By Stephanie

Kohlrabi is an interesting vegetable to grow.  It looks like an above ground turnip with stems and leaves growing from it.  People who are unfamiliar with it are often unsure of what part to eat and what part to discard.

Kohlrabi is common in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and in Asia.  It is not as common in North America.  No one is exactly sure where kohlrabi came from, but most scholars agree it is a cross between a turnip and a cabbage.  It was known from 1500 forward in Europe and spread all over the globe from there.  It reached America about 1800.  Kohlrabi is officially a member of the cole, or cabbage, family.  Often erroneously classified as a root vegetable, the part you eat is actually the swollen stem, not the root.

Kohlrabi are heavy feeders so compost should be worked into the soil ahead of planting.  Mix in three inches of compost and till the ground six inches deep, mixing the compost and soil.

Kohlrabi can be grown from either transplants or seeds.  Seeds should be planted when the soil is 50-65 degrees F.  Plant the seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in rows twelve to eighteen inches apart.  Thin the kohlrabi to 4 inches between plants.  You can use the thinned plants as tender greens or transplant them to another row of the garden.

Kohlrabi can be started indoor in flats by planting the seeds three to four weeks before it is warm enough to place them outside.  Plant transplants four inches apart on rows twelve to eighteen inches apart.

There are two varieties of kohlrabi, the apple green with a white interior and the purple with a white interior.  The purple variety is supposed to be a little sweeter than the green variety.  However, they can be inter-planted to create a splash of color in your garden.  Plant a group of green, then a group of purple, then repeat.  Or, you can mix the seeds and plant the different colors spaced together.

Kohlrabi need an average amount of water for vegetables and should be watered one inch of water once or twice a week, depending on the temperature and the drainage of your ground.  Keep them moist but not soaked.

Kohlrabi should be harvested when they are about two and a half inches in diameter, or about the diameter of a tennis ball.  This is about 60 to 65 days from first seeding.  Allowing the plant to grow any bigger also causes it to become woody and fibrous, which is not good to eat.  If harvested at the proper time, the plant is then prepared by cutting off all the stems from the swollen part.  The stems and leaves can be chopped up and used in salads or stir fries.  The swelling can be sliced and eaten raw, cooked and mashed up with potatoes or put in cole slaw.

If your kohlrabi get a little too big, say 4-5 inches in diameter, you will have to peel it to eat it.  You will also

From: http://www.weekendgardener.net/blog/2013/04/some-tips-for-growing-kohlrabi.htm