Kohlrabi is this 'bolting'

I planted nine white kohlrabi on Mar 17 as transplants the 55 days are up on May 11. They still have not filled out to what size I think they should be; 2 to 2 3/4 inches. There in lies the question; should I pick them anyway or wait till they get bigger? There is one that I think has bolted; if so will it be bitter like lettuce? Here is the one I think has bolted

If you're certain it's kohlrabi, then my guess is that it is indeed bolting. I'm not really sure what to do with it though. I remember reading that you can snip off the flowers and it might continue growing out instead of up.

I said "if you're certain it's kohlrabi" because it looks a lot like broccoli! Lol, but I'm sure that's because they're so closely related. Hmm... makes you wonder if kohlrabi buds are edible like broccoli buds are.

It is definitely kohlrabi there is a row of butter crunch lettuce in the background the broccoli is next to the lettuce. I consulted my planting chart to get the planting/harvest dates.

Pepper, didn't you have a dip in temperature a few weeks back? If it went to freezing, that is most likely what is causing the unseasonable bolting........
http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/va/guidetogrowingkohlrabi.html

Thank you camp. That is a great link. Yes we did have some freezing nights and several below 50 in the past few weeks. Should I harvest it to see if it is bitter ???

Kohlrabi leaves are edible so it's not a total loss. I tried growing them last fall but they only leafed out, no fruit. They wintered over in storms A thru Z, came back beautifully. I thought fersure they would round up, but they bolted a week or 2 ago. Guess I can't grow them here...just not enough time maybe?

CC

Pepper, I would snap off the flower stalk and see what happens with the plant. I think it is still early enough in your region to resow seed.

How big is the "bulb" of kohlrabi? Do you have a picture of that?

I am hijacking this thread a bit.... I have very little experience with kohlrabi, but I read recently somewhere (of course I cannot remember where) that low potassium (K) in the soil will keep it from bulbing. Can anyone confirm this>?

No idea camprn

Pepper, I'm no expert on kohlrabi so others will probably have better advice. Last year was my first experience with growing kohlrabi and I found that the bulbs formed pretty slow at first and then really took off and gained decent size quickly. My purples seemed to do better than the whites I planted. They seemed perfect at about the size of a pool ball. Perhaps a tad bit smaller.

Last fall I planted white and red at the same time. All the white bulbed and none of the purple set a bulb. I overwintered them and they bolted about 1 - 2 weeks ago.

Sometimes you do get bolting kohlrabi if they get sharply frosted in the first few weeks and then it warms , re freezes and warms up again .
You can also get them that bolt from the word go despite ideal conditions .

In the gallery there is one of my five inch diameter KR's they grow big in well damped MM and stay crisp and crunchy right through them instead of going like base balls if the bed gets too dry .




You can pot grow KR individually as well in 3 inch pots , when it comes to transfer soak the pot for three or four hours and assist the contents to slide out into a pre made hole with a spoon , just don't crush the roots or the plant stem .
Once in the hole gently water it in with a cup of water.

My KR germinates in five days at 62 oF grown in diluted MM ( use extra peat so it is 50% MM , 50 % more peat , the seeds are placed on the top of MM which has been gently /lightly pressed flat and covered in 1/4 " of fine vermiculite .

The fine grade vermiculite pulls a little water up out the MM and keeps the seed at optimum moisture levels for a quick growth .


Sometimes you occasionally get other brassica seeds in with your KR seeds .
I've rutabagers and cabbages coming up in the past from seeds straight out the packet .

I would pick them, last year the ones I let go too long got pretty woody! I agree with Rooster on the pool ball or smaller size, you have time for another batch to grow!

camprn wrote: I read recently somewhere (of course I cannot remember where) that low potassium (K) in the soil will keep it from bulbing. Can anyone confirm this>?

That's interesting. Isn't this the same for root veggies?

CC

Weird thing is there is a mixed bag when it comes to size. I have a few that are almost pool ball size. The one in question is closer to ping pong ball size.

I had the same trouble with waiting past their time last year. I will harvest the bolting one to see if it's taste is bad.

well I did harvest the bolted plant

It did not taste bitter at least not yet. Here is another plant less than a foot away the red haze is the same brick; standing up; in the first photo.

Sorry I did not think to do a close-up of the flowers before harvesting. While it is true my season is long enough to replant I have not had stellar results with kohlrabi, most remain small( compared to store bought). While this bed is not MM it was screened and I added app 8 cubic feet of rabbit poo it also remains very friable.

Pepper I would be happy with the kohlrabi you have grown. None of my vegetables ever look like store bought either.

Thanks Camp There is just SOOOOOOOO much to learn with this hobby. I probably should get into ph levels and chemical balances and such.
I am not really unhappy with what I am growing but it is nice when what you grow compares well with store bought.
Funny thing is the red's don't seem to make bulbs at all to speak of, they have been punnie. It has me wondering about the vendor's I am getting the transplants from.

Pepper wrote:Thanks Camp There is just SOOOOOOOO much to learn with this hobby. I probably should get into ph levels and chemical balances and such.
I am not really unhappy with what I am growing but it is nice when what you grow compares well with store bought.
Funny thing is the red's don't seem to make bulbs at all to speak of, they have been punnie. It has me wondering about the vendor's I am getting the transplants from.

More that likely it's the variety and perhaps the mix. Have you added any top dressing lately?

No top dressing. I did add about 8 cubic feet of rabbit poo, well tilled in of course, when I reconditioned all my beds this year.