Kohlrabi is a vegetable that can be grown in many different climates. It’s also an easy-to-grow crop that doesn’t need to be harvested for months on end as some other vegetables do. Kohlrabi thrives when it receives the right amount of water and fertilizer. This article will tell you how to grow kohlrabi and how often you should fertilize your kohlrabi plants, as well as what type of fertilizer to use and when to apply it!
What is Kohlrabi and what does it need to grow best?
Kohlrabi is a cool-weather crop that is related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Like these crops, kohlrabi needs fertile soil with plenty of organic matter to grow well. Kohlrabi also needs regular watering, especially when the plants are young.
Types of fertilizer for Kohlrabi
There are three types of fertilizers: organic, synthetic, and mineral. Organic fertilizers come from plant or animal sources. Synthetic fertilizers are made in a laboratory. Mineral fertilizers are mined from the ground.
Each type of fertilizer has its own unique benefits. Organic fertilizers release their nutrients slowly, which means they feed plants over time. This is good for the environment because it reduces the number of pollutants that can seep into soil and water supplies. Synthetic fertilizers release all their nutrients at once, which can be harmful to the environment if not used properly.
Mineral fertilizers do not contain any living organisms, so they won’t increase the population of pests or diseases in your garden. Organic fertilizers do contain living organisms, so they can help increase the population of good bacteria and fungi in the soil.
When it comes to the best fertilizer for kohlrabi, there are three basic types of fertilizer: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).
When and how to fertilize
Kohlrabi is a cool-season crop that performs best when grown in rich, fertile soil. The pH of the soil doesn’t matter much for kohlrabi as long as it isn’t too acidic or alkaline. As with other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, kohlrabi can have an allelopathic effect on nearby plants so you should keep them separated from non-crucifers by at least one foot. Kohlrabi takes up about 13 square feet per plant if planted 18 inches apart, allowing room for walking between rows and cultivating around the base of the crops to prevent weed growth.
The best time to fertilize kohlrabi is when they are actively growing in late spring or early summer. Use an NPK fertilizer that is high in nitrogen (N) for good growth. A balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 can be used, but avoid using a fertilizer that is too high in phosphorus (P), which can promote leafy growth at the expense of the bulb.
What are the risks of not fertilizing your Kohlrabi plants?
There are no risks to not fertilizing your kohlrabi plants, but they will produce less. They may also become more vulnerable to disease and pests if the soil is not rich in nutrients. If you have a garden with other vegetables too, using a fertilizer can help protect against nutrient depletion from several vegetable crops at once. Using compost or mulch on top of the ground helps preserve nutrients while keeping weeds down as well, so it’s especially important for people gardening without access to chemical herbicides because organic weed killers take time away from harvesting!