Kohlrabi Krazy!

Love eating fresh, raw kohlrabi… in past years, to get enough of this crispy veggie when in season, I had to purchase from farmers’ markets or grocery stores.  Although I have more than 40 years’ experience growing flowers, shrubs, veggies and herbs, kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) has rarely been a successful crop in my home garden.

Cabbage white butterflies are extremely prolific in this area of Wisconsin, and they LOVE to lay eggs on leaves of anything in Brassica genus.  I utilize organic gardening practices so I prefer not to use powders or any insecticides, especially on food crops!  So, by July of each summer past, my fleshy thick kohlrabi leaves were consumed by those not-so-nice cabbage white butterfly larvae.

When I determined I could provide a non-chemical barrier to keep the cabbage whites off my plants, I knew it was worth a try.   My husband designed and constructed a 12” x 24” x 15” tall cage using hardware cloth (a stiff metal mesh that rarely rusts).   The sections of this mesh are 1/2” wide, so cabbage whites cannot fly through to get to the young plants… SUCCESS!   Pictures show that the “U” shape works well and allows enough space for developing foliage of each plant.   One 12” x 24” x 15” cage can hold SIX kohlrabi seedlings.  NOTE: You could build a larger cage for your plants if you wish, but keep in mind, these units must be stored with your garden supplies each year and do take up some space.

The cultivar I chose for this season is called ‘Winner’ and it is appropriately named! Excellent taste and texture… can be eaten in salads or slaws

 It can grow to 18 ozs. per fruit, but I harvested most when they were the size of a tennis ball.  One plant remains in the garden (all alone in its cage) and I will be patient while it matures further.  One of the claims for ‘Winner’ is that it is resistant to splitting so I feel confident waiting a bit longer to harvest my final kohlrabi of the summer  season. 

Although I understand this form of intervention would not be practical for cauliflower, cabbage or broccoli (due to overall size of these plants), it surely worked well for THIS GARDENER, who is just a bit kohlrabi krazy!

M. Lynn Schmid, Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

A Summer Wardrobe for your Plants!

 

Early July is the perfect time to wear your new summer apparel… shorts, capris, sandals… whatever you enjoy most.  For those of us who live in Northern States, July usually provides enough warm weather so that each of us can savor those sunny days.  Even Fairbanks, Alaska (where I lived in the early 70’s) has several summer days in the 80’s… along with about 22 hours of daylight around Summer Solstice.   Just as humans enjoy our summer wardrobe, plants can benefit from a summer wardrobe as well:

Some annuals and perennials will benefit from “top dressing”

which involves mixing TWO CUPS  compost or organic matter with a teaspoon of organic, granular fertilizer.  For small plants, place one cup of this mixture around the base of each plant and water in; the water should percolate through root zone of the plant and will carry nutrients and moisture to each plant’s roots.   

NOTE:  Remember MORE is not BETTER.  Many plants take a time out during hottest months; give a gentle nudge with top dressing—do not push plants with excessive fertilizer in July!

Plants like zucchini or pumpkins will benefit from a light covering of straw mulch across complete root zone.  Pumpkins will develop vines and creep over the straw, rooting occasionally along the way.  Straw also conserves moisture and reduces weeds in your pumpkin patch. You can place this straw covering at the time you plant seeds, but can also spread straw after plants have emerged.

Stone mulch is not my favorite, since stones absorb heat from the sun and reflect it back at bottom branches of plants.  I would never suggest using stones under any evergreen trees… it is a form of plant abuse in my opinion!  Colored or white stones CAN BE USED around plants like tall sedum (or ‘Postman’s Pride’ stonecrop, shown here.) Sedum and succulents can handle some reflective heat, so light-colored stones should be fine surrounding those plants.

Hostas are versatile plants and can be mulched with shredded hardwood if you wish.  HOWEVER, IF YOUR HOSTAS MANIFEST SIGNS OF SLUG DAMAGE, THEN SHREDDED HARDWOOD ISN’T THE BEST CHOICE.  Instead, surround each hosta plant with sharp edged stones, like volcanic rock, to discourage those slimy little slugs.  (I have even heard some gardeners utilize polymeric sand for this purpose, though I have not tried this method myself.) Of course, there are chemicals you can apply as a deterrent but sometimes gentler methods work well.  You can try placing several empty tuna cans filled with beer, which attracts slugs to go for a “swim.”

During these lazy and crazy days of summer when you’re putting on your favorite clothing, remember your plants will thrive during summer days if you provide them with a comfy summer wardrobe!

M. Lynn Schmid, Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture