Kohl Rabi F1 Ballot
Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes ‘F1 Ballot’ is an early maturing, purple kohlrabi. The flesh is delicate, juicy and crunchy. Despite being early to mature, Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes ‘F1 Ballot’ stores well, and can be harvested late in the season without becoming ‘woody’. This is a vigorous variety, with good resistance to bolting.
Grow your own
Difficulty – Easy
Sow - February-August
Plant Out - March-April
Harvest – May-November
Seed Packet - Aprox 50 Seeds
Sow
Create a firm seed bed in any reasonably light, fertile, free draining soil. Sow seeds, 1cm (½in) deep in rows 30cm (12in) apart from late February (under cloches or fleece) to early March, continuing until mid-August in warmer areas.
Sow a little and often, say every three weeks, for a constant supply.
In cooler areas and where soil is heavy clay, early crops can be sown in modules, hardened off and transplanted when the soil warms up, when they are a maximum of 5cm (2in) high.
Grow
Thin out seedlings when they are 2.5cm (1in) tall or the first true leaves appear, leaving a final spacing of 15cm (6in) apart.
Keep the soil constantly moist and weed free, watering before the onset of drought.
Net or fleece young plants, to protect against birds and cabbage root fly.
Harvesting
It's important to harvest when the plants are young and the swollen stem bases are between golf- and tennis ball-size. If you leave them too long they lose their taste and tenderness.
Plants can be harvested until mid-December, and the leaves can also be eaten.