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Kohlrabi, known in botanical jargon as Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes, is delicious, healthy and versatile. Here you can find out how kohlrabi can be grown and what needs to be considered when sowing and pricking out.

In a nutshell

  • Pricking kohlrabi is recommended
  • Sowing kohlrabi is very easy with the right knowledge
  • staggered sowing allows for fresh harvests over a long period of time
  • Pre-breeding is recommended from February
  • The right time should be chosen

substrate

Potting soil is recommended for sowing and pre-cultivation. After pricking out or planting outdoors, the soil should have the following properties:

  • humorous
  • relaxed
  • constantly slightly damp

A mixture of:

  • garden soil
  • coconut fibers
  • compost
  • sand

Tip: Preparing the soil in the previous year makes sense. A bed should be dug and fertilized. For pot culture, mixing in the fall is enough. This allows valuable microorganisms to spread in it.

location

At the planting site, the kohlrabi is undemanding. Sunny to semi-shady places are ideal. Things to avoid are:

  • blazing sun
  • strong wind
  • waterlogging

Tip: Raised beds and greenhouses are also ideal for particularly early sowing and harvesting. The temperature is higher here, which means that harvesting can take place not only earlier, but also longer.

Sowing & pre-breeding

Preparing kohlrabi is very easy and requires little effort. Are needed:

  • Potting soil, ideally sterilized
  • seed boxes or flower pots
  • appropriate planting site
  • seed
  • water
  1. sterilize soil: So that neither germs nor parasites can prevent healthy growth, the soil should be sterilized beforehand. This works, for example, by moistening and then baking or heating in the microwave.
  2. Prepare planters: Once the soil has cooled, it can be poured into the planters. It is lightly pressed.
  3. Sowing: Sow the seeds of the kohlrabi with sufficient distance on the growing substrate. Covering with soil should only be done very lightly, as it is a matter of light germs.
  4. Water: The soil must be evenly moistened, but not wet. Light pouring or spraying with water is sufficient.
  5. find place: For successful germination, the seed must be light and at a temperature between 12 and 18 °C. A slightly warmer area is not a problem as long as there is sufficient light. However, the temperature should not fall below 12 °C.

Tip: It is also possible to sow kohlrabi directly in the bed around April. Only the temperatures have to be correspondingly high.

Kohlrabi seeds

maintenance

Little care is required while the seeds are beginning to germinate. Keeping the soil moist in combination with constant temperature and light is perfectly sufficient. The rule here is that the warmer the cultivation vessels are, the brighter it must be. In the case of very early sowing, the use of a plant lamp is therefore recommended.

Prick the kohlrabi

Pricking out involves sorting out the seedlings and increasing the planting distance. It takes place as soon as the first leaves of the young plants have formed and they are about five to ten centimeters high. The soil is carefully removed from the roots so that they are not damaged. The seedlings are placed in individual pots so that they can later be placed outdoors more easily. A seed tray with existing divisions makes sorting and transplanting outdoors easier.

planting distance

The appropriate distance must be taken into account when pricking out or planting outdoors. However, there is no blanket answer. Because how much space the plants need depends on the variety. For small varieties, about 20-30 centimeters between the plants and the rows is enough. In larger cultivated forms, on the other hand, 40 to 50 centimeters may be necessary.

Do not plant kohlrabi too closely in the vegetable patch!

time

The preferred plants can be planted outdoors as soon as the temperatures no longer fall below 12 °C, even at night. In years with particularly mild winters or regions with a very warm climate, this is often possible as early as March.
This is especially true when it comes to a raised bed where the temperature is up to eight degrees higher.

harvest

Harvest maturity is reached about six to eight weeks after planting or sowing. Again, it depends on various factors. Below:

  • maintenance
  • variety
  • location
  • substrate
  • weather

overseeding

So that fresh kohlrabi can be harvested again and again for a long time, you can sow kohlrabi again immediately after removing the tubers or plant young plants that have already been grown. However, it is then advisable to incorporate some fresh soil. This keeps the nutrient content high.

Tip: So-called staggered sowing makes it possible to harvest freshly every week. For this purpose, only seeds or young plants are placed at intervals of a few days.

frequently asked Questions

Can kohlrabi also be grown in a pot?

Yes, that's entirely possible. Culture in a bucket can also work. This makes the plant even suitable for the balcony or terrace.

Do the seeds of the kohlrabi have to be prepared?

No, that is not necessary. The application in potting soil is sufficient. In addition, they should not be covered too much with soil.

How long does it take from pre-cultivation to harvest?

That depends on the conditions. With optimal care, the plants thrive faster than with a lack of light and low temperatures or the blazing midday sun. Therefore, no general statement can be made on this. The variety offers a good orientation. As a rule, six to eight weeks after sowing outdoors must be expected. With a very early pre-breeding and cool temperatures or changeable weather, the harvest maturity can take longer.

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Category:

Vegetable garden