Kohlrabi is a biennial plant of the cabbage family.
In kohlrabi, in the first year of cultivation, the stem, growing, forms a turnip-like thickening - a stalk with a diameter of 10-15 cm, on which petiolate leaves grow. The color of the stem is whitish-green or purple. The pulp is white, tender, sweetish. With a slight rare flavor. The peel of the stem and leaves are painted in light green or red-violet color.
In the second year of life, a flowering shoot develops with a large number small yellow flowers. The fruit is a long pod containing many small, round, almost black seeds. Germination retains 4-5 years. Weight of 100 seeds 2.2-3.4 g.
A light-loving cold-resistant plant, it differs among other cabbages in unpretentiousness and less demanding on soil fertility and moisture. Most of the varieties are early ripening, the stem crop is formed on the 65-90th day.
Nutritional value of kohlrabi
The stem is very juicy, with a delicate pleasant taste, contains 8.6-9.4% dry matter, including 3.6-9.7% sugars, 2.0-3.0% protein, a large amount of vitamins: 60- 70 mg% ascorbic acid, vitamins A, B1, B2, PP, U (12.9 mg%), amino acids, mineral salts (potassium 337, calcium 90, magnesium 47, phosphorus 55 mg%).
Kohlrabi is eaten raw, used in salads, or cooked like turnips. Usually from April to June, varieties with a green color are used, and with later crops - with purple.
Unwanted Items
The content of nitrates in kohlrabi varies depending on the growing conditions from 40 to 600 mg / kg, that is, it can be twice the maximum allowable concentration. As with all types of cabbage, this is determined primarily by the ratio of nitrogen to potassium and phosphorus. To obtain products with a minimum content of nitrates, it is necessary that the supply of nitrogen be 1.5–2 times less than that of potassium at enough phosphorus. For the same purpose, organic fertilizers are not applied under kohlrabi.
Growing kohlrabi
Varieties of kohlrabi
Atena (WORLD OF GARDENING) - from germination to ripeness 130 days. The stem is round and flat-round, the top is concave, the color of the peel is green, the flesh is white. The mass of the productive part is 180-620 g, the taste is good. Productivity 3.0-3.5 kg / sq. m. Recommended sowing scheme 25x25 cm.
Violetta (WORLD OF GARDENING) - from sowing to ripeness 100-110 days. Stem-fruit with a diameter of b - 9 cm, rounded flat, dark purple, with a flat top. The pulp is white, juicy, tender. Weight 1.5 - 2.0 kg. The taste is good. Keeping quality at winter storage average. Productivity 2.2-2.6 kg / sq. m. Frost-resistant.
Giant (GARDENING WORLD) - from sowing to ripeness 100 days. The stem is large, 15-20 cm in diameter, rounded, whitish-green, with a concave apex. The pulp is juicy, tender. Weight 2.5-3.0 kg. The taste is good. Keeping quality during winter storage is good. Productivity 3-3.5 kg/sq. m. Heat- and drought-resistant.
Cartago F1 (GARDENING WORLD) - from shoots to ripeness 155 days. The stem is round and flat-round, light green, the top is flat, the flesh is white. The taste is delicate. The mass of the productive part is 200-300 g. The yield is 3.6-3.5 kg / sq. m. Recommended sowing scheme 25x25 cm under the film, 30x30 cm in open ground.
Accommodation
Early varieties of kohlrabi are used as a precursor or compactor of tomatoes in greenhouse culture. Here kohlrabi is planted in two rows between tomatoes at a distance of 25 cm row from row and 15-20 cm in row.
Kohlrabi is grown on fertile, well-drained soils rich in humus, pH 6.0-7.0.
Kohlrabi grows well in any place, but it is better in well-lit areas with average soil fertility with acidity close to neutral. The best predecessors are potatoes, corn, carrots, beets. Cannot be planted after cabbage plants.
Soil preparation
If it is planned to grow kohlrabi from early spring, then in the fall, tillage is reduced to harvesting the residues after the previous crop, light loosening, and after 10-15 days - deep digging of the soil.
Organic fertilizers in the form of humus are applied only on very poor soils - 4-5 kg of humus per 1 sq. m. On medium-fertile soils, only mineral fertilizers are applied - per 1 sq. m ridge 15-18 g of nitrogen, 12-15 g of potash and 9-12 g of phosphate fertilizers.
Sowing
For cultivation in open ground without shelter, kohlrabi is sown in March with landing on ridges in late April - early May. Most early maturing varieties while they can ripen in May.
Seeds must be warmed up for 20 minutes before sowing. hot water(+50°C), cooled in cold water. Seed disinfection helps prevent many seed-borne cruciferous diseases. To increase productivity and resistance to diseases and pests, seeds are treated with a biological growth and development activator before sowing - Agat-25, El-1, Albit, Zircon.
Seedlings in the phase of well-developed cotyledons are thinned out at a distance of 4-6 cm from each other or dive into pots 7x7 cm. One stronger plant is left in the pot, and the second is removed.
The optimum temperature for germination of cabbage seeds is + 16 ... 18 "C, for seedling growth + 14 ... 18 ° C during the day and + 8 ... 10 ° C at night. At higher temperatures, as well as with a lack of light, seedlings stretches and the stem weakens.
Seedlings are fed 2 times: once in the phase of 2-3 true leaves and the second time in April, 3-5 days before planting in the ground. For top dressing, 5 g of urea, 30 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium chloride are diluted in 10 liters of water. For one plant at the first feeding use 50 ml.
Seedlings in the phase of well-developed cotyledons are thinned out, leaving a distance of 4-6 cm between them, or dive at a distance of 7x7 cm.
At the end of April, seedlings begin to prepare for planting on permanent place. To do this, open a greenhouse for the whole day. Feed the seedlings 3-5 days before planting. For top dressing, 15 g of urea, 30 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium chloride are diluted in 10 liters of water.
On the eve of planting, seedlings are watered abundantly to minimize root damage. Before planting seedlings, it is recommended to dip the roots in a clay mash (1 part clay to 1.5 parts water), preferably with the addition of root formation stimulants (Heteroauxin, Kornevin), to improve survival and reduce damage by pests and diseases.
Transplanting
Kohlrabi seedlings can be grown in greenhouses with solar heating or nurseries (under the film), prepared for the earliest possible sowing. Sowing in heated greenhouses can be started from mid-April. Seed germination begins at +2...3°C, young plants tolerate frosts up to + 2...3°C, but it is better if the temperature in the greenhouse is +14...16 °C, and at night +8. ..10 °С.
The site must also be watered the day before planting. Each plant is planted in a hole up to cotyledon leaves or in a row, tightly compressing the roots with soil. Then watered at the rate of 1 liter for each plant.
Kohlrabi is planted in three-line ribbons at a distance of 30 cm between rows and 25 cm between plants in a row.
direct seeding
Kohlrabi can be sown directly into the soil 3-6 weeks before the last frost (in the Moscow region this is April 25-May 15).
Sowing is carried out in well-dug soil, sowing 3-4 seeds in a nest at a distance of 45 cm. Then the seeds are carefully covered with earth or a mixture of peat with humus. Can be sown in rows with row spacing of 60-70 cm, in a row after 5-8 cm. After thinning, leave the distance between plants at early varieties 20-30 cm, late 35-40 cm.
plant care
Plants should not be deficient in water or nutrients, otherwise the stems become rough and woody. In dry weather, the plants are watered.
During the growing season, 3-4 loosening of row spacings is carried out.
2 weeks after planting seedlings, cabbage is fed: per 10 sq. m contribute 10 g of urea, 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium chloride. Top dressing is applied to moist soil in grooves, which are made at a distance of 10-12 cm from a row or hole; after fertilization, the wells fall asleep.
Before the beginning of the thickening of the stem, the plants are spudded.
Disease and pest control
Kohlrabi is less susceptible to disease compared to white cabbage. To increase the resistance of plants a week after planting in the ground, it is worth spraying them with a solution of Immunocytophyte, Epin or another drug that increases plant immunity. These drugs also help to reduce the accumulation of nitrates.
To repel insects, kohlrabi is treated with an infusion of tomato or potato tops, red pepper. Against aphids, you can also use a tobacco solution with the addition of laundry soap or a solution of wood ash with soap (5 g of soap and 20 g of ash per 1 liter of water). You can also apply bacterial preparations that are recommended for pest control. white cabbage.
Harvesting
Kohlrabi is harvested with a stem diameter of 7-8 cm, preventing overgrowth. Overripe stalks become rough, fibrous, unfit for food.
Later autumn harvest for long-term storage uproot and cut off the leaves.
One of the fastest vegetable crops. Thanks to this feature, it can be planted in several stages and harvested throughout the summer season.
Kohlrabi-one of the fastest growing vegetable crops. Thanks to this feature, it can be planted in several stages and harvested throughout the summer season.
Kohlrabi is a relative of the good old white cabbage. The most valuable thing in a plant is a spherical stem. In fact, this is an overgrown stalk, but not simple, but “golden”, with an unusually sweet and delicate taste. In Europe, this vegetable crop has been known for a long time, but our compatriots are still eyeing it. Since the kohlrabi comes from Sicily, gardeners believe that it is capricious and thermophilic. And they are wrong! This cabbage is completely unpretentious and cold-resistant. But, like any representative of the flora, she has individual characteristics and requests that must be considered when inviting to your garden. Let's find out which ones.
When and how to sow kohlrabi
So, you can grow kohlrabi:- Across seedlings(first of all, this applies to plants of early varieties and hybrids, for example, "Viennese white 1350" and "Corist F1").
- by sowing directly to the garden (especially true for mid- and late-ripening kohlrabi varieties and hybrids such as "Eder F1" and "Giant").
Important: with sharp fluctuations in temperature, plants can form a flower arrow instead of a “turnip”, and since in middle lane In Russia, late frosts often occur even in the first decade of June; with such a threat, kohlrabi should be covered.
You can sow kohlrabi for seedlings at the end of March. For seed germination, a temperature of +15 ... + 18 ° C is needed, and after emergence of seedlings from + 5 ° C to + 10 ° C.
You can sow kohlrabi for seedlings at the end of March
When sowing in open ground, make grooves at a distance of 30 cm from each other and spread the seeds, leaving 3-4 cm between them. Later, thin out the crops (leaving 25-30 cm between plants).
When sowing in open ground, make grooves at a distance of 30 cm from each other and spread the seeds, leaving 3-4 cm between them
Trump of it vegetable plant in that it grows very quickly: 65-75 days pass from germination to ripeness, but the crop can be harvested earlier. That's why kohlrabi can be sown every 2 weeks until the end of June - the cabbage will have time to ripen (early autumn frosts do not care for it).
The best predecessors our heroine in the garden are considered:
- cucumbers;
- potato;
- legumes;
- beet;
- tomato.
- swede;
- radish;
- salad;
- radish.
Kohlrabi Care
A native of southern latitudes, kohlrabi loves the sun (but tolerates partial shade well), prefers fertile soil. As for care, it comes down to regular loosening of the soil, weeding the beds and watering. The last moment requires special attention: lack of moisture seriously affects the quality of stem crops (they become hard and fibrous), and with an excess of “drinking”, the growth of a vegetable plant slows down greatly.Important: immediately after planting, the cabbage must be watered every 2-3 days, then at least once a week.
Left: cracking of stem crops - a consequence of sharp changes from dryness to waterlogging of the soil. Right: so that pests do not spoil the crop in the garden, cover the vegetables with a light nonwoven fabric
Cracking of stem crops is a consequence of sharp changes from dryness to waterlogging of the soil. To prevent pests from spoiling the crop in the garden, cover the vegetables with a light non-woven material.
Mutually beneficial neighborhood
Kohlrabi should be grown in mixed culture, because next to some plants it develops better. In our example, lettuce repels ground fleas, spinach (thanks to the saponin secreted by the roots) promotes the growth of other vegetable crops, fennel and spices repel pests. Red beets and kohlrabi get food from different soil layers, so they are not competitors.Example of mixed crops:
- row 1: early kohlrabi and head lettuce;
- row 2 and 6: spinach (pluck as early as possible, when the leaves grow in length from the palm of your hand);
- row 3: mid-early kohlrabi and red beets;
- row 4: fast-growing spring herbs, such as parsley and leaf celery;
- row 5: fennel ordinary and early kohlrabi;
- row 7: late-grade kohlrabi and lettuce.
Kohlrabi should be grown in a mixed culture, because next to some plants it develops better.
To prepare you will need (for 4 servings):
- kohlrabi - 600 g;
- various herbs (for example, chives, parsley, dill) - 2 handfuls;
- green onions -2 feathers;
- yogurt - 150 ml;
- spoon grain mustard - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
- apple cider vinegar - 2-3 tbsp. spoons;
- salt - to taste;
- pepper - a pinch;
- sugar - a pinch.
Recipe:
- Remove the peel from the stem and grate it on a fine grater.
- Do not throw away young kohlrabi leaves: rinse them and spicy herbs; then tear off the leaves from the sprigs of herbs and chop together with the greens of the cabbage.
- Peel the onion and cut into thin rings.
- Mix yogurt with mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar.
- Fill with this mixture of kohlrabi and add greens.
Photo: Mein schöner Garten archive
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When we first saw these vegetables on someone's plot, we were quite puzzled when we learned that kohlrabi belongs to the glorious cabbage family (here about the most white-headed one), its appearance was painfully unusual. But having tried, for a start, simple salad from it, we immediately decided that kohlrabi cabbage would definitely be grown in our country house, although these are the only vegetables from which we do not make home-made preparations, the recipes of which are more than 200.
The plant eats the kohlrabi stem, which tastes like the stump of the ancestor, but more tender and sweeter. Vegetables are early ripening and usually take a couple of months after germination to enjoy them. Kohlrabi grows well anywhere in the garden, so we plant cabbage interspersed with late-ripening varieties of simple white cabbage, celery, and simply sticking it into a free place.
When growing kohlrabi, soil and climate do not play a big role, but we will not argue that the highest quality vegetables are formed on fertile, fairly moist soils. In places with unfavorable conditions, it is still better to do early sowing under glass or film. Most preferred are light, humus-rich soils. Kohlrabi cabbage is ready for use when it reaches a diameter of 8-10 cm and a weight of about 90-120 grams. Overripe vegetables become rough.
Sowing seeds
We sow seeds and plant seedlings in open ground in late April-early May. At a permanent place, we plant according to the scheme: 15-20 cm between plants, 25-30 cm between rows. In addition, we grow it on narrow ridges. You can plant kohlrabi cabbage until mid-summer. For getting early harvest, growing seedlings. For seed germination, a temperature of 18-20 degrees is required, then it is desirable to reduce it, but not lower than 12 degrees. In the soil, followed by thinning, the seeds are laid to a depth of 1 cm.
Seedling transplant
We plant kohlrabi seedlings in the soil as high as possible, otherwise good stem crops will not be able to form. Pour a couple of tablespoons of wood ash into the planting nests and mix thoroughly with the soil. When planting early in the ground, it is better to cover the plants with non-woven material, with low temperatures the growth of cabbage is inhibited, although kohlrabi tolerates light frosts well.
We plant cabbage more densely in the greenhouse. best temperature for growing vegetables - 18 degrees, although usually it is a little lower. At 20 degrees, ventilation is necessary. A month later, we plant on beds in open ground.
How to care for cabbage
At further care humidity is very importance. With a lack of water, the stems burst or acquire a woody taste. Continuous growth of the plant without delay is a guarantee of good development of vegetables.
We fight pests and diseases
Kohlrabi is prone to cabbage keel disease. Occasionally attacked cabbage flies. From flies, as well as from butterflies, early sowing protects. Snails are only a threat to young plants. Sprinkle fluffy lime around the plants, and in case of plaque, treat with Fitoverm.
Do not forget that vegetables 6 cm around the circumference have the most delicate taste. However, there are varieties in which the overgrowth of stem crops will not be similar to their rigidity.
What fertilizers are good for vegetables
We use the same fertilizers as when growing white cabbage, only doses mineral fertilizers decrease by 3 times. The first feeding of kohlrabi with a solution of urea is important - 0.5 tsp. for 10 liters of water. The second - in two weeks - 1 tbsp. spoon "Effekton". We carry out the third 12 days after the second, diluting a third of a teaspoon in 10 liters of water. superphosphate and potassium sulfate. We do not carry out subsequent ones, and so it is enough with normal soil. When leaving regularly, especially from excess moisture, sprinkle the grown kohlrabi around wood ash, and organic matter, in the form of humus and compost, is introduced into the soil in the spring when digging or in the fall.
Kohlrabi is a type of cabbage, the peculiarity of which is the stem, which has a rounded shape. It has a delicate sweetish taste and is used for making salads, side dishes, casseroles. except palatability, kohlrabi cabbage is rich in vitamins and minerals. A low calorie content makes the vegetable a valuable product in diet food. How to grow kohlrabi cabbage outdoors?
Description and photo of kohlrabi cabbage
Outwardly, the stem crop resembles a turnip, it tastes like a stalk from white cabbage. But much softer and juicier. It is important to harvest on time, without waiting for overripeness and coarsening of the fibers. Kohlrabi cabbage is most often various colors: pale green, yellow, purple, pink. The pulp of the stem is always white or light beige. The shape of the stem, depending on the variety, can be round, oblong or flattened, like a turnip. The size of a vegetable can range from 0.2 to 1 kg. In the photo, kohlrabi cabbage of different varieties.
Early varieties of kohlrabi cabbage allow you to harvest several times a season, but they are not suitable for long-term storage and require immediate processing. Late varieties with a competent approach, they can delight with their taste all winter. To do this, the stem crops are sprinkled with moistened sand and placed in the basement.
Growing kohlrabi cabbage from seeds for seedlings
For an early harvest. This method allows you to get stem crops at the beginning of summer. Growing kohlrabi cabbage from seeds for seedlings is carried out in mid-March. It is important to prepare planting material to reduce the risk of diseases such as powdery mildew, black leg, various fungal infections.
How to process planting material:
- You need to place the seeds in a cloth napkin and hold for half an hour in hot water 50-60 degrees.
- Cool 10 minutes in cold water.
- Leave for 12 hours to swell the seeds in a room at room temperature.
- Place in the refrigerator for a day.
- For flowability, the seeds can be dried a little by holding in the air.
Sowing is carried out in a pre-prepared soil, consisting of sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 1. You can add a little humus and. For disinfection, the soil is spilled with a solution of manganese (1 g per 10 liters of water). You can grow kohlrabi cabbage from seeds for seedlings immediately in or in boxes, followed by a pick. The second method is better, as it allows you to get stronger and stronger plants.
For sowing, grooves are cut in the soil, at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. The seeds are laid to a depth of 1 cm, the distance between them is kept 1-2 cm. Sprinkle loose earth on top and put the box on the windowsill. When shoots appear, it is necessary to remove the seedlings to a cooler place with a temperature of 10-15 degrees for several days to prevent the plants from stretching. After 2 weeks, you can start picking into individual cups. The stem crop can be grown both in and open ground.
How to grow kohlrabi cabbage outdoors?
For a later harvest, sowing can be done directly in the ground or in. Picking in this case is carried out immediately to a permanent place. The technology of how to grow kohlrabi cabbage in the open field for seedlings is no different from the method on the windowsill. Despite the fact that kohlrabi tolerates frost well, it is recommended to cover the plants with non-woven material at night when planting early.
For planting seedlings of kohlrabi cabbage, well-lit places with fertile, light soil are suitable. Good predecessors: legumes, potatoes,. To avoid diseases and pests, do not plant seedlings after other cruciferous plants. Before planting, manure can be applied to the ground. Fresh application is not recommended, as it increases the risk of fly infestation.
For early varieties, a distance between rows of 30 cm is sufficient, and between plants 25. For mid-season and late 40 and 30, respectively. Unlike other types of cabbage, this one does not need to be deepened, as the fruit is formed on the stem.
Kohlrabi care
A week after planting the plant in a permanent place, you can make top dressing. After 2-3 weeks after it, you can feed it with fermented organic matter. And the last recharge is made with a solution of potassium.
Proper care of kohlrabi cabbage includes:
- Regular . It is carried out at least 1 time in 3 days.
- Soil loosening.
- Pest and disease control.
Cabbage especially needs competent watering during the formation of the stem. Its deficiency can adversely affect the formation, and its excess can lead to cracking. It is important to avoid stagnant water and at the same time maintain moderate humidity. To combat pests and diseases, the same means are used as for. Loosening occupies a special place. It contributes to the saturation of the soil with oxygen. It is important to carry it out carefully so as not to damage the stem and not sprinkle it with soil.
Many gardeners hesitate to grow kohlrabi and still consider it an overseas vegetable. In fact, agricultural technology is simple and this type of cabbage grows well in our climatic conditions.
Kohlrabi Growing Tips:
- In order to eat from the beginning of summer until the frost, you need to plant several varieties different term maturation. The later ones will keep well until February.
- Before disembarkation home seedlings in the ground you need to harden for several days.
- If there is not enough space for a kohlrabi bed, then it can be planted between other crops as a compactor. She gets along well with almost all the neighbors.
- Harvesting is best done earlier, avoiding overripe. As soon as the stem crop reaches 7 cm in diameter, it can be eaten.
- Late varieties are less prone to stem woodiness.
- For storage, the crop is harvested and laid along with the root.
These simple kohlrabi growing tips will make the process easier and help you get good harvest juicy stalks.