Cabbage "Kohlrabi" is not particularly similar to its head relative. From it, a thickened stalk similar to a turnip is consumed for food. This variety of cabbage is characterized by early maturity and grows on different soils, tolerates cold climates well. The article will focus on the ripening time of kohlrabi cabbage, how to determine its ripeness, how to cut it correctly, and storage rules.

Ripening cabbage

Consider the ripening period from the emergence of shoots of varieties of cabbage "Kohlrabi" of different ripening periods:

1. Early Early ripe varieties can be harvested after 55–70 days (Moravia, Sonata F1, Vienna White 1350). In some places, 2-3 crops of these varieties are harvested per season.
2. Mid-season. A medium-sized crop is obtained after 80-120 days (Violet, Azur, Blue Planet F1).
3. Late ripening. Harvesting late varieties is carried out after 120-180 days (Giant, Globus). These varieties are more dense pulp and are great for storage.

Did you know? “Kohlrabi” is translated into our language from German as “turnip cabbage”. Ascorbic acid in it is more than in citruses, therefore it is sometimes called "northern lemon".

How to determine the ripened Kohlrabi and harvest?

“Kohlrabi” needs to be collected on time, as an overripe vegetable loses its taste and usefulness. Harvest time depends on the date of planting, variety, method of cultivation.

Early varieties are usually planted in April, and harvested in June, after reaching their stem of 6-8 cm. Then you can re-plant (June) planting and harvest in August. When using the seedling method, seeds are sown in pots in March, and planted in the soil in late April or early May at the age of 30–35 days.

Late varieties for winter storage are also best planted in June and harvested at the end of September or October. These varieties grow a larger stem, reaching a diameter of 10–13 cm, but harvesting can begin when they reach 8–10 cm.

Technology, how to cut heads of cabbage?

At the Kohlrabi cabbage, the stem is cut off at the very base, slightly leaving the lower part of the stembled. On it, over time, 1-3 new fruits may form, however, of small sizes. From the cut vegetable, cut off all the leaves, leaving only small foliage at the top. The leaves of this cabbage are suitable for salads, but are stored only a few days. Important! Kohlrabi tolerates frosts well, but it is better to collect it when positive temperatures are held. For long-term storage, late-stem stalks are torn out along with the roots and leaves are removed. Before such a collection, the garden is watered so that it is easy to pull out the plant. The weather should be dry and sunny.

If there were night frosts, then the collection time should be moved to noon, when the plant moves away from such stress.

How to store early varieties in the refrigerator?

In the room, this vegetable is stored without loss of taste for only a few days. For longer storage, choose a place with low temperatures and high humidity. A refrigerator is suitable for such conditions. If you wrap the stembled in a damp towel and place it in the bag, leaving it ajar, then storage will last up to a month. Due to moisture from the Kohlrabi fabric, it remains soft and juicy. It will be necessary to take a look at the moistenedness of the towel, since in dry conditions the vegetable will wither and become stiff.

Learn more about the features of growing kohlrabi cabbage.

Methods and storage conditions for ripe cabbage

Kohlrabi can be stored in the basement, refrigerator or balcony. Let's consider each method in more detail.

In the cellar

After collecting or buying Kohlrabi cabbage, first of all, you need to remove the leaves, as they pull moisture and nutrients from the fruits, and they begin to fade faster. Only after this, the vegetable can be moved to the cellar (basement or underground). The optimum temperature in the basement should be 0 ... + 1 ° C, humidity - 85–94%. This vegetable, placed on shelves, can be stored for up to 3 weeks.

For longer storage of this variety of cabbage use sand. It is moistened and placed in a layer of 7-10 cm on the cellar floor. Then, on such a flooring, the fruits are placed with their roots towards the floor, squeezing a little in the sand, as when planting. In this case, the heads should not touch, but be at a certain distance. Under such conditions, the stems can be stored for up to 2 months.

In the fridge

If kohlrabi is not enough, you can store it in the refrigerator. To do this, you also need to remove the leaves from the head. In this case, the stems (cuttings) must be left so that there are no wounds and injuries on the stapleplod, in which microorganisms that cause the process of decay can quickly appear. The length of such cuttings should not be more than 8-10 cm. Then the heads of cabbage are placed in the refrigerator in the department for vegetables. You can store cabbage in this way for up to 25 days. After this time, the cabbage loses its juiciness and becomes rough.

Stem crops can also be frozen and stored in the freezer. But in this case, cabbage can no longer be used for fresh salads, but it can be taken for second and first courses (vegetable stew, soup).

Prepare cabbage for freezing is recommended as follows:

1. Wash and peel the cabbages.
2. Cut into 2 cm slices.
3. Put in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then cool in cold water.
4. Move to a colander, drain unnecessary fluid.
5. Dry on a cloth towel.
6. Arrange portionwise into plastic bags for storage. You can also use plastic containers.
7. Then place the bags (containers) in the freezer. Storage temperature should be at least -18 ° C.

Important! “Kohlrabi” is not recommended to be completely frozen, since in this case the product will take up a lot of space in the freezer, and most importantly, cabbage will lose a lot of useful substances.

On the glassed-in balcony

If there is a large loggia or balcony that does not freeze in the winter, then Kolrabi can be stored in such places. In this case, it is better to hang the cabbages on clothesline with hooks made of wire. At the same time, the cabbage is hung upside down. Fruits should not touch each other. The temperature regime should be above 0 ° C, and humidity should be kept at the level of 92–98%.

When stored on a loggia or balcony, you can use boxes made of wood or plastic. Heads of cabbage are placed in them so that they also do not touch each other. Storage of cabbage in this case is carried out no more than 30 days.

Check out kohlrabi cabbage recipes for the winter.

Useful Tips

Experts give the following recommendations for storing kohlrabi cabbage:

1. Do not wash the fruit during prolonged storage. Enough head of cabbage to clear of the remains of the soil.
2. If the humidity in the cellar or basement is insufficient for storage, the fruits can be crushed with moistened sand or covered with a thick plastic wrap.
3. It is not necessary to close the boxes too tightly, bags of cabbages to prevent the process of decay. Air intake must occur.
4. To store a large number of crops, bays, trenches, greenhouses are suitable. In them, vegetables should be sprinkled with sand.

Did you know? Cabbage "Kohlrabi" refers to dietary products and can be used in the diet of children, the elderly and pregnant women. 100 g contains about 27 kcal, 62 mg of vitamin C, 350 mg of potassium, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Cabbage "Kohlrabi" should be collected on time, until it is overripe and properly stored. Vegetables with coarse pulp are not so pleasant to taste.