Kohlarbi-Purple Vienna
Brassica oleracea var
The Leaves and globes are purplish. Globes have a light turnip-cabbage taste, and the leaves are eaten like kale. The leaves are both colorful and edible, and the tops are thin. Simply regard them as if they were kale. Plants attain a height of 18" and have globes that float from the surface of the soil. When the bulbs are the size of tennis balls, harvest them. Of course they will get bigger, but I don't like the taste. Before slicing, peel and scrape both rough and woody bits with a peeler. My favorite way to eat it, is sliced thin, raw, with roasted red pepper and garlic hummus.
Days to germination |
7-10 days mostly |
Days to maturity |
About 55-70 days |
Life cycle |
Hardy biennial usually grown as an annual |
Plant time |
Late Summer through Mid Winter |
Spacing |
9-12 inches |
Sun |
Full sun |
Soil temperature |
55-75 degrees |
Optimum soil P.H |
6.5-7.5 |
Height |
12-18 inches tall |
Harvest |
Mid Fall through Mid Spring |