Growing kohlrabi: harvest it tender before it turns woody

Kohlrabi is a cabbage in a hurry: it grows quickly, needs little space and is well suited to beginners.

Starting and planting

• Start indoors on the windowsill or sow directly into the bed; young plants are also available from garden centres
• Several batches: Planting a few more every few weeks gives you a harvest all summer long
• Planting depth: Do not plant too deep – the bulb forms above the ground

Care

• Watering: Keep evenly moist; alternating drought and heavy watering makes the bulbs split
• Cabbage pests: Insect netting keeps cabbage whites and cabbage root fly away

Harvest and storage

Harvest kohlrabi while the bulb is still tender – bulbs that get too large turn woody. The tender inner leaves are edible and can be used like spinach.

Fresh kohlrabi keeps in the fridge's vegetable drawer; for longer storage, remove the large leaves first (BZfE (German Federal Centre for Nutrition), "Richtig lagern" (as of 20 Feb 2025)).

Sources

• German Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE): Richtig lagern, as of 20 Feb 2025, accessed 5 Oct 2026

The sources support individual statements in this article. The organisations named have neither reviewed nor endorsed it.