Kohlrabi is crisp with a delicate, sweet flavor and incredible crunch like a water chestnut. The outer skin peels off without much effort to uncover a dense white flesh. The taste is difficult to describe, if you can imagine a cross between a pear, a turnip, and a potato; but with notes of apple, cauliflower and celeriac. Either way, it's DELICIOUS and I would wager that most people who try it will be surprised and really enjoy the taste!
Its juicy, crisp texture and delicious flavor is wonderful for slicing or shaving into a salad, shredding into coleslaw, stir-frying, or roasting with a meaty entrée. The leaves are quite a treat, too, slow cooked like you would other greens or sauté with garlic and olive oil. 55 days.
The plants grow best during cool weather and can be raised as a spring crop or be included in a fall vegetable garden. It is low growing, reaching about 30cm (12in) in height. It matures quickly, progressing from sowing to harvesting in a couple of months.
Most growth will occur in cool weather. If you can only have one crop, grow the fall crop, as the Rabi will grow best, and taste its best, if it matures in cool weather. They are not quite hardy enough to be classified as a winter vegetable, but they do withstand frost and will grow long into the fall growing season. A little snow is of little worry, if the weather is expected to go much under -5°C (the low twenties °F), you can cover any remaining plants for a day or two until the temperature inches up a bit.
~ planting ~
When to sow outside: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost or as soon as the soil can be worked. Also, in late summer for fall harvest. When to start inside: 6 weeks before average last frost.
~ harvesting ~
Smaller kohlrabi is the sweetest and most tender; harvest when 2" to 3" in diameter. Bulbs much bigger than the size of a tennis ball won’t be as tasty, and often have a pithy or woody flesh.
