Brassica oleracea (Gongylodes Group) 'Olivia'

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kohlrabi 'Olivia'

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Annual Biennial

A hardy biennial, grown as an annual vegetable. This is a high quality green-skinned variety with upright dark-green leaves and a small, globe shaped, light green, swollen stem which is edible. Slow to bolt with a super tolerance of mildew and other fungal diseases. Good for successional cropping if sown every 3 weeks or so

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Chalk

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Chalk
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Brassicas can be annual, biennial or perennial plants, most are upright with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped, yellow or white flowers. The genus includes a number of species bred to produce food crops, such as cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape, as well as others grown for their ornamental value
Name Status
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, non-acid, free draining soil in full sun. Green varieties can be sown early. Sow seed direct from March to July, 1.5cm deep in drills 30cm apart, thin out to 15cm between each plant. Or start indoors and transplant out in May-June. See Vegetable Cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to birds, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage whitefly, cabbage root fly, cutworms, flea beetle, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to black rot, club root, leaf spot