Can't seem to grow kohlrabi

[madness]

I would like to try for the third time to grow kohlrabi this spring. I'm gardening in a different place this year, so maybe I won't have any problems, but I wan't to ask if I was doing anything obviously wrong that I could prevent in my new spot.

Problem: The stems NEVER swell. They just grow spindly little plants. They look healthy and they have good green growth – not too much, but about the same as a “swollen” kohlrabi. They kinda look the way plants do when they don’t get enough sun, but they are in a spot sunny enough to grow tomatoes.

Here are the details of my planting:

I’m in zone 8b, have pretty neutral soil and am planting a variety recommended by the county master gardener’s association. I tried growing in the spring and fall last year – at the recommended planting times. I sow directly in the soil since root disturbances are supposed to cause the stem to not swell…and I obviously already have problems with that!

For the fall planting, I had grown a bumper crop of tomatoes in the same spot in the summer. That fall, on either side of the kohlrabi, I had more salad greens than I knew what to do with and I had to fight the zucchini from taking over the garden. So the soil isn’t lacking in general nutrients.

Is there some special kohlrabi trick I’m missing? Brassicas are hard to grow here and the only ones I’ve ever had success with are radishes and mustard (tried broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts even though I was told they wouldn’t work…and they didn’t). Is this just another one that I can’t grow even though the gardener’s association lists that you should be able to?

[SquashNut]

I have tryed Kolrabi transplants and those only work part of the time.
I would think you need more moisture and nitrogen to make good korabi.
Last year we had a drought up here and my kolrabi was hit and miss. The fall crop was the best one. They are a cool weather crop.

[moonwolf]

I'n in zone 3/4 where most brassicas do well as cool season crops.
I've grown 3 or 4 varieties of kohl rabi, both the purple and green ones. All grew fine and were tender and tasty. I've let some grow to the size of a man's head just for fun and had pictures of them with a baseball cap! But, the smaller ones are what are best to pick for eating.
I never did anything special to plant them that I would do the same for say brocolli or brussel sprouts. I sew the seed direct in the ground. I think they grow as good, or better that way, rather than transplants. Our soil is clayish, so I amend it well with nutrients like comost or rotted manure that is tilled in or mulched over. I always considered kohl rabi one of the easiest garden plants to grow. Give them enough room to bulb. I plant them about a foot apart, and keep weeded. Other than that, I can't give any further specific advice.
good luck.

[dcross]

[QUOTE=madness] Brassicas are hard to grow here and the only ones I’ve ever had success with are radishes and mustard (tried broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts even though I was told they wouldn’t work…and they didn’t). [QUOTE]

Why is that?

[madness]

Why is that?

Brassicas are cool weather crops and Central Texas can hardly be called cool weather - even during the winter. Cauliflower and broccoli are prone to buttoning if they even produce heads. Button heads are really small (think golf ball) and mealy. Brussel sprouts never get the frost that makes them sweeter - that's even if they actually last that long with out succumbing to a few weeks of 80F weather in December.

It's too bad really since I have to perfect soil for growing them at my new place - just not the right weather!

If anyone has advice or experience that says otherwise - PLEASE LET ME KNOW! A life without broccoli is hardly a life at all...

[Paquebot]

Originally Posted by madness

Is there some special kohlrabi trick I’m missing? Brassicas are hard to grow here and the only ones I’ve ever had success with are radishes and mustard (tried broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts even though I was told they wouldn’t work…and they didn’t). Is this just another one that I can’t grow even though the gardener’s association lists that you should be able to?

You answered your own question. Kohlrabi is a brassica just like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. The special trick missing is probably a serious change in ZIP Code!

There are several early varieties which which could bulb up before hot weather sets in if planted early enough. Early White Vienna is 55 days while a fairly new hybrid, Pheres, is only 42

Martin

[mama2littleman]

Don't feel too bad, after over a decade of trying I have only managed to grow ONE zuchinni. Not one plant, but one singular lonely fruit.

Ahh ... the trials and hardships of gardening.

Nikki

[Paquebot]

Forgot to mention that direct sowing of an early variety may help to hasten them along. You could probably plant them now and they'd come up at the proper time. The seedlings can handle temps into the low 20s with no problem. If it weren't for the flea beetles usually appearing about the same time as the kohl rabi seedlings here, I'd still be sowing right in the garden and then transplanting those that are thinned out. Now I start them in a cold frame along with the rest of the brassica family.

Martin

[Spinner]

Broccoli grows good here in my 100 degree weather. I plant it where it gets early morning sun, then shade the rest of the day, and mist it daily. Haven't tried some of the others, but might try a few this year.

[Rita]

I have been direct-seeding kohlrabi for decades with good results until we moved here to TN and for some reason I only get a good crop if I start the seed and transplant the plants. I would guess you are planting them too close if they are spindly and don't form bulbs. When I did direct seed, if I didn't thin that would happen.

[Jenn]

I just grew some in deep compost raised bed in 8b Alabama (planted Sept harvesting Xmas to now). (more rain than you) The ones that didn't fill out were too close together. Quite woody though- only edible if peeled unlike some I grew, well, in 8a TX long ago! In early spring not fall.

[Corky]

I knew what was wrong when I heard you were in zone 8.

That is your problem. I can't grow bananas but I can grow kohlrabi. Zone 6 here.