When can you harvest kohlrabi? Are my vegetables ripe and how do I know? Many gardeners often ask themselves these questions, and you are not the only one. But harvesting kohlrabi is not difficult at all! The vegetables are juicy, healthy and tasty and are perfect for various dishes.
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes L.) is a biennial plant that is green, white or purple in color depending on the variety. You harvest the tubers of the vegetable - when kohlrabi is young, it is crunchy and juicy and is ideal for raw vegetable salads and coleslaw. It also tastes good when fried, sautéed or briefly steamed. It is related to broccoli and mild beets, so it tastes similar to these vegetables. The leaves can be used in the same way as spinach. Harvesting kohlrabi is not as difficult as it sounds. In this article we explain how and when to harvest kohlrabi and how to store it for later use! You can also find out here how you can tell that the vegetables are ripe.
Harvesting kohlrabi – helpful tips and instructions
Like its cousins cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi belongs to the familyCruciferous vegetables. The plant was first cultivated in Europe around 1500 AD. The enlarged stem it develops can be eaten cooked or raw and tastes similar to broccoli or beets. Growing kohlrabi in the garden can be challenging and many people want to know more about care and harvesting.
Can you eat the whole kohlrabi?
The bulbous, widened part of the kohlrabi stem that grows on the ground is the edible part. This enlarged part is a thickened shoot axis. The bloated stem (tuber) is not the only part of the plant that can be eaten. The leaves or greenery that develops at the top are also edible.
Harvesting kohlrabi: When is the right time?
Technically, kohlrabi never ripens. It cannot be called a fruit or a root. The kohlrabi bulb is actually just the bloated stem of the plant. Kohlrabi tastes best when harvested in the morning when it is still cool outside.
Harvesting kohlrabi is far less complicated than it seems. It is difficult to determine the right time to harvest because kohlrabi do not ripen by changing color. It is important to time it right. The tuber is the only indicator of when the vegetable is ready to harvest. If you leave the tubers in the garden for too long, they won't taste good and may even break or become inedible. Since this vegetable does not ripen, it can be harvested whenever it suits it. The tubers can become woody if they are allowed to continue to grow beyond their expected ripeness.
There is no specific season for harvesting kohlrabi, but it depends on the variety and when it is planted. Although the tuber can be used as a sprout thickener, it is always preferable to harvest a large, tasty tuber. Depending on the variety, the harvest can begin as early as 8 – 12 weeks after planting. The diameter of the kohlrabi tuber should be approx. 10 cm, but can vary from variety to variety. Some kohlrabi can grow up to 25 cm tall!
However, the late varieties require a growing time of 15 to 30 weeks. As a rule, the tubers of a variety do not ripen at the same time, but at staggered intervals. In the garden, this means you can harvest these vegetables in stages.
How you should harvest kohlrabi
When harvesting kohlrabi, it is important to consider which edible parts of the plant to use. The tuber and the leaves are the two edible parts, as mentioned earlier.
- tubers
The tubers can be easily harvested. You can easily pull out the entire plant including the roots with your hands. Remove excess dirt by shaking the tubers, then use pruning shears to remove the thinner stem and roots below the tuber.
Another option is to use a clean, sharp knife to remove the upper portion of the stem from the plant while leaving the lower portion in the soil.Since every plantonly produces a single tuber, this method only makes sense if you want to save the seeds for later sowing. In the second year of its development, the kohlrabi only produces flowers and seeds if it remains in the ground.
- leaves
The leaves of the kohlrabi are always ready to be picked. To remove them, you can pluck them off with your fingers or sharp scissors. They are more tender and tastier when they are smaller. Leave some leaves on the plant so it can produce enough food and water for a healthy new stem. In any case, you should separate the leaves from the tuber and use them in salads or stir-fries. The leaves are tasty and are reminiscent of kohlrabi in texture and taste. Save the tender, healthy greens for later use in dishes. This green can be used in place of kale or chard in any recipes.
How to harvest and dry lavenderfind out here!
Preserve kohlrabi
How to preserve your vegetables!
Consume immediately
Because the skin is so rough, it is best to peel the tubers before using them immediately. To prevent the cut pieces from drying out, wrap them in plastic or store them in an airtight container. Use the slices within a few days.
Store in the refrigerator for weeks
If you want to preserve your harvest longer, wait before washing and leave the peels on. If you store the unpeeled tubers in an airtight plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator, they will last for weeks (up to 3 weeks) without going bad. If the temperature is low enough, they will remain firm and tender.
Freeze kohlrabi
The tubers can be frozen for long-term storage. Blanch the peeled and sliced tubers in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain the pieces from the cold water bath, allow them to dry, then distribute them into freezer-safe bags or containers. If stored properly, the blanched vegetables will last for about eight months in the freezer.
How can you prepare the vegetables?
This vegetable is amazing as it is both fresh andTastes good when cooked. When eaten raw, the taste is similar to a cross between broccoli and cabbage. The crisp and slightly spicy taste describes it perfectly. Kohlrabi can be eaten raw, either sliced and served with a vegetable dip, or grated and added to sandwiches and salads. You can also fry the vegetables with eggs.
The sweetness of this vegetable is enhanced by cooking. Roasting, steaming and pureeing are just some of the preparation methods you can use. Root vegetables are a good complement to kohlrabi.
Discover delicious and healthy ones hereRecipes for dishes with kohlrabi!
