I made a bet with my brother a few years ago that I would successfully grow a plant which was relatively unknown and uncommon. As a result of this wager, I was introduced to the kohlrabi. When I was sowing its seeds some years ago, hardly anyone here in Pakistan knew what a kohlrabi was. I was not very optimistic that the plant could survive in this climate, let alone provide any yield.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when its plant, which was grown in a pot at my home, began to bear fruit. Initially, my family and I were unsure as to what we should do with the plant’s harvest. Of course, we later found a few recipes on the internet about how best to consume the kohlrabi. Back then, it was a huge gardening accomplishment for our family. It encouraged us to continue growing many more kohlrabis over the years that followed.

Although most of the plant is edible, the kohlrabi is specifically the stem part of the plant. Kohlrabi is a German word which refers to the German turnip and belongs to the brassicaceae family. Contrary to the lingual meaning of its name, the kohlrabi is not a root vegetable like the turnip. In fact, it is part of the mustard family and is more closely related to the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.

Kohlrabi, being one of the cruciferous vegetables, is grown during the spring and fall seasons. In cities with hotter climates, such as Karachi, it may even be grown as a winter crop. The seeds should be sown when the overall temperature is at least 20 degree Celsius or lower.

If you want to test your gardening skills, try growing this unusual and uncommon vegetable

Its seeds are small and round in shape. The seeds should be carefully placed over the soil surface and should then be covered with a thin layer of compost. There should be a spacing of at least one inch between the sown seeds. After careful watering, the pot should be covered and kept aside till germination of the seeds takes place. In favourable conditions, the seeds are likely to germinate within a week or two.

After germination, the closely growing and comparatively weaker seedlings are thinned out and removed. Once three to four true leaves begin to grow during the sapling stage, it is time to shift the plant to a bigger space. Carefully transplant the sapling into a 10-inch size container or in the ground, with a foot’s gap on either side.

The plant container should be kept in a position where it is exposed to sunlight from morning till noon. Since most of the plant is edible, it requires balanced fertiliser content as well. For this, equal quantities of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus should be ensured in the composition of any organic fertilisers.

Since the kohlrabi plant is not a heavy feeder, it should be supplied with the fertiliser on a monthly basis. Like other brassica family members, the kohlrabi plant also prefers moist soil. If the soil is drying up quickly, mulch may be added to ensure water retention in the soil.

Many varieties of kohlrabi can be grown, but the green and purple varieties tend to be preferred by most gardeners. The kohlrabi yield is ready within eight to 10 weeks, depending upon spacing, soil conditions, the climate and the quality of the seeds.

Kohlrabi is best harvested when it reaches the size of six to 10 centimetres in diameter. This is the time when the kohlrabi is sweet in taste and crunchy in texture. It is simply harvested at the base, just like a cabbage, with the help of a knife. Many prefer that the outermost covering of the kohlrabi should be removed as it is comparatively bitter, unlike the inner portion.

Like other brassica family members, kohlrabi is frequently visited by pests like aphids, cabbage worms, mealy bugs and many others. To deflect any pest infestations and diseases or infections, I would recommend that you fortnightly spray the plant with any organic version of pesticides.

Kohlrabi can be consumed raw and can also be mixed in salads. Kohlrabi is a rather uncommon vegetable to grow and find locally In Pakistan. If you wish to challenge yourself, you should follow the method outlined above and try to grow this vegetable. Best of luck!

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 19th, 2023