Help please with kohlrabi

[Zelenina]

Kohl rabi is a very popular veg here in Slovakia. We have a big one called Gigant, which looks very similar to Superschmeltz, and it does need spring sowing and a long growing season.

But some of the faster growing varieties are recommended for a second sowing in summer or under cover in autumn. I think it's not usually grown in winter because it can't handle frost, but it might grow very well during the winter in southern Spain. No harm in trying anyway.

Definitely those spindly seedlings haven't been getting enough light, even if it seems like plenty to you. They would probably be better sown directly in the ground, or maybe in a greenhouse or polytunnel or under a cloche.

[BertieFox]

Must admit we never have any problem using up these kind of vegetables. IN any case, the large bulbs can be stored for quite a while in a cellar or cool spot, and when lightly steamed, you can cook slices or 'chips' of them in butter or oil, as well as making soup and stew.

I still have half a dozen plants in pots (never got round to planting them out) with little swollen stems. I'm wondering if I plant them out in the polytunnel bed now, whether they would grow any bigger or just sit there and go to seed in the spring.

[kathyd]

Can I make a suggestion? Since Lisa's already got seedlings, leggy as they are, why not try transplanting at least a few of them as Alison (?) suggested, burying right up to their seed leaves, put them somewhere as light as possible, keep them frost-free and see how they go? Nothing to lose . That way you'll find out what works, and know what to do differently next time .

If I forget to eat my kohl rabi, I leave it to run to seed - the flowering shoots are delicious, a bit like broccoli .

[Two_Sheds]

Definitely those spindly seedlings haven't been getting enough light, even if it seems like plenty to you.

To us humans, a glimpse of sunshine at this time of year is miraculous, and if it's sunny for two whole days on the trot, we say that's a lot of sunshine.

But to plants, it's entirely different. They need maximum lux and typically, long days ie spring to summer, to grow.
In winter the days are short, and the light isn't powerful enough for plant growth


{generally speaking}

and has been said already, just because the shop is selling them, it doesn't mean they're going to do OK.

[Two_Sheds]

They have had quite a lot of light, but we have a few over cast days.

If I have this right, you are only getting 2-3 hours of sunshine a day

Weather Averages for Almeria, Spain

[Kristen]

Doesn't sound right to me - the bottom graph on that link shows average snow days as being between 1 and 4 for every month of the year - strikes me that is more likely to be in the Sierra Nevada mountains inland, rather than Almeria which I think of as being on the Mediterranean South coast of Spain.

Depends whereabouts in Almeria Lisasbolt is of course

[bario1]

My kohlrabi in the polytunnel has just started to 'bulb up' - are the bulbs supposed to sit on the ground, or on a little stalk above the ground? Never grown (or tasted) it before, I'm really hoping they continue to swell to a usable size! Would a feed help at this time of year?

[Alison]

Must admit we never have any problem using up these kind of vegetables. IN any case, the large bulbs can be stored for quite a while in a cellar or cool spot, and when lightly steamed, you can cook slices or 'chips' of them in butter or oil, as well as making soup and stew.

Suppose I don't tend to eat much food like that in summer and in winter I prefer using either squash or swedes and as I have loads of them the kohl rabi took a back seat. Think it's about 4 years since I last grew them although I did like seeing the look people gave them when they'd never seen an alien veg

[Lisasbolt]

Thanks everyone,

My location is very different to most, i am very near one of the true semi-deserts in Europe Even our winter day temps are mid teens. Last January we were mid 20's. Doesn't even frost, 5 miles up the road does though

I like to see what the old Spanish are going and if they are doing it something must be right.

I am going to try and transplant them, no harm in trying now.

For years i have only grown the basics toms, lettuce, carrots as i never had any "spare time" before. So please bear with me, i am only just starting

[Penellype]

My kohlrabi in the polytunnel has just started to 'bulb up' - are the bulbs supposed to sit on the ground, or on a little stalk above the ground? Never grown (or tasted) it before, I'm really hoping they continue to swell to a usable size! Would a feed help at this time of year?

The "bulbs" are actually swollen stems, and sit on a stalk above the soil. The taste is like a very mild turnip - very pleasant, just diced and cooked as you would a carrot. some people eat them raw - if you peel off the outer layer, which can be stringy, the inside is not stringy at all.

Not sure about the fertilizer - you might end up with a lot of leaf and nothing going into the stem where you want it.