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Varieties
Early Purple Vienna, Early White Vienna, Grand Duke, Kolibri, Purple Danube, Winner
Soil Preferences
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.
Optimum Growing Conditions
Cool days (60-70°F) with cool to cold nights (40-50°F). Will tolerate wide temperature fluctuations and warm temperature.
Establishment Methods
| Planting Method | Direct seeded or transplanted |
|---|---|
| Optimum Time | Spring - soil seed zone temperature >50°F Fall - soil seed zone temperature < 90°F |
| Seeding rate | 3-5 lbs/acre |
| Approx seed/oz | 9,000 |
| Seeding depth | 0.25" |
| Seedling spacing | 3-6" in-row, 12" between rows on 40" wide raised beds |
Fertility/Fertilization
Rates presented as actual lbs/acre N2, P2o5, and K2o (base actual rates applied on soil test results).| Generalized rate: 150 - 75 - 80 lb/acre* | |
| N* | 100-130 pre-plant; 25-30 lbs N/acre 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) |
Water/Irrigation
High water demand (15-20"). Uniform moisture levels required throughout growing season for optimum yields.Pest Management
Kohlrabi Diseases and Common Name of Fungicidal Controls
| DISEASE | FUNGICIDE* | OMRI LISTED FUNGICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Black rot | acibenzolar-s-methyl, copper sulfate, | Bacillus subtilis, |
| Downy mildew | acibenzolar-s-methyl, azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, dimethomorph, fenamidone, fluopicolide, fosetyl-Al, mandpropamid, maneb, mefenoxam, potassium phosphite, pyraclostrobin, | Bacillus pumilus, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, streptomyces lydicus, |
| Nematode | 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, metam-potassium, metam-sodium, sesame oil, | azadirachtin, |
Kohlrabi Insect Pests and Common Name of Insecticidal Controls
| INSECT | INSECTICIDE* | OMRI LISTED INSECTICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Aphid | Acetamiprid, Bifenthrin, Cypermethrin, Dinotefuran, Gamma-cyhalothrin, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Petroleum oil, Piperonyl butoxide, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Spirotetramat, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, neem oil, Peppermint and rosemary oil, Pyrethrins |
| Cabbage Looper | Beta-cyfluthrin, Chlorantraniliprole, Cryolite, Cyfluthrin, Emamectin benzoate, Endosulfan, Esfenvalerate, Fenpropathrin, Flubendiamide, Gamma-cyhalothrin, Indoxacarb, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Methoxyfenozide, Novaluron, Permethrin, Piperonyl butoxide, Spinetoram, Tebufenozide, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pyrethrins, Spinosad |
| Diamondback Moth | Acetamiprid, Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Chlorantraniliprole, Chlorpyrifos, Cryolite, Cyfluthrin, Emamectin benzoate, Endosulfan, Flubendiamide, Gamma-cyhalothrin, Indoxacarb, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Methoxyfenozide, Novaluron, permethrin, Piperonyl butoxide, Spinetoram, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, pheromones, Pyrethrins, Spinosad |
| Flea Beetle | Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Cryolite, Cypermethrin, Dinotefuran, Endosulfan, Gamma-cyhalothrin, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Piperonyl butoxide, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Kaolin, Pyrethrins |
| Whitefly | Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Cypermethrin, Dinotefuran, Endosulfan, Gamma-cyhalothrin, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Novaluron, Petroleum oil, Piperonyl butoxide, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Spiromesifen, Spirotetramat, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, neem oil, Peppermint and rosemary oil, Pyrethrins |
Weeds and Common Name of Herbicidal Controls
| WEED | HERBICIDE* | OMRI LISTED HERBICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Preplant incorporated | Metam-potassium, Metam-sodium, Pyraflufen ethyl, Trifluralin | Corn gluten meal |
| Preemergence (prior to spear emergence) | Bensulide, DCPA, Oxyfluorfen, Pelargonic acid | |
| Postemergence | Carfentrazone-ethyl, clethodim, Glyphosate, Sethoxydim | cinnamon and clove oil, clove oil, d-limonene |
* The above is a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels for specifics and use accordingly. Ensure that products with one of the listed active ingredients is registered for the crop it is to be used on. Failure to do the above may result in crop injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the environment may also be adversely affected by misuse.
** As stated in §205.206 of the National Organic Standards, pest management decisions should follow a hierarchical approach, which should be defined in a farm's organic systems plan. Please ensure that you have followed the appropriate steps and any product to be used in certified organic production systems has been approved by your certifying agent.
Harvest
| Days after planting | Direct seeded - 50-60 days Transplanted - 40-45 days |
|---|---|
| Normal method | Hand harvested |
| Containers | Bulk wagons |
| Grades | Based on size and uniformity; no specified grades |
| Processing | |
| Packaging/Handling | Roots - Film bags Leaves - Bunched |
| Anticipated yield/acre | 100-200 field crates per acre (72 bunches per crate) |
Transit Conditions
32°F at 98-100% RH (freezing point 20°F); shelf life: leaves 3-5 days, roots 7-10 days.Comments/Production Keys
- Warm temperatures and increasing day length will cause early flowering of the heads
- Soil pH >7.8 may induce black hollow stems; Solubor(Bo) at 5-10 lbs/acre 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