Harvest: Bundles of strong-flavored, tough, large leaves are sold in supermarkets but are the worst-eating part of the plant.  If chopped finely enough, big raw leaves can be masticated and tolerated by people with good teeth.  However, the tiny leaves are far tenderer and much milder.  The more rosettes developed on Siberian kales, the more little leaves there are to be picked.  By pinching off the central growing tip in October and then gradually stripping off the large shading leaves, oleracea varieties may be encouraged to put out dozens of clusters of small, succulent leaves at each leaf notch along the central stalk.  The taller the stalk grown during summer, the more of these little leaves there will be.  Only home gardeners can afford the time to hand pick small leaves.

Varieties: I somewhat prefer the flavor of Red Russian to the ubiquitous green Siberian, but Red Russian is very slightly less cold hardy.  Westland Winter (TSC) and Konserva (JSS) are tall European oleracea varieties.  Winterbor F1 (JSS, TSC) is also excellent.  The dwarf “Scotch” kales, blue or green, sold by many American seed companies are less vigorous types that don’t produce nearly as many gourmet little leaves.  Dwarfs in any species tend to have dwarfed root systems.

Kohlrabi (Giant)

Spring-sown market kohlrabi are usually harvested before hot weather makes them get woody.  Irrigation is not required if they’re given a little extra elbow room.  With ordinary varieties, try thinning to 5 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart and harvest by thinning alternate plants.  Given this additional growing room, they may not get woody until midsummer.  On my irrigated, intensive bed I always sow some more on August 1, to have tender bulbs in autumn.

Kohlrabi was once grown as European fodder crop; slow-growing farmers, varieties grow huge like rutabagas.  These field types have been crossed with table types to make “giant” table varieties that really suit dry gardening.  What to do with a giant kohlrabi (or any bulb getting overblown)?  Peel, grate finely, add chopped onion, dress with olive oil and black pepper, toss, and enjoy this old Eastern European mainstay.

Sowing date: Sow giant varieties during April, as late as possible while still getting a foot-tall plant before really hot weather.

Spacing: Thin to 3 feet apart in rows 4 feet apart.

Irrigation: Not absolutely necessary on deep soil, but if they get one or two thorough fertigations during summer their size may double.

Varieties: A few American seed companies, including Peace Seeds, have a giant kohlrabi of some sort or other.  The ones I’ve tested tend to be woody, are crude, and throw many off-types, a high percentage of weak plants, and/or poorly shaped roots.  By the time this book is in print, Territorial should list a unique Swiss variety called Superschmeltz, which is uniformly huge and stays tender into the next year.