Recently, many gardeners began to grow kohlrabi - a special type of white cabbage, which forms a round stalklod, distinguished by good taste and useful chemical composition. In order for the fruits of this culture to remain fresh for a long time, you need to know the peculiarities of the shelf life of different varieties of culture and possible ways of storing the product, as well as how to properly prepare the vegetables before laying them in the store and create suitable microclimate conditions for them. About all this - later in the article.

Features of the influence of kohlrabi varieties on the rate of durability

Different types of kohlrabi cabbage are characterized by a different degree of keeping quality, therefore, before planting this crop on your site, you need to analyze the information about the selected variety and decide how suitable it is for long-term storage.

Did you know? Kohlrabi cabbage was used in ancient Rome as food for the poor and slaves. The following characteristics of the variety affect the degree of vegetable stiffness:

• ripening - the fruits of the late varieties of kohlrabi have a more dense structure and are stored better than early ripe varieties of cabbage;
• the color of the vegetable - the varieties with the purple stem stem are best stored, and white-green cabbage varieties can remain fresh only for a short period of time;
• resistance to lignification - during long-term storage, the flesh of the cabbage often becomes stiff, which leads to a deterioration in the taste of the product.

The highest stamina possess such varieties of kohlrabi:

• Giant;
• Violetta;
• The globe;
• Hummingbird
• Kossak F1;
• Delicate blue;
• Piquant;
• Gusto;
• Goliath Blue;
• Sonata F1.

Harvest dates and storage preparation

The flesh of overripe stems is quickly becoming stiff, so you need to correctly determine the time for harvesting kohlrabi so that the product fully retains its taste and texture. The exact time of harvesting cabbage depends on the characteristics of a particular variety, but this procedure is recommended to be carried out immediately after the diameter of the stalk crop reaches 8 cm.

Important! Harvest kohlrabi needs to be harvested at a temperature of at least +3 ... + 5 ° C, because under the influence of frosts the cabbage's hardness decreases sharply. The basic rules for harvesting stem stems and tips for preparing them for long-term storage are listed below:

• for harvesting, choose a dry and clear day - in rainy weather, vegetables absorb excess moisture and can rot during storage;
• the plant is removed from the soil along with the roots, pulling it out of the tops;
• the surface of the fruit must be protected from mechanical damage - scratches and dents cause rapid decay of the pulp;
• vegetables are carefully cleaned with hands of earth clods;
• Damaged and rotted stems are not suitable for storage, therefore they are rejected;
• for long-term storage, the root system is not cut, and the leaves are cut at a distance of about 2 cm from the stem;
• the collected cabbage is laid out in a dark and dry place for 1.5–2 hours to dry.

Optimal conditions for long-term storage of kohlrabi

Even those varieties that are characterized by good keeping quality will deteriorate quickly if stored improperly in unsuitable microclimate conditions. That is why in a room for long-term storage of kohlrabi, the following requirements must be observed:

• air temperature is about 0 ... + 2 ° С - in a warmer room the product can be stored for no longer than 1-2 weeks;
• high air humidity at a level of not less than 95% - will help keep the stalks juicy and tasty;
  

• protection from sunlight - in the light, the pulp of vegetables quickly deteriorates;
• the presence of a good ventilation system - prevents the growth of bacteria and mold.

Ways to store cabbage at home

At room temperature, kohlrabi cabbage can remain fresh for only a few days, so for longer storage the vegetable must be kept in special conditions. You can process the product by preparing delicious canned food from it, but at the same time, kohlrabi will partially lose its taste and useful chemical composition. To be able to feast on fresh vegetables until the cold weather, use various methods of storage, listed below in the article.

Learn about winter kohlrabi cabbage recipes.

In the fridge

In a city apartment, you can increase the shelf life of fresh kohlrabi cabbage with a refrigerator. This method allows you to preserve the freshness of the product for up to 5 weeks, provided that the stems are properly prepared.

Basic rules for storing kohlrabi in the refrigerator:

• shake off fresh vegetables slightly from dirt and cut off the tops of them - it is recommended to leave small cuttings so that harmful microorganisms do not penetrate the damaged pulp;
• wrap stalks with thick paper or a damp cloth and put them in a plastic bag, leaving it slightly ajar - this will prevent the appearance of rot on the cabbage as a result of stagnation of air;
• cut tops can be folded into a separate bag and also placed in the refrigerator;
• You need to store kohlrabi in a vegetable drawer located at the bottom of the refrigerator.

In the cellar or basement

The most common way to store a large number of fruits is a cellar or basement. In such a room, you can create optimal microclimate conditions under which the product will be stored for 3-5 months.

Important! To keep the kohlrabi juicy and tasty longer during storage in the cellar, it is recommended to place it with its roots down. The basic rules for storing kohlrabi cabbage in a cellar or basement:

• the prepared stalks are stacked in a box or a wide basket, placing them not too tightly to each other;
• in a container with cabbage, a layer of wet sand is poured so that it partially covers the vegetables, and then cover them with a film, leaving a hole for free air access;
• it is recommended to put boxes and baskets with cabbage on racks or gratings - this will protect the product from decay and rodents;
• you can scatter a layer of wet sand with a thickness of about 7-10 cm on the floor of the store and spread the kohlrabi on it, placing them at a small distance from each other, but this storage method is allowed to be used only if there are no pests and rodents in the room;
• each stempled can be placed in a grid and hung vertically from the ceiling at a distance of at least 3 cm from each other - in this case, air circulation must be carried out in the cellar so that the suspended cabbage does not decay.

On the balcony

If the city apartment has a glassed-in balcony or loggia, on which the positive air temperature is maintained during the winter, then they are also suitable for storing the product. But this method allows you to keep the freshness of the product for only 1 month.

The main recommendations for stalk stem storage on the balcony:

• you can vertically hang kohlrabi to the clothesline on wire hooks, fixing them on the root of the vegetables;
• cabbage is well stored in wooden boxes;
• if the air temperature on the balcony drops below 0 ° C, then it is necessary to provide a heating system.

Vegetables should be placed at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other so that they do not begin to rot

In the freezer

Fresh kohlrabi cabbage is stored in the freezer for the longest time. However, it partially loses its original taste, but frozen vegetables can be used for 6–9 months.

Did you know? Kohlrabi leaves contain 2 to 3 times more vitamins than stems, so it is recommended to use the tops of plants for making fresh salads. Step-by-step instructions for freezing stems are presented below:

1. Rinse the cabbage thoroughly under running water and peel it.
2. Cut the fruit into small pieces. Dip them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, and then immerse them in a container of ice water.
3. Tilt the blanched pieces of cabbage into a colander so that the glass is excess water. After that, slightly dry the vegetables by patting them with a napkin.
4. Fold kohlrabi in plastic containers or plastic bags, avoiding moisture entering the container. Put in the freezer.

You can rub the stalks on a coarse grater and freeze them without blanching - this will save the maximum amount of nutrients in the cabbage.

Useful tips to gardeners

Using the methods listed above, you can successfully store kohlrabi throughout the winter, but experienced gardeners advise using a few more tricks to extend the shelf life of the product.

The main ones are presented below:

• with short-term storage in the refrigerator, you can completely cut off the leaves and root of the cabbage - this will reduce the evaporation of moisture;
• collected vegetables should not be washed before storing for storage - cabbage saturated with moisture is more likely to rot;
• sharp changes in the temperature of the air in the store should not be allowed - this will make the flesh of cabbage stiff and fibrous;
• if the air in the basement is too dry, then in the corners of the room you can place containers with water;
• when storing vegetables in the refrigerator, the stems must be folded separately from the tops - the leaves will absorb moisture from the cabbage, as a result of which its flesh will lose its juiciness;
• it is not recommended to keep kohlrabi at a temperature below -18 ° C - while vegetables lose most of their vitamins;
• you can not re-freeze cabbage - the product will completely lose its taste and lose its useful chemical composition.

Important! During storage, kohlrabi fruits should be inspected 2 times a month, removing damaged and rotting specimens. Kohlrabi cabbage can be a tasty and useful addition to the autumn-winter diet of humans. Using the tips presented in this article, you can choose a variety with the best indicators of keeping quality, and the listed storage methods will significantly extend the period of eating fresh and juicy stems.