Kohl Rabi 'Ballot' F1 looks like it should come from outer space. It is a very unusual looking purple veg with long tendrils and is actually a swollen stem rather than a root.
It is very popular in Germany and 'kohl' is german for 'cabbage'. It is increasing in popularity here as interest in growing home veg is on the up. It has a slightly nutty taste with overtones of celery/cabbage and is great in soups/casseroles, steamed/mashed with butter as a side dish or raw in salads/coleslaw. The leaves can also be eaten.
It is at it's best when harvested at the size of a golf/tennis ball - any larger and they lose their tenderness and get woody. Sow successionally rather than all at once as they need to be eaten within a week or two of being ready. This is an early maturing variety and only takes about 75-80 days from sowing to harvest.
Kohl rabi can have a tendency to bolt but this variety is resistant to bolting, stem splitting and lignification. It is part of the brassica family and should be treated as such for crop rotation purposes.
It is a good catch crop, does well in large containers and is good for baby-veg production.
