Growing Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea gongylodes : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

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

(Best months for growing Kohlrabi in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 8°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 10 - 25 cm 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

25 Apr 12, konstantinos (Australia - temperate climate)
hi my kohlrabi has holes on it any advice? thanks metiteranian climat
27 Jul 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Yes Ingvild, I learnt this recipe from my Dutch friends as well. It's really delicious, and you can also mash in some celeriac to go with it.
30 Aug 12, Amanda Grady (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have kohlrabi growing. Lots of leaves which are delicious cooked like spinach. Unfortunately there is no swelling at the base yet. How long should it take to start to see something. I have problem with onions not swelling also. Is this the same reason?
30 Aug 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Amanda. When i lived in temperate Sydney, the kohlrabi was a lot less bulbous as well. Perhaps it is the region you live. Kohlrabi, and most of the family, grow slower in the cooler regions. I'm no scientist, but I've noticed this. Maybe it grows too quickly?. The same would apply to onions I think. I tried growing onions in the south of India a couple of years ago. The heat just turned them into spring onions, almost no bulb at all. Just a theory. Maybe you could try in the shady? It might work.
25 Jan 13, Robert Capecchi (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
2 Kohlrabi (boil 25mins) transfer to chilled water, towel dry & slice 4 carrots (boil 15mins) transfer to chilled water, towel dry & slice Mix with 250grams of mozzarella and a handful of parsley. Put into a buttered baking dish and cook @ 200'c for 12 mins.
02 Jul 13, ken cassin (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
can you eat the leaves in salads as in raw and boiled for side vegs like spinage
26 Apr 14, David (Australia - temperate climate)
You sure can; my favourite green vegie last year was Kohl Rabi leaves as a fried stand alone green veg. It is worth growing just for the leaves!
31 Jul 13, ron (Australia - temperate climate)
I would like to source some Kohlrabi seed (organic) can be phoned on 0417233165
02 Aug 14, Konrad (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Ron I have Seeds on Hand but only the Giant Family the grow 9kg plus and not get Woody
12 Nov 13, Experimental Gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I direct sowed in the garden at half the recommended distance to allow for seeds that didn't germinate, half my luck all seeds did. I left them rather than thin them out. The largest of my bulbs were a bit bigger than golf balls, but had lots of leaf growth coming from the bulb, I plucked the odd one or two as they reached this stage, initially I thought the majority wouldn't form a bulb but as I removed the odd one the others did eventually bulb up apart from a couple. I grew the Purple Vienna during autumn and have now left a couple to go to seed. Even though it is out of season I"m trying my luck with the White Vienna variety at the moment.
Showing 11 - 20 of 66 comments

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