You can grow kohlrabi at home! It is that easy
What's the story
Kohlrabi, with its unique flavor and high nutritional value, is a fun and rewarding choice for home gardeners.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to growing kohlrabi, ensuring a healthy and abundant harvest.
It covers choosing the best variety, preparing the soil, planting, and care tips like watering and feeding.
With these key steps, you'll be well on your way to growing this crunchy, versatile veggie in your own backyard.
Variety
Selecting the right variety
Selecting the right kohlrabi variety is key to your gardening success.
There are many types to choose from, each offering a unique growing season and taste.
Early maturing options like Purple Vienna and Early White Vienna are perfect for fast harvests, reaching maturity in just 45 to 60 days.
If you're patient and want to try something different, Giant varieties take longer but yield huge bulbs.
Soil prep
Preparing your garden bed
Kohlrabi prefers well-drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter.
Before planting, incorporate compost or well-rotted manure into your garden bed to enhance both fertility and structure.
Make sure your soil pH is between six and 7.5 for the best results.
A quick soil test will let you know if you need to make any adjustments.
Sowing seeds
Planting guidelines
The timing is crucial when sowing kohlrabi seeds directly into your garden bed or starting them indoors for later transplanting.
In cooler climates, sow seeds outdoors four weeks before the last anticipated frost date or start them indoors six weeks before transplanting after all threat of frost is gone.
Sow seeds half an inch deep and two inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Irrigation & nutrition
Watering and feeding your kohlrabi
Steady moisture is crucial for kohlrabi growth; strive for at least one inch of water per week, either through rainfall or irrigation.
Don't overwater though, as this can cause root rot problems.
A balanced liquid fertilizer applied every four weeks will encourage robust growth, but avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, which can promote leaf growth at the expense of the bulb.
Harvest time
Harvesting your bounty
Knowing when to harvest kohlrabi is crucial for ensuring you get to enjoy its optimal taste and texture; they're typically ready when bulbs reach three inches in diameter but can vary depending on the variety grown.
Overgrown kohlrabi can become woody and less tasty, so keep a close eye on them as they near maturity.