Kohl rabi

[Lisasbolt]

Decide to lift a couple for dinner last night as sick of waiting for them!

These were planted side by side, sown at the same time and transplanted the same time and everything else exactly the same, so why didn't one bulb?

They were meant to be suttons speedy veg and ready in "9 weeks" but easy been 4 months, maybe they were a little close as it was meant for baby veg.



This damn kohl rabi, I am struggling with it, but tried it last year for the first time and love it.

[Penellype]

I find there is considerable variation in kohlrabi and some of them just don't swell. The one on the right looks like it is starting to bolt. The good news is that they taste nice whether or not they swell, so if you don't mind eating long thin kohlrabi, simply peel and cook it as normal.

[Kleftiwallah]

I would parcel them up and send them back to the seedsman. Cheers, Tony.

[muddled]

I find them to be very hit and miss....so I sow millions of them!

The most successful ones I ever grew were those that I forgot about entirely and allowed to become overgrown with weeds.
The other time that I got 100% bulbing was when I started them in loo rolls but it was too much faff so now I just direct sow the whole packet over a season, a pinch here and a pinch there, and hope for the best.

They are worth it though aren't they?
Grated raw in coleslaw is my favourite way to eat them.

[Kristen]

I would parcel them up and send them back to the seedsman.

Yeah, well ... O/P says they were sown 4 months ago, so January-ish, and the seedpacket says to sow April to August ...

From memory Lisasbolt is inland rather than coastal and has some cold weather during the winter, which may well have had an impact. There are also all sorts of possible husbandry issues which might have contributed too.

[Penellype]

I grew 2 crops of kohlrabi last year, the first sown in April in modules and planted out into soil under a net. These produced tennis ball sized swollen stems by July when planted in the sun, but in a container in the shade they were very poor. I sowed some more in July and planted them out in August under a net. These formed somewhat smaller swollen stems by late autumn and overwintered fine and I ate the last of them last week, by which time they were starting to bolt. They certainly appear to be frost hardy, although whether they would grow from seed planted outside in January is anyone's guess.

[Martin H]

I've never had much success with Kohl Rabi sown early in the year, I've only had decent ones from direct sowings in late April.

This year though I've started some in modules in early March. I'm looking to plant them out in the next week or two depending on how the weather is.

[marchogaeth]

I have found it very variable. It's meant to be a crop you can sow from February through to October in the tunnel but I was only ever happy with about two crops in two years or so. I have read that it doesn't like low light/shading or overcrowding and is affected by variations in watering. Also, that it is a cool weather crop and won't bulb if it gets too hot. In addition, it gets all the cabbage pests. I don't grow it any more, it always gave OH stomach ache, on top of being unpredictable so wasn't worth pursuing.

[kathyd]

I like to pop a couple of small plants (3-4" maybe) into the poly tunnel in the autumn, then they start to grow in the spring and produce lots of lovely little shoots a bit like sprouting broccoli - very tasty . So I really don't mind not getting the bulbs! And you're right, the more I ignore the ones outside, the more they seem to bulb up - despite a bit of shade, overcrowding (often weeds if I haven't mulched) and erratic watering... sometimes it seems to pay not to research too much doesn't it?!

[marchogaeth]

sometimes it seems to pay not to research too much doesn't it?!

Even as I was typing the list of things, I was thinking so basically anything could be the reason for not getting bulbs! Obviously, just grow plenty and either eat the thin stems or rogue them out.

[Lisasbolt]

well they both tasted very nice, and the greens was a nice addition.

I grew in the tunnel, so cold would have been fine. We are warmer here inland than on the coastal area. But can get a few chilly nights. i now heat the tunnel if it is expected to be cold at night which is very rare.

going to try and get some more seeds sown today hopefully before it gets too hot. but the best laid plans never seem to work