Kohlrabi
Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes
Kohlrabi is an unusual brassica that forms a swollen, crisp stem just above the soil, tasting like a sweet, mild cabbage heart. It is quick, compact and well suited to containers in the cool season.
Photo: Sevela.p (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Moderate
Water regularly; uneven watering makes the bulbs tough or split.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil with compost; pH 6.0–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
5–25 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every three weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed
Remove lower yellowing leaves.
Kohlrabi is safe to eat.
Top Cultivation Tips
Harvest bulbs at tennis-ball size.
Purple varieties look attractive in pots.
Young leaves can be cooked like kale.
Grow in the cool season only.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →PestCabbage root fly
A small fly whose white maggots eat the roots of cabbage-family crops and radishes, causing wilting and stunted plants.
How to treat it →PestCaterpillars
The larvae of moths and butterflies, which chew holes in leaves, flowers and fruit and can strip a plant in days.
How to treat it →DiseaseClubroot
A soil-borne disease of cabbage-family plants that causes swollen, distorted roots, wilting and stunted growth.
How to treat it →
