<p>50 days. The best light green kohlrabi, Kolpak is slow to become pithy or fibrous. Uniform bulbs form quickly and stay tender until quite large. Sparse foliage and small leaf stems. Early and sweet flavoured.</p><p>CULTURE: Start small plantings in early April until mid-May. These mature in about 8 weeks. Then sow again in mid-July, early August for the bigger fall crop. Sow seeds about 1cm (1/2-1/3 in.) apart in the row, 1cm (1/2-1/3 in.) deep, in rows at least 30cm (12 in.) apart. Thin to about 10cm (4 in.) apart in the row. Band 1/4-1/2 cup complete organic fertilizer below 1.5m (5 ft.) of row. Spread out small plantings during the entire month of April. Each planting matures over a period of about two weeks. Planting in late May causes them to mature in hot weather and produces inferior bulbs. <br>HARVEST: Spring-sown kohlrabi will get larger than tennis balls in fair soil, but pick them when they are still less than 8cm (3 in.) in diameter and they will be sweet and tender. Fall-grown kohlrabi can grow larger yet stay tender. Kohlrabi is frost-hardy, and may last until Christmas in the garden. <br>SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to emergence: 5-15. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 20-30 deg. C (68-85 deg. F). Days to maturity: from date of direct seeding; subtract 10-15 days if using transplants. Approx. 200-300 seeds/g. Usual seed life: 3 years.</p><p>Kohlrabi is a form of cabbage in which the stem stays very short and swells to form an edible corm. Kohlrabi originated in northern Europe in the 15th century, though a similar vegetable was described by Pliny in about 70 AD. It is found in two colours, while - pale green and purple. Kohlrabi is fast groiwng and more tolerant of drought than most brassicas. the corms are bets eaten young, up to the size of a tennis ball. They should be peeled before cooking, especially if rather old, as most of the fibres are in the outer part of the corm. They can also be eaten raw and the leaves are also edible if young and tender. Kohlrabi is an excellent substitute for turnips.</p>
