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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2020 8:46:55 GMT -5
Where do you classify Kohlrabi for the purposes of this board? A turnip that grows above ground?
I planted beets and kohlrabi on the same day about four weeks ago, still cold. The K are up and looking like they want to take over the world,. the beets are struggling to look as if they will form rows. Planted too deep, I 'spect.
Wife got used to Kohlrabi overseas. She said that she often took one to her classroom and after peeling it, ate it like an apple. I've tried them, and like them when young and tender but the variety I planted last got woody too soon.
Anyone else out there growing these things? The leaves are supposedly edible like turnip gereens but I've never tried them. Anyone know about that?
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Post by paquebot on May 4, 2020 9:16:48 GMT -5
Kohlrabi and turnip are both brassica. In that, they are related to cabbage. There are hybrid kohlrabi that do not get woody but get very large. Those are good for making kraut, either mixed with cabbage or as is.
Beet seed is slow to germinate and takes a lot of moisture. Some people soak them for 24 hours before planting. This year, carrots germinated before the beets here.
All brassica leaves are edible. Had a German friend who loved kohlrabi and I was instructed to leave the leaves on whenever I gave some to her. She cooked them in soup.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 4, 2020 10:41:41 GMT -5
I love kohlrabi, and grow them every year, spring and fall. I first learned about them from a friend's German mother, who cooked them in a simple way, in some butter and stock, the time I had them, and she saved the leaves, and used them in soups. I have tried many varieties, and have two favorites: Grand Duke - a non-hybrid, which grows fairly large, 4-5", before getting woody, and has large leaves. Kolibri is the other favorite, which is a purple variety, which gets to around 4", and can be left at that size for quite a while, without getting woody. Other purple varieties did not grow as quickly, as large, or keep in the ground as long. And some other hybrids that I've tried - the latest was Konan - didn't measure up to these. And the other non-hybrids I've tried were slower, and smaller. I've grown a couple of "giant" varieties - kossak was the largest, at over 8 lbs - which did get large, but took a long time doing it, and were hard, though still useable.
Kohlrabi tastes sort of like a broccoli stem, with a hint of turnip. I use them in a lot of stir fries, in place of bamboo shoots, or water chestnuts, since they are very crispy, and the flavor is good in those things. I've also used them julienned, in place of green papaya, in things like som tum, and similar SE Asian dishes. I've used the leaves in recipes calling for collards or mustard greens.
Warning: rabbits love kohlrabi leaves! More than any of my other greens! This is why I cover that row, immediately after planting the greens.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 4, 2020 10:43:20 GMT -5
The leaves are good. I like the stem better. (The part of kohlrabi that we eat is actually the stem - it's aboveground and the leaves grow directly from it. If there is another term for it, I don't know it. But people often call it the "root" or "bulb" anyway.)
Supershmelz is a good variety if you want large kohlrabi that don't get woody. They can get the size of your head and still be tender. You can also harvest them small if you like.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2020 12:31:20 GMT -5
Wow!!!! THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION!! I will have the wife read these comments and do as she commands. Never saw a Kohlrabi until the mentioned them, and then I found seed and planted them for her.
I don't even KNOW the variety I planted this year. I just ordered seed and planted it.
PS: I like rabbit, too.
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