Kohlrabi cabbage: review of popular varieties and recommendations for caring for the crop

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden plants Published: July 01, 2016Last edits: January 06, 2021

Kohlrabi cabbage (lat. Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) is a biennial herbaceous plant, which is a variety of the cabbage species of the Cabbage genus of the Brassica family. The kohlrabi plant originates from the eastern Mediterranean and has been known in cultivation since ancient times. For example, there is evidence that kohlrabi was cultivated in ancient Rome. The name of the plant is derived from two words in the Swiss-German dialect meaning cabbage and turnip. And from Italian, kohlrabi is translated as cabbage turnip. Indeed, kohlrabi looks like a turnip, and its taste is like cabbage. The kohlrabi vegetable is very popular in Turkey, Central Asia, China and Western Europe.

Planting and caring for kohlrabi

• Planting: sowing seeds in the ground - at the end of April or early May, sowing seeds for seedlings - in mid-March, planting seedlings in the garden - in early May under a film, which is removed after two weeks. Seedlings of late varieties are planted directly into the ground from mid-May to early June.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: any with a pH of 6.7-7.4, except for depleted soils.
• Watering: at first - every 2-3 days, when the seedlings take root - once a week. In hot weather, water frequently, but not as much as other cabbage varieties. The soil in the garden bed should be slightly moist all the time.
• Feeding: three times per season: at the stage of development of two true leaves - with a solution of micro- and basic elements: two weeks before planting in the ground - on the leaves with a solution of 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate and the same amount of urea in 10 liters of water, spending for each a glass of plant; Before planting, organic and mineral fertilizers are placed in the holes.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: cruciferous, wavy and black flea beetles, petiole mosquito, wireworm, tobacco thrips, various kinds of cutworms, spring cabbage and sprout flies, turnip and cabbage whites, rapeseed flower beetles, bugs and secretive proboscis, cabbage bugs and secretive proboscis, slugs, mole crickets, mole crickets, cabbage aphids, moths and moths.
• Diseases: affected by clubroot, vascular and mucous bacteriosis, powdery mildew - downy and true, white, as well as dry rot and black leg.

Read more about growing kohlrabi below.

Conditions for planting cabbage-turnips

Cabbage, like other types of cruciferous vegetables, is demanding of heat, humidity and soil fertility.
It can be planted either in a separate area or as a compactor for other vegetable beds, in places enriched with nitrogen. If kohlrabi has already grown in the garden, then it can be returned to its original place only after 3-4 years. Kohlrabi is more successful in central Russia, as it prefers high humidity (more than 75%) and average air temperature (18-20 degrees). It does not tolerate heat, drought and constant precipitation - it immediately cracks, dries out, becomes woody, and becomes tasteless. At the same time, kohlrabi, especially seedlings, tolerate a slight drop in temperature well. Although you should not experiment with this - when planting early, it is better to keep the plantings under film. Attention!
This culture reacts sharply to chemical treatment. Their concentrated composition can burn the foliage and make the fruit unfit for consumption. Therefore, kohlrabi is grown without the use of chemicals.

Kohlrabi cabbage - description

The leaves of kohlrabi are large, dark green, the stem of this cabbage forms faster than the head of cabbage. What is edible in kohlrabi is the stem fruit, which acquires a turnip-like shape in the above-ground part. Kohlrabi cabbage is a valuable dietary product that tastes like cabbage stalks, only juicier and sweeter. Kohlrabi is a close relative of such popular vegetable crops as white cabbage, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, radish, radishes, and turnips. Among these crops, kohlrabi is considered the most vitamin-rich; it contains all the active biological elements necessary for humans.

We will tell you how to grow and care for kohlrabi, how to plant kohlrabi cabbage, when to plant kohlrabi seedlings in open ground, what varieties of kohlrabi there are for open ground, how kohlrabi is useful and what is its harm.

What is kohlrabi, photo, taste, color

Kohlrabi cabbage is a biennial herbaceous plant that develops a productive stem organ in the first year, and flowers and seeds by the next year. The plant belongs to the cabbage family; its name translated from German means cabbage turnip . Although our climate is far from what is usual for kohlrabi, it can be grown without difficulty in most of Russia and in other regions with a temperate climate.

The plant is cross-pollinated and requires moderate temperatures and fertile soils.

The taste of kohlrabi is somewhat reminiscent of the stalk of simple white cabbage, but much tastier, juicier and sweeter. Kohlrabi leaves contain 2 times more vitamins than the stem fruit, and a lot of calcium and iron. Therefore, thin kohlrabi leaves should not be thrown away. The leaves are cut into narrow strips and used in salads.

Kohlrabi cabbage most often comes in a variety of colors : pale green, yellow, purple, pink. The pulp of the stem fruit is always white or light beige. The shape of the stem fruit, depending on the variety, can be round, oblong or flattened, like a turnip. The size of the vegetable can range from 0.2 to 1 kg.

Growing kohlrabi from seeds

When to sow kohlrabi seedlings

Readers often ask whether it is possible to grow kohlrabi using seedlings. It is possible, and in some cases this growing method is more convenient than seedless cultivation, you just need to know how to implement it correctly. We sow kohlrabi for seedlings five weeks before planting in open ground. To obtain an early harvest, kohlrabi seeds are sown as seedlings in greenhouses in mid-March, and then the harvest can be harvested from early to mid-June.

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The second time for sowing kohlrabi seedlings is in early May, and it will ripen after planting in open ground by the end of July. The third sowing period is the last ten days of June, but the seeds are sown directly into the ground, and you will harvest this kohlrabi in early October.

Growing kohlrabi seedlings

Growing kohlrabi from seeds begins with their pre-sowing treatment: the seeds are kept for 15 minutes in water heated to 50 ºC, after which they are immediately immersed in ice water for a minute, then placed in a solution of microelements for 12 hours, washed and kept in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for 24 hours . Then the seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth, wait until they hatch, and are sown in separate containers with a mixture of humus, peat and turf soil in equal parts, so as not to carry out picking in the future, which damages the root system of the seedlings. Contain crops under glass at a temperature of about 20 ºC. As soon as the shoots appear, the glass is removed and the temperature is lowered to 8 ºC. After 10 days, set the temperature within 17-18 ºC.

How to grow kohlrabi cabbage through seedlings? Growing and caring for kohlrabi cabbage during the seedling period is carried out in the same order and according to the same rules as growing white cabbage seedlings: sprinkle the soil as necessary with water, maintain the desired temperature in the room, do not allow the seedlings to stretch out too much, make sure that To prevent kohlrabi seedlings from getting sick with blackleg, water it once with a weak solution of potassium permanganate as a preventive measure. In the development phase of two true leaves, feed the seedlings on the leaves with a solution of half a tablet of microelements and half a teaspoon of complex mineral fertilizer in 1 liter of water.

Kohlrabi pick

Seedlings of this variety of cabbage do not tolerate picking well, so seedlings are grown in separate containers. But if you sowed the seeds in a common box, plant them in the development phase of the first true leaf in peat-humus pots. Immediately after picking, the temperature should be about 20 ºC, but after a few days the temperature is set to 17 ºC during the day, and 11 ºC at night.

Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, hardening procedures begin to be carried out, gradually accustoming the seedlings to the sun's rays, wind and outdoor temperature. You should not rush to plant seedlings in the garden, as cold weather can cause shoots to form.

Picking kohlrabi seedlings

When growing kohlrabi seedlings, it is better to refrain from picking once again, so as not to injure the root system. Therefore, it is recommended to sow seeds in special peat tablets.

Picking Kohlrabi cabbage - video

However, when you plant it in a simple container, picking kohlrabi cabbage seedlings is carried out at the moment of development of the very first leaf. Humus and peat are poured into the pots. Temperature at +20 degrees. After a couple of days they reduce it to 17. At night - until 10.

14 days before planting kohlrabi cabbage in a permanent place of growth, hardening is carried out. There is no need to rush the moment of disembarkation. It's better to wait until the weather settles. Low temperatures can cause arrowheads to appear.

Planting kohlrabi in open ground

When to plant kohlrabi in open ground

Planting kohlrabi cabbage, if you want to get a harvest in the summer, is done in early May under film, and two weeks later - in open ground. Late varieties of kohlrabi are planted directly into the ground from mid-May to early June. At the time of planting in the ground, the seedlings should have 5-6 leaves.

Good precursors for kohlrabi are perennial herbs, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, legumes and tomatoes, while bad precursors are any cruciferous vegetables. The best place for kohlrabi is open sunny areas on south-eastern or southern slopes.

Soil for kohlrabi

Kohlrabi will grow in soils of any composition, except acidic and depleted ones, in which the stem fruits grow coarsely fibrous and hard. The optimal soil pH for kohlrabi development is pH 6.7-7.4. In the fall, the area under kohlrabi is dug up to the depth of a shovel and 3-4 kg of organic matter, a glass of wood ash, a teaspoon of urea and a tablespoon of superphosphate are added for digging for each m² of area.

How to plant kohlrabi

How and when to plant kohlrabi? For planting, choose a cloudy day or evening after sunset. Early ripening varieties of kohlrabi are placed on the bed according to a pattern of 60x40 or 70x30 cm, and late ones - 60x55 or 70x45 cm, adding 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, a teaspoon of urea, and 2 cups of wood ash into each hole before planting.

Seedlings are planted, deepening them up to the cotyledon leaves, since deeper planting can delay the formation of stem fruit or provoke flowering. The roots of the plant should be placed near the surface of the soil and only lightly sprinkled with soil. After planting, trample the soil slightly, water it abundantly, and when the water is absorbed, sprinkle the area with dry soil so that the moisture does not evaporate so quickly.

Chemical composition

Kohlrabi is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins C, BP ​​B2, PP, pantothenic and especially ascorbic acid, mineral salts of potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, iodine, calcium and phosphorus, and is superior to most vegetable crops in the content of the last 2 elements. Contains enzymes, fiber and other biologically active substances.

Early and late varieties of kohlrabi

How to choose the best varieties and what to focus on? First of all, decide why you are planting this cabbage. If you want to diversify your summer menu and enjoy juicy pulp straight from the garden, then the following early and early ripening varieties : Atena, Vienna Violet, Delicatessen Red, Piquant, Smak.

If you want your harvest to be stored all winter, then choose from late-ripening varieties , for example, Violetta, Gigant, Blue Planet.

Kohlrabi care

How to grow kohlrabi

Caring for kohlrabi cabbage is no more difficult than caring for any other type of cabbage. The stem fruit is formed at the stage of development of 7-8 leaves, after which it begins to quickly gain volume. Growing kohlrabi cabbage in open ground requires regular weeding, as well as loosening the row spacing and soil around the plants in the row. Only in loose soil do tender and juicy stem fruits ripen. Before the stem fruits begin to grow, the plants are earthed up.

Watering kohlrabi

Seedlings planted in open ground are watered every 2-3 days, and when they take root and begin to grow, it will be enough to water the seedlings once a week. Kohlrabi needs moisture most in June, especially if it is hot and there is no precipitation. Kohlrabi needs to be watered frequently, but not as heavily as other varieties of cabbage. The main requirement is that the soil on the site be slightly moist at all times.

After watering, it is most convenient to remove weeds and loosen the soil in the rows and between rows to a depth of 8 cm.

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Feeding kohlrabi

During the growing season, kohlrabi needs to be fed three times. In the development phase of two true leaves, foliar feeding of kohlrabi seedlings is carried out with a solution of complex fertilizers and microelements. At the beginning of hardening, two weeks before planting in the ground, it is sprayed on the leaves with a solution of a tablespoon of potassium sulfate and a tablespoon of urea in 10 liters of water at the rate of one glass per plant, and before planting on the bed, organic and mineral fertilizers are placed in the holes.

As you can see, planting and caring for kohlrabi is not as labor-intensive as it might seem to a beginner.

Tips and tricks

1. It is strictly not recommended to water kohlrabi using the sprinkling method, as this often leads to the spread of downy mildew.
2. Plants must be well ventilated and receive enough sun, so planting density should be maintained.
3. Before planting seedlings, the roots can be dipped in a mash of clay and mullein with the addition of the biological product Fitolavin.
4. Kohlrabi is absolutely unpretentious to its neighbors. It easily gets along in the aisles of tomato, cucumber and carrot beds.
5. Several varieties of kohlrabi with different ripening periods should be planted at once - this will allow you to have a harvest from early summer to late autumn.
6. It is not recommended to apply fresh manure under cabbage. It is better to use humus and bird droppings from organic matter.
7. The Russian climate suggests growing kohlrabi cabbage mainly in seedlings. The vegetable is grown at home in nurseries or heated greenhouses.

Pests and diseases of kohlrabi

Diseases and pests are common to all cruciferous crops. Among the diseases, kohlrabi is most often affected by clubroot, vascular and mucous bacteriosis, powdery mildew - downy and true, white, as well as dry rot and black leg. Sometimes kohlrabi cabbage can suffer from Alternaria, linen, mosaic, tracheomycosis and black ring spot. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to follow the agricultural practices of the crop, take seed from healthy plants and subject it to heating in hot water or pickling in a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing. After harvesting, it is necessary to remove plant debris from the site and dig deep into the soil in the garden bed. Grow disease-resistant varieties of kohlrabi.

Among the pests, kohlrabi cabbage also has many enemies: cruciferous, wavy and black flea beetles, petiole mosquito, wireworm, tobacco thrips, various kinds of cutworms, spring cabbage and sprout flies, turnip and cabbage whites, rapeseed flower beetle, bug and secretive proboscis, cabbage bug and secretive proboscis , slugs, mole crickets, mole crickets, cabbage aphids, moths and moths.

In pest control, preventive measures are very important, and the main point of the preventive action plan is compliance with crop rotation. In addition, it is very important after harvesting to remove plant debris from the site and dig the soil deeply. During the growing season, it is necessary to regularly control weeds.

Kohlrabi processing

If, despite observing all the rules of agricultural technology, the kohlrabi is affected by a disease or is occupied by parasites, you will have to resort to treating the plants with special preparations. Insects can be controlled with insecticides such as Ambush, Decis, Karate, Rovikurt, Corsair, and other drugs of similar action.

As for diseases, fungicides cope well with fungal diseases - Quadris, Fundazol, Skor, Topaz and others. Unfortunately, no cure for viral diseases has been invented yet. You will have to remove diseased plants from the site, burn them, and disinfect the soil in which they grew.

However, you should know that chemicals are dangerous not only for pests and pathogens, but also for you, and therefore the best way to protect against such troubles is to follow agricultural practices and conscientious and timely care for kohlrabi.

Site selection

To grow a rich harvest of kohlrabi, it is important to choose the right site. This crop is sun-loving, so the planting site should not be heavily shaded, although it is good if it is protected from the winds. As for the soil, kohlrabi is not very demanding, but it grows best on light soils rich in humus and with a low level of acidity.

Cabbage loves moisture very much, but its excess is fraught with blackleg and other diseases, so if water accumulates in the selected area, it should be drained.

The soil for planting kohlrabi should be prepared in the fall, for which it needs to be dug shallowly, added with liming substances and additionally enriched with organic fertilizers. In spring, the soil must be loosened and leveled, after which it is ready for planting cabbage.

Kohlrabi should not be planted in a place where other cruciferous vegetables, turnips, beets, radishes, tomatoes or radishes previously grew. It should be remembered that any varieties of cabbage can be grown in the same area no more than once every 4 years. Good predecessors for kohlrabi are: grains, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, carrots.

Cleaning and storing kohlrabi

Spring-sown cabbage is harvested as it ripens, but can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks. But kohlrabi, sown from the end of June to the end of July, is harvested at approximately the same time as white cabbage - when the daytime temperature drops to 3-5 ºC, and the night temperature stays within 0-1 ºC. By this time, the stem fruits should reach 8-10 cm in diameter and weigh from 90 to 120 g. When overripe, kohlrabi cabbage becomes coarser and becomes fibrous, which does not at all improve its taste.

Kohlrabi cabbage has good shelf life, but its storage requires certain conditions to be met, and first of all, maintaining a high level of humidity in the room. Violet-colored stem fruits are stored better than others.

Harvesting should be done in dry, clear weather. The stem fruits are dug up along with the roots, dried in the shade, cleared of soil and the leaves are cut off. It is better not to remove the roots - this way the kohlrabi will be stored longer. The cabbage is placed in boxes with sand so that the stems do not touch each other. In this form, at a temperature of about 0 ºC and an air humidity of 95%, kohlrabi can be stored for 5-8 months.

This type of cabbage, wrapped in paper and plastic, can remain in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks without loss of quality. And the best way to store kohlrabi cabbage is freezing. Before placing stem fruits in the freezer, they are washed, cut in half or pieces, blanched for 3 minutes in boiling water, immediately after that cooled in ice water, blotted, dried, put in bags and frozen. Kohlrabi can be stored in the freezer for 9 months. It is used for soups and side dishes.

Brief characteristics of the vegetable

Kohlrabi is an unpretentious vegetable, easy to grow and does not require special measures to improve the quality and increase the quantity of fruits. The variety is especially popular in Europe and Sicily, the latter country being its historical homeland. Cabbage grows well in temperate latitudes of Russia, ripens within 2-2.5 months, but is not very popular due to the lack of a dish in traditional Russian cuisine. If desired, you can get a good harvest by observing the planting dates and watering regime. If necessary, protect the plant from pests. It gets along easily with other crops in the garden.

Kohlrabi gets along well with other crops

Prices for kohlrabi seeds

kohlrabi seeds

Types and varieties of kohlrabi

The stem fruits of kohlrabi cabbage are greenish or purple in color. Inside, both of them hide white flesh. Varieties of kohlrabi cabbage also differ in terms of ripening: early ripening varieties are not suitable for storage, they must be eaten immediately, and late varieties can, if properly stored, last for months. We offer you some well-proven varieties of kohlrabi, among which you can choose those that are sure to suit you:

• Giant is a late heat- and drought-resistant variety with a pale green large stem fruit weighing up to 6 kg with a concave top and white tender and juicy pulp;
• Violetta is also a late variety, characterized by frost resistance. Violetta's stem fruit is dark purple in color, flat-round, medium in size, with a diameter of 6 to 9 cm, weighing about a kilogram. The pulp is white, tender and juicy;
• Moravia is an early-ripening productive variety of Czech selection with a round-flat whitish-green stem weighing more than 2 kg with juicy, tender, tasty white pulp;
• Atena is a consistently productive, early-ripening Czech variety with green stem fruit weighing up to 3.5 kg. The pulp is white, tender and juicy;
• Viennese violet - as the name implies, a variety with purple stem fruit weighing up to 1 kg. This is a mid-early cabbage with tender and juicy pulp, but, unfortunately, it cannot be stored;
• Picant is an early ripening variety, resistant to woodiness and cracking, with a light green stem fruit weighing up to 1 kg with dense, tasty pulp;
• Delicacy red - an ultra-early frost-resistant variety with a red-violet round stem fruit weighing up to 2 kg with juicy and dense white pulp;
• Blue Planet is a hybrid, well-stored variety with a bluish-green flat-round stem fruit weighing up to 250 g. The pulp is dense and tender;
• Smak is an early-ripening dark purple variety weighing up to 700 g with dense, juicy pulp of excellent taste. Not suitable for long-term storage.

In addition to those described, you may be interested in the varieties Vienna White 1350, Dvorona, Delicatesnaya Blue, Delicatessen White, Karatago, Kortis, Kolpak, Kossak, Vienna White and others.

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History and origin

It is believed that the birthplace of this cabbage was the Mediterranean, from where it was later transported to East Asia and Europe.

Kohlrabi has been eaten for a long time, but the first written evidence of the cultivation of this cabbage is found in the chronicles of Ancient Rome. At that time, this vegetable was present on the tables of slaves and the poor. In the Middle Ages in Europe, kohlrabi became the food of rich people.

This culture was brought to Russia by Peter the first after his European journey. The king was so amazed by the unusual appearance of the vegetable and its taste that he decided that kohlrabi must be grown in Rus'. Of all the names for this cabbage, the German name has stuck, literally translated as “turnip cabbage.”

Properties of kohlrabi - harm and benefit

Useful properties of kohlrabi

Kohlrabi cabbage, in addition to a large amount of vitamin C, which is why this species is called “lemon from the garden” or “northern lemon,” also includes vitamins A, B, B2 and PP, vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, cobalt, iron, pantothenic acid, carotene, glucose and fructose.

Kohlrabi helps normalize metabolism, so it is indicated for those who have been losing weight for a long time, painfully and want to consolidate their success. The B vitamins contained in the product help strengthen the nervous system. Kohlrabi has a diuretic effect and removes excess fluid from the body well, cleansing it of toxins and helping to eliminate dysfunction of the liver, gall bladder and kidneys, and relieves inflammation in the stomach and intestines.

Due to the presence of sulfur-containing substances in it, kohlrabi cabbage is a good preventative against colorectal and colon cancer. For hoarseness, inflammation of the oral cavity and cough, diseases of the stomach, intestines, spleen, kidneys, liver, and anemia, kohlrabi juice is very useful. For hepatitis and cholecystitis, it is recommended to drink a quarter glass of kohlrabi juice mixed with a tablespoon of honey 3-4 times a day for two weeks. In folk medicine, pulmonary tuberculosis and asthma are treated with a decoction of kohlrabi tops.

Kohlrabi cabbage is recommended by nutritionists for baby food. In cooking, kohlrabi is used to make salads, it is stewed, baked, stuffed with meat or other vegetables. In many countries, in addition to the stem fruit, young kohlrabi leaves are used for food, which are just as healthy as the stem fruit. They are placed in salads, soups, borscht, and boiled or stewed mature kohlrabi leaves, after chopping, can be used as a side dish or made into pancakes.

We offer you some wonderful kohlrabi dishes:

• chops: peel the kohlrabi and cut it into slices 1-1.5 cm thick, boil them for 5-7 minutes in salted boiling water, remove with a slotted spoon and let cool, then grate with spices, roll in flour, dip in leison and fry on both sides until browned. Kohlrabi chops are served with mayonnaise or sour cream sauce with garlic;
• puree soup: peel and chop 2 kohlrabi, boil them until tender, rub through a sieve, dilute with broth in the amount of 3.5 cups, add salt and boil the puree soup over low heat for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat, let cool slightly, add raw egg yolk, whipped with half a glass of cream and 40 g of butter, into the soup, mix thoroughly, and before serving, add 120 g of boiled mushrooms. Serve the creamy soup with croutons;
• salad: chop 450 g of kohlrabi on a coarse grater or cut into thin strips, 250 g of boiled chicken fillet and 300 g of pineapple - fresh or canned - cut into cubes, add salt to taste, mayonnaise, hot pepper, mix thoroughly, sprinkle with lingonberries and herbs;
• salad: grate 300 g of peeled kohlrabi (preferably on a Korean grater), cut one apple into strips and sprinkle it with lemon juice to prevent it from darkening. Chop a handful of peeled walnuts, but not too finely, cut 100 g of fetax cheese into cubes. Combine all the ingredients, add a few mint leaves, pour over the oil and stir.

Kohlrabi cabbage - contraindications

Kohlrabi cabbage is contraindicated for people suffering from high acidity. The most dangerous vegetables are those that grew not in open ground, but in greenhouses or greenhouses, because, like the stalk of white cabbage, the kohlrabi stem can accumulate nitrates and other unhealthy substances that cause all sorts of diseases. That's probably all you need to know about the dangers of kohlrabi.

Composition and nutritional value

Overseas cabbage gained its popularity due to its rich chemical composition. The foliage and pulp of the product contains:

• cellulose;
• glucose;
• vitamins A, B, C, E, PP;
• phosphorus compounds;
• potassium;
• iron.

In addition, kohlrabi produces a small amount of calories. Therefore, it is ideal for dietary nutrition.

Cabbage turnip leaves are a wonderful addition to vegetable salads.

Traditional healers advise consuming kohlrabi fruits for constipation, high cholesterol, swelling, and bronchitis. What a blessing to have such a miracle in your garden!

What fertilizers are good for the crop?

Kohlrabi is not a very demanding crop, but it is advisable to enrich the soil with nitrogen. This is done in order to ensure proper growth of the stem. It is recommended not to oversaturate the soil with mineral and nitrogen fertilizers, so as not to oversaturate the amount of nitrates in the root crop. It is better to use wood ash, which is introduced into the place where the root is located.

It is allowed to enrich the soil if it is completely depleted. In this case, classic recipes of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate are used. How to use the substances is written on the packaging by the manufacturer. Usually the procedure is simple and depends on diluting the powder with water.

Growing conditions

Kohlrabi seedlings, as described above, are not very demanding. After the first sprouts have appeared from the seeds, it is time to think about planting in open ground. To do this, you need the right weather outside. There are early and late varieties. Everyone is required to follow the rules for growing up.

The weather must be favorable. The work is carried out carefully. To avoid damaging the root system. The sprout is deepened to the first leaf, then the soil is compacted and watered. The ideal distance between crops is 30 by 20 cm.

Light and temperature

The temperature should be moderate. For seedlings, a good temperature is + 18-20. If the temperature drops to +12 degrees and remains at this rate for several days, there is a chance of stunted growth.

For adult root vegetables, it is best when the temperature on the thermometer shows up to twenty degrees Celsius. The higher they go, the worse it is for them.

Humidity control

The soil should be loose and moist. Only in such conditions will it be possible to grow juicy and healthy fruits. Watering must be carefully monitored at the initial stage. While the sprouts are young, they need a lot of water. Because of this, the soil must always be slightly moist. For this to happen, you need to water young plants every other day. When mature kohlrabi can accumulate moisture, you can reduce watering to twice a week.

Loose and slightly moist soil is preferable for favorable growth and development of kohlrabi

Popular varieties

In simple terms, this vegetable is a sweet, crisp stalk that does not require special care. If we imagine the most optimal conditions for its cultivation, we can note slightly acidic and moisture-permeable soils. Kohlrabi is resistant to diseases and pest attacks.

If we take the southern regions of the country, it will be possible to grow crops here twice a year. The ripening period ranges from sixty-five to eighty days. Agronomists can distinguish a large number of varieties of fruit. Some species have a light lime, greenish color, while other varieties are distinguished by dark, even purple stalks.