How to Grow Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna'
Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes 'Early White Vienna'
Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna' is a versatile brassica prized for its crisp, cabbage-like flavor and tender bulb. Gardeners grow it to enjoy fresh harvests in cool weather, benefiting from its cold tolerance and ability to thrive in partial shade.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna': indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna' is not usually started indoors.
This variety is best direct-sown into the garden rather than transplanted to avoid disturbing its sensitive root system.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 to ensure healthy root development. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors or start indoors two to six weeks before your last spring frost date. Press seeds into the soil at a depth of about one-quarter inch. Expect germination within five to ten days once conditions are right.
Space plants six to eight inches apart to allow bulbs to expand fully without crowding. While this variety does not require trellising, keep the soil consistently moist with about an inch of water weekly to prevent the bulb from becoming woody. Apply a light mulch around the base and feed regularly to support steady growth throughout the season.
Watch for cabbage worms, flea beetles, aphids, and root maggots; use row covers or organic sprays to manage them early. Monitor for clubroot, black rot, downy mildew, and powdery mildew, ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering when possible. Harvest the bulbs fifty-five to sixty-five days after sowing when they reach a desirable size.
When to Plant Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna'
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Kohlrabi 'Early White Vienna'
✓ Good companions
Deep taproot doesn't compete with shallow kohlrabi roots, helps break up soil
Repel aphids and cabbage worms, improve flavor of nearby brassicas
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms and aphids
Shallow roots don't compete, can be harvested before kohlrabi matures, provides living mulch
Act as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, edible flowers add garden diversity
Repel cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles that commonly attack brassicas
Break up soil for kohlrabi's shallow roots, mature quickly, may trap flea beetles
Cool season companion with similar growing requirements, doesn't compete for space
✗ Keep away from
May inhibit kohlrabi growth through nitrogen competition and shading
Both are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, different soil pH preferences
Compete for nutrients and may stunt kohlrabi growth, different watering needs
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
