I needed a short season crop to replace some stuff and someone recommended this. I know it's a bit hot for kohlrabi, but by the time it get's going, we should have the August monsoons. But I have no idea what this even tastes like. I figure I'll put a row of K, then a row of carrots, which can stay in through October.

Does anyone have Kohlrabi experience/advice?

Maggie

I love Kohlrabi though I always grow it in the spring. Here it likes a row cover. Do you have problems with cabbage worms? They love Kohlrabi too so a summer crop might get infested. The plant looks like any other cole crop when it is small. Then it develops a bulb at the base of the plant. Don't let it get too big or it will be woody. Size will depend on variety I guess though. I have seen contests with huge kohlrabi competing. Mine are bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball when I harvest them. Think a little like broccoli stems, but more tender if you want to know what the flavor is like.

Ellen

We grow it; I hate it, Pat loves it. Have it planted between rows of beets and potatoes. Also, planting sage (garden as opposed to specialty) helps keep the cabbage worms to a minimum.

I really like kohlrabi. It's a very mild-tasting versatile vegetable. Can be eaten raw - sliced thin & used as "chips" for dips or shredded into salads, or cooked - cubed & folded into a white or cheese sauce, thinly sliced & baked as a gratin (alone or with other thinly-sliced vegetables). The young tender leaves also cook up nicely.

I also agree that it does best under a row cover, which works well since it doesn't require pollination so doesn't have to be uncovered.

Cabbage worms are a moderate issue up here and largely gone by September, so maybe I own't have a big problem. I might throw some wild sage clippings in as a mulch, if they won't poison the soil, once the littles are up. I have broccoli and cauliflower slowly growing and no worms on the leaves yet.

Thanks for the recipe advice, BG.

I have grown kohlrabi for many years, and I always start it inside, about 3 weeks before transplant, so this would get you a week into August, and maybe into that rainy season you referred to? I only plant them in spring, then again in the fall, as they do not like heat. I still have some out there now, but only because it is the larger one, with a longer season - kussack - which seems more heat resistant, though I have never really tried to start them to put out at this time...maybe it would work!

Of all the varieties I have grown, the purple Kolibri is the best, bar none. I have grown 2 other purples, and several other greens next to them every season, and none grew as fast, or got as large, without turning woody. I have left them out there for what I thought was WAY too long, and the only thing that would happen was they would get sort of spongy looking inside, with holes throughout, but still crispy. The Kussack was also good in the smaller sizes, but it definitely grew slower.

I use this in countless SF dishes, as well as making a snack out of slices, stir-fried briefly in sesame oil. The flavor is similar to broccoli stems, with a hint of turnip in with it.

Dave