kohlrabi

[seedcorn]

Planted seeds this spring, nothing. Now it's July, can I reseed now or should I wait till later?

 

[hoodat]

Kohlrabi can stand quite a bit of cold weather. Sometimes the seeds won't germinate if the ground temperature is too high. They may surprise you and show up when it cools off but to be safe I'd replant around late August or early September. You can start them in pots in a cool place. They're an easy transplant.

 

[wifezilla]

August first might be a good time to try again. I have kohlrabi planted in a couple of different spots. In 2 areas they are scraggley and pathetic. In 2 other areas they are going gangbusters.

One bad area I know is a soil issue. The other area NO CLUE But once the current good batch is ready, I will plant more in August.

 

[lesa]

Wife, I am surprised you can plant that late. I'll have to try that.. Is there anyway to preserve kohlrabi? I have only eaten it fresh.

 

[digitS']

I've grown kohlrabi quite a few times but neglected to buy seed this spring. I'm counting on it being a good choice for fall!

Kohlrabi seed doesn't seem to be viable long. I bet that was the problem, Seedcorn.

A friend's kohlrabi is just making it to a useful stage. It likes cool weather and is such a quick crop! I can see planting it just as the weather begins to cool in late August. (Of course for here, that is assuming that it will ever warm up so as to cool down!)

Preserving kohlrabi? Hadn't thought of that . . . You know, chutneys are real good with a barbecued steak . . . wouldn't it make sense to substitute kohlrabi in a radish chutney??

Steve

 

[hoodat]

Kohlrabi can be shreded and made into a good kraut. Other than that I don't remember ever seeing grandma do anything to preserve them.
BTW turnips also make good kraut.

 

[wifezilla]

Wife, I am surprised you can plant that late.

We have long warm falls. There is the occasional freeze and we usually get snow around Halloween, but most of the time we are warned ahead of time. The next day it is in the 60's-70's so you only have to cover for one night. I am starting to grow more cool weather crops in the fall. Our spring weather is just way too unpredictable and it goes from 40 to 95 so fast everything bolts.

 

[digitS']

. . . I can see planting it just as the weather begins to cool in late August. . . .

I was just reminded of this post reading rainnotebook thread!

I'm sure that I left the impression that I was going to plant kohlrabi seeds in late August. Actually, I intend to set out plants.

In fact, I've already planted the seeds . . . maybe a week or 2 early . They are in containers and I'll be keeping them in cooler locations with plenty of water until setting out. I can almost see them frying if I mess up.

The impression I left here earlier hopefully was that I'm new to this growing kohlrabi in the fall. If a trip to the garden center can ever be arranged, there may be some broccoli joining the kohlrabi . . . never tried that at this time of year either but a continuing harvest of side shoots will soon play itself out. May as well give starting it over again a try.

Steve

 

[digitS']

We often don't find out how things work out with others' garden experiments. For me, I harvested the 1st of the late-planted kohlrabi, Friday.

The seed was planted about the 14th of July in 6-packs and set out the last week of August. Those plants just sat and looked at me until the end of September . . . No bulbing appeared until October and the kohlrabi never really made it to tennis ball size.

In a normal year, they would have been smacked with a hard frost about then. This year, the frost came almost 2 weeks late.

There is a major rainstorm now. I don't know if the kohlrabi will make more growth now that it has been frosted repeatedly but I kind of doubt it. It will freeze again as soon as this rain lets up.

So, I guess that starting seed in mid-July and transplanting out in August didn't really work so well in my garden; I can only say that there was limited success.

Broccoli would have been a more important experiment but . . . I never made it to the garden center on time to purchase the seeds ! Still, I doubt if it would have performed any better than the kohlrabi.

Steve
who continues to harvest and enjoy quick-growing Asian greens: mustard, Komatsuna, Tokyo bekana, bok choy . . . & kale, carrots, celery root . . .

 

[hoodat]

The taste of kohlrabi improves after they have been hit with a hard frost.
It will stand in the garden through a lot of cold weather and that's probably the best way to hold it till you're ready to eat it but seldom will it make any growth again till Spring warms things back up and then it will almost immediately go to seed.