbourne. with khol rabi we also cook a vegetable. grate or chop finely. heat oil put some mustard seeds, tumeric powder, then once the mustard seeds pop add the chopped rabi stir occasionally sprinlke with chilli pwd (depending on tate) and salt. cover and let cook for 5 -- 10min with stirring occassionally. sprinl=kle with fresh corriander. serve with bread, rice or indian breads
Showing 91 - 92 of 92 comments

Kohlrabi is a cool climate plant, in temperate regions you'll be better off to grow it in autumn and winter. The plant will tolerate mild frost. A growing tip. I grow mine always from seeds, and when the seedlings are 10 cm tall, only the strongest seedlings are going in the ground. Before planting time I apply dehydrated lime to the soil.To 1 m2 a handfull is enough.When I put seedlings in the ground I dig for each plant a hole, fill it with water and let it soak in the ground then comes the seedlings and make sure the roots are well covered with mud. Much faster start to grow, and always plant in evenings. (I'm living in Melbourne under the hills) On very hot summer days I pull up a "tent" above plants. During hot days the kohlrabi is having heat shock, therefore I shelter it with shade cloth. The seeds I put in "hot bed" in July August. First harvest is around Christmas. I pull out from ground as much as much required in the kitchen, it will keep growing if you let it. The variety I'm growing is able to grow to 2-3 kg in size, never get inside woody. I have a variety of kohlrabi not cultivated in Australia only few growers know this variety here. Kohlrabi gigante is the name, there are articles photos about this plant on the net.

- eddie

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