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Kohlrabi is ready to harvest when its bulb is 1 to 3 inches in diameter, or about the size of a tennis ball. Do not pick the vegetable in warm weather, as the root becomes woody. Kohlrabi leaves are also edible. Boil them or use them in salads.
How big should kohlrabi be when you pick it?
Unfortunately, many gardeners allow kohlrabi to grow too large before harvesting it. Large, older kohlrabi is tough and woody and it may have an off-flavor. Begin harvesting (pull or cut at ground level) when the first stems are about one inch in diameter. Continue harvest until the stems are 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Does kohlrabi grow back?
Yes, a kohlrabi plant will grow back after harvesting if you leave the bottom part of the stem in the ground. However, it is technically a biannual. That means, it will flower and set seed the second year, rather than producing another edible stem.
How big do kohlrabi plants get?
Kohlrabi can grow 6 to 18 inches (15.2 to 45.7 centimeters) tall, 12 to 18 inches (30.5 to 45.7 centimeters) wide, and produce bulbs up to 6 inches (15.2 centimeters) in diameter.
What does kohlrabi look like when it’s growing?
Kohlrabi has a swollen globe-shaped stem that makes it look like a turnip growing on a cabbage root. Stems can be white, purple, or green and are topped with a rosette of long-stemmed blue-green leaves.
Should I remove kohlrabi leaves?
The avid home gourmet may well ask, “Are kohlrabi leaves edible?” The answer is a resounding yes. Although the plant is generally grown for the thick bulb, you can also take the smaller leaves that form when the plant is young. Harvesting kohlrabi leaves in early spring is the best time to get flavorful, tender greens.
Can I eat kohlrabi leaves?
Although the bulb of the plant is the most frequently prepared and eaten portion, the leaves are also entirely edible. Chiffonade them finely and toss them in a vinaigrette, or give them a rough chop and either steam or sauté them, as you would collard greens or kale.
Why is my kohlrabi flowering?
Kohlrabi is the least hardy of the cabbage like vegetables. Temperatures below 45ºF will cause the plant to flower. Hot weather causes the stem to become woody and tough. Control insects and diseases throughout the year.
Can you trim kohlrabi leaves?
You can trim the leaves from the stem and save them to cook separately. Kohlrabi keeps for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge. You can peel and slice kohlrabi tubers to eat them raw with dips or in salads, or you can cook them like turnips. The leaves are cooked until just tender, like cabbage or turnip greens.
How many times can you harvest kohlrabi?
Planting every two to three weeks ensures a continuous harvest from spring through early summer. For a jump on the season, you can plant kohlrabi in a greenhouse and transplant as soon as the soil can be worked.
Why is my kohlrabi splitting?
What causes Kohlrabi to split? The splitting of the swollen stem usually represents rapid vegetative growth. Several factors can cause this: If the plant experiences drought followed by heavy watering or rain, rapid plant growth combined with excessive water uptake can cause splitting.
How do you trim kohlrabi?
How to Cut and Cook Kohlrabi If the leaves are still attached, remove and reserve for other recipes (you can cook them as you would kale). Cut a thin slice off the bottom so the bulb sits flat. Use a veggie peeler to remove the tough outer skin. Slice into quarters lengthwise, then cut out the core from each piece.
What can you not plant near kohlrabi?
Practice crop rotation. Avoid planting kohlrabi where you have grown related crops—broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, turnip, rutabaga, cabbage, mustard, bok choy, or Brussels sprouts—during the previous four years.
What can I plant with kohlrabi?
Companions for kohlrabi include: Bush beans. Beets. Celery. Cucumbers. Lettuce. Onions. Potatoes.
Why are my kohlrabi not forming bulbs?
Why did my kohlrabi not form a bulb? This can happen when plants are spaced too closely together. It can also come from poor growing conditions such as too warm or freezing temperatures, too little water or a nutrient deficiency.
Can kohlrabi survive frost?
According to Myers, the hardiest vegetables that can withstand heavy frost of air temperatures below 28 include spinach, Walla Walla sweet onion, garlic, leeks, rhubarb, rutabaga, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, cabbage, chicory, Brussels sprouts, corn salad, arugula, fava beans, radish, mustard, Austrian winter pea and Sep 13, 2013.
Can you eat kohlrabi flowers?
Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, and as such, comes with this family’s signature sweet-but-peppery flavor profile. We usually eat the bulbous bottom, but the entire kohlrabi plant is actually edible.
How do you store kohlrabi after harvesting?
If you aren’t going to eat them the day they were harvested, trim the leaves from the stem and then place them in a Ziploc baggie with a damp paper towel in the crisper of your refrigerator. Storing kohlrabi leaves in this manner will keep them fresh and edible for about a week.
Can you eat kohlrabi leaves and stems?
Kohlrabi is one great example: its leaves are super-tasty, especially when cooked in a similar way to cabbage or collard greens; the skin and stalks will most likely be edible, too, unless it’s a particularly mature specimen. Oct 5, 2019.
Can dogs eat kohlrabi?
But, like rutabaga and arugula, kohlrabi is a goitrogenic food, which is something you should keep in mind when deciding whether or not to feed it to your dog.
Can you eat too much kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is a healthy ingredient, and it’s low in calories. Eating too much of any cruciferous vegetable can cause gas that can make you uncomfortable.
What is kohlrabi called in English?
Also called: turnip cabbage.
