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Kohlrabi

Purple Vienna

Brassicaceae

Spacing4 per sq ft
Days to Harvest55d
Expected Yield4 bulbs

Kohlrabi

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Variety History

Purple Vienna is an Austrian heirloom dating to the 1860s. Kohlrabi means "cabbage turnip" in German (kohl = cabbage, rübe = turnip). It was a staple of central European kitchen gardens.

Regional Context

Kohlrabi is one of the most underrated garden vegetables. It thrives in the PNW — fast, easy, and delicious. Purple Vienna is a stunning variety with purple skin and white flesh. Two crops per year: sow March for May harvest, sow August for October harvest. If you have never grown kohlrabi, you are missing one of the great PNW garden pleasures.

Growing Technique

Direct sow in early spring (March-April) or late summer (August) for fall harvest. Sow 1/4-1/2" deep, 4 seeds per sq ft. Thin to 6" apart. Kohlrabi is fast (45-55 days). Keep evenly moist — drought stress makes bulbs woody. Harvest when bulbs are 2-3" across — larger bulbs become woody and fibrous. The bulb is actually a swollen stem that forms above ground. Peel before eating — the skin is tough. Leaves are edible too — use like kale or collards.

Watch For

  • Flea beetles on leaves in spring — floating row cover. Cabbage worms (green caterpillars from white butterflies) — Bt spray or row cover. Woody bulbs from drought stress or harvest delay — pick at 2-3 inches. Bolting if spring planting is too late — plan for harvest by late May.

Recipes