When to Pick Kohlrabi: Size, Days, and Fall Timing
Pick kohlrabi when the bulb is 2 to 3 inches across, usually 45 to 60 days after sowing. Larger bulbs turn woody. Fall crops sweeten after cool nights.
Published by ThriveThyme
kohlrabi harvest cool season
When to Pick Kohlrabi
Harvest kohlrabi when the swollen stem (the "bulb") is 2 to 3 inches across, about the size of a tennis ball. That is usually 45 to 60 days after sowing. Bigger bulbs often turn woody and hot. The leaves should still look fresh. Cool nights in fall make the flavor sweeter.
Kohlrabi is a cool-season cabbage-family crop. Spring and fall beat midsummer. See the kohlrabi plant page.
Signs It Is Ready
- Bulb 2 to 3 inches wide. Purple or green skin is fully colored.
- Skin still tender enough to nick with a fingernail.
- Leaves upright, not yellowing hard.
- Days to maturity on the packet have passed.
If the bulb is splitting or the plant is sending a flower stalk, harvest immediately.
How to Harvest
Slice the bulb off at soil level with a knife. Trim the leaves, leaving an inch of stems if you will store it. The leaves are edible like kale. Refrigerate bulbs for 2 to 3 weeks. For longer storage, keep them just above freezing in a damp root cellar.
Fall Planting
Kohlrabi is a good August and September crop. Count back 50 to 60 days from your first frost, plus a week of buffer.
- Zones 3 to 5: Sow in late July to mid August.
- Zone 6: Sow in August.
- Zone 7: Sow from mid August to early September.
- Zone 8: Sow in September.
- Zones 9 to 10: Sow from October into winter.
Next Steps
Check bulb size twice a week. Harvest on time, then sow another short row or switch the space to fall lettuce or garlic.