Features of growing kohlrabi cabbage

Kohlrabi cabbage is one of the varieties of cabbage. Its main feature is a round root crop. In the article, we will consider how kohlrabi cabbage should be grown in the soil, planting dates, and basic rules that will allow you to get a good harvest.

Features of growing kohlrabi cabbage

Variety description

Kohlrabi cabbage externally than It’s similar to turnips, but it tastes like cabbage, but it’s more juicy. The color scheme of this variety of cabbage is different:

• pale green;
• yellow;
• pink (or purple).

Depending on the variety, the shape is round or slightly flattened, and the mass is from 200 g to 1 kg.

Kohlrabi, the cultivation of which is similar to a wound of white cabbage, can produce cabbage several times a season. But it is not stored for a long time, so you need to eat it as soon as possible.

You can grow kohlrabi cabbage in two ways:

• through planting seeds in open ground;
• using seedlings.

Seedling

You can plant kohlrabi cabbage with seedlings – this will allow you to get an early crop. Usually it is grown in greenhouses, greenhouses, boxes and on window sills.

It is better to grow kohlrabi cabbage seedlings on window sills. This is perhaps the most suitable place in modern apartments and houses. Stem crops in this case can be obtained already in late spring – early summer.

Pre-sowing preparation

The agricultural technology of this vegetable involves preparing the seeds before planting. This will protect the plant from diseases affecting this variety of cabbage.

Seeds are placed in a tissue napkin, after which they are kept in hot water for about half an hour. Fluid temperature should be around 50º. After that, the seeds are cooled in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Then the cabbage seeds should swell. To do this, they are left for 12-15 hours at room temperature.

Then the seeds must be placed in the refrigerator, or in another cool place. That they were loose, and it was convenient to plant them, it should be dried. This completes the preparation of seeds before planting.

Sowing and care

Planting seeds for seedlings usually experienced gardeners planted around mid-March, at 15-20.But before planting seedlings in the soil, it must be prepared. For example, the earth must be decontaminated with a solution of potassium permanganate, which will allow the prevention of many diseases.

Cultivation of kohlrabi implies the observance of several rules:

• Be sure to pay attention to the amount of light in the apartment. The optimal daylight hours lasted about 13-15 hours a day. For these purposes, an ordinary fluorescent lamp is suitable.
• Watering is necessary as the soil dries up: it does not need to be dried out, but giving it too much moisture is also not recommended.
• Loosening is mandatory after each watering soil.
• Until seedlings appear, the temperature in the room should be from 19 to 20º.

Transplant to the garden

Don’t forget to water the plants

Kohlrabi cabbage is planted shallow evenly the way she sat in the nursery. If it is planted a little deeper in the soil, then this will significantly complicate the formation of stem-beetle, which will affect the quality of the crop. When planting seedlings in the soil, it is important to remember that young plants withstand frosts down to -3º.

Seeding pattern of kohlrabi cabbage: too tight planting inhibits seedling growth, which again negatively affects the future harvest.In this case, the cabbage does not receive the necessary amount of light and air, which does not allow to obtain tender turnips. The optimal area for good nutrition of seedlings is 25 by 25 cm.

When seedlings are planted in the soil, it is important to monitor its watering. As practice shows, the stems of cabbage begin to form after the appearance of eight leaves. It is during this period that the vegetable begins to consume a lot of moisture. Therefore, the gardener must produce uniform watering of cabbage. After all, a lack of moisture will lead to drying out of the soil, which means that the turnip can crack. This will significantly impair its taste.

Seed growing

It is better to start growing kohlrabi from seeds in the middle of winter.

Sowing seeds is used to obtain a late harvest . Plant seeds in the open ground of a greenhouse or greenhouse. The technique for growing kohlrabi from seeds on open ground is almost the same as growing its seedlings at home. Crops should be insulated with covering material.

Preparing the soil

The soil in the country should be fertile. Also, the place should be well lit. Be sure to fertilize the soil before planting with a tincture of fresh manure. Just mix it with a few liters of water and let it stand for 5-7 days.

Putting fresh manure on the soil is not recommended, as this increases the risk of infecting the fruit with parasite insects.

Kohlrabi is best planted after onions, cucumbers or zucchini.

You need to plant it in the early period, before planting tomatoes, vegetables, beans and other vegetable crops. Because it will create a shadow, this will preserve tomatoes, tomatoes or beans that have not yet matured. And when they get older, get stronger and grow up, kohlrabi will be removed.

How to plant

If you want to protect kohlrabi from insect pests again, then experienced gardeners and farmers are advised to do the following. Just plant kohlrabi seedlings next to herbs such as basil or hyssop. In the prevention and control of diseases and pests will help and perennial onions. And in principle, any neighborhood on a bed with fragrant herbs will be appreciated by kohlrabi cabbage.

There is enough distance of 20-25 cm between plants and about 30-35 cm between rows. This type of cabbage does not need to be planted too deep in the soil, as the fruit will form on the stem.

Care

Good care will increase the yield of plants

This issue is no less important than planting kohlrabi in the ground. After all, what the crop will be like depends on the care of the plant.

Conditions and recommendations for care after planting kohlrabi in open ground:

1. About 5-7 days after planting seedlings for a constant place (open ground) it must be fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer.Whoever doesn’t know, such top dressing will increase fruit growth, make plant roots stronger, improve the taste of a vegetable.
2. After about 3 weeks, make top dressing with fermented organics.
3. Saturate the soil with superphosphate solution and potassium. It is very important to comply with the indicated periods of fertilizing.
4. Another condition is that once every 3 days the plants must be carefully watered. Especially in watering kohlrabi needs the process of formation of the stems. But do not pour too much water. This can lead to root decay.
5. Regularly saturate the soil with oxygen, that is, carry out its loosening.
6. Carry out the prevention of diseases and the fight against insect pests.

Tips from experienced gardeners

And now a few simple but very important tips for growing a vegetable like kohlrabi cabbage:

1. To get Harvest in early summer is best grown in the garden several varieties with varying degrees of ripening.
2. Before sowing seedlings in open ground, harden for a long SRI 2-3 days. This is best done on the balcony when the air temperature reaches above 10º heat. First open the windows a little bit, gradually reducing the air temperature. This will allow plants to get used to the cool ambient temperature.
3. If you want to grow kohlrabi in your garden, but you do not have enough space, then you can plant it together with lettuce or cucumbers. This will favorably affect the quality of the crop.
4. Harvesting is possible only when the stem stalk reaches a diameter of about 7-8 cm. Do not let the vegetable over-ripen; this significantly worsens the taste.
5. The gardener should remember that in later varieties of kohlrabi the stem is less susceptible to the process of woodiness.
6. Plant cabbage along with fragrant herbs (basil, parsley, perennial onions). This will favorably affect the quality of the crop.
7. If you want to store the crop, you need to pick the vegetable along with the roots.

The best varieties

Giant

The giant is resistant to heat and drought, therefore it feels great in the southern regions of our country. It has a juicy white flesh. The fruit itself can reach a weight of up to 5-6 kg.

Violet

Late variety, it is resistant to frosty weather and can grow to a mass of 1-1.5 kg .

Moravia

The Moravia variety was bred in the Czech Republic. It has juicy pulp, and the fruit itself can reach a mass of up to 2-2.5 kg.

Athena

The mass of the variety Athena is from 3 to 3.5 kilograms. Their pulp is about the same: juicy and tender. Excellent salads are made from such cabbage.

Vienna

Vienna has a purple hue, the mass of the stem is small – about 1 kg.Despite its good taste, this variety is not stored for a long time and is suitable for fresh consumption immediately after harvest.

Piquant

Pikant is resistant to cracking and practically does not lend itself to the process of woodiness. Weight is about 1-1.5 kg.Its flesh is especially tender and juicy, it is very good to prepare fresh salads from it.

Delicious

Frost-resistant variety Delicious red. It has a flesh of white color, tender and juicy. The mass of the fruit reaches from 2-2.5 kg.

Blue Planet

Blue variety is well stored. This variety is hybrid, with a fruit weighing up to 300 grams. It is not prone to cracking, so it can be stored for a long enough time.

Conclusion

Growing and caring for kohlrabi cabbage does not require much time from gardeners. Pay attention to recommendations