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Kohlrabi
Frank J. Dainello,
Extension Horticulturist
Department of
Horticultural Sciences,
Texas A&M University |
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VARIETIES
| Green skin types- |
White Vienna, White Danube, Grand Duke |
| Purple skin types |
Purple Vienna, Purple Danube |
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SOIL PREFERENCE
Fertile, well-drained, medium textured soils, pH range of 5.5 - 7.5; relatively
well adapted to heavy soils, but poorly adapted to light sands.
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OPTIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS
Cool days (60 - 70oF) with cool to cold nights (40 - 50oF).
Will tolerate wide temperature fluctuations and warm temperature. |
ESTABLISHMENT
Direct seeded or transplanted
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Optimum time= |
Spring, soil seed zone temperature >50oF |
| |
Fall, soil seed zone temperature < 90oF |
| Seeding rate lbs/A= |
3 - 5 lbs/A @ 0.25" depth (raw seed); |
| Approx seed/oz= |
9,000 |
Seedling spacing= |
3 - 6" in-row, 12" between rows on 40" wide raised
beds |
|
FERTILITY/FERTILIZATION
Rates presented as actual lbs/A N2, P2O and K2O (base actual application
rates on soil test results).
|
| Generalized rate lbs/A: |
150 - 75 - 80 |
| N- |
100 - 130 pre-plant broadcast incorporated or split banded 4"
on either of seed row, or injected through irrigation water; 25
- 30 lbs N/A side-dressed at thinning (4 true-leaf stage), or at
transplanting. |
| P- |
60 - 80 banded approx 2" below seed at planting. |
| K- |
80 - 100 (Potassium not normally required in most areas of Texas) |
|
| *Note*- Use high phosphate
starter solution on transplants (5 lbs 5-20-10, etc./100 gal water-8 oz/plt). |
WATER/IRRIGATION
High water demand (15 - 20"). Uniform moisture levels required throughout
growing season for optimum yields. |
PEST MANAGEMENT
| Major Diseases |
Control |
| Black rot |
Treated seed, resistant varieties |
| Downy mildew |
Aliette, Maneb |
| Nematode |
K-Pam, Telone II, Telone C-17 |
|
| Major Insects |
Control |
| Cabbage looper and Diamondback moth |
Avaunt, Bt's, Fury/Mustang, Intrepid, Proclaim, Spintor |
| Aphid |
Assail, Admire, diazinon, dimethoate, Fulfill, Provado |
| Flea beetle |
Baythroid, Sevin |
| Whitefly |
Assail, Admire, Provado |
|
| Weeds |
Control |
| Preplant incorporated |
Prefar |
| Preemergence |
Dacthal, Prefar |
| Postemergence |
Poast, Select, Stinger |
|
| *NOTE*--The above is
a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have
been revoked since publication of this guide. Refer to product labels
for specifics and use accordingly. Failure to do so may result in crop
injury, death and/or citation for violation. Humans, animals and the environment
may also be adversely affected by misuse. |
HARVEST
| Days after planting= |
| Direct seeded- |
50 - 60 |
| Transplanted- |
40 - 45 |
| Optimum stage= |
| Baby |
0.5 - 2.5" diameter |
| Standard |
Fist size |
| Normal method= |
Hand harvested. |
| Containers= |
Bulk wagons |
| Grades/Grading/Handling= |
Based on size and uniformity: no specified grades |
| Packaging= |
|
Roots |
Film bags |
Leaves |
Bunched |
| Anticipated yield/A= |
100 - 200 field crates per acre (72 bunches per crate) |
|
STORAGE/TRANSIT/CONDITIONS
| 32oF @ |
98 - 100% RH |
| Freezing point= |
20oF |
| Shelf life= |
|
Leaves |
3 - 5 days |
Roots |
7 - 10 days |
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COMMENTS/PRODUCTION KEYS
- Warm temperatures and increasing day length will cause early flowering
of the heads.
- Soils pH >7.8 may induce black hollow stems; Solubor(Bo) at 5-10
lbs/A foliar applied prior to heading reduces severity.
- Crop may have an alleopathic adverse effect on following crop.
- High nitrogen requirements.
- Shallow, horizontal rooting patterns dictates very shallow cultivation
to ovoid root pruning and reduced yields.
- Production on light soils requires high level of management.
- Better suited to early fall production in most areas of the state.
- Water management very critical for stand establishment of early
fall direct seeded crop.
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Texas Cooperative
Extension, Horticulture Crop Guides Series
Revised November, 2003
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/vegetable/cropguides/cabbage.html
Prepared for Web delivery by Brooke Bludau, Amanda Zan, and Dan Lineberger |