Rainline Garden

When to plant kohlrabi in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Plant kohlrabi in the garden Mar 15 – Apr 26, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Feb 1–15. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 13–27. In Bend: May 12 – Jun 23. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
Thin to 6 inches apart
Planting depth
¼ to ½ inch deep
Frost
Handles light frost
First harvest
About 55 days after planting

Pick when the bulb is about tennis-ball size; bigger ones turn woody.

Kohlrabi planting dates by city

CityStart seeds indoorsPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Astoria, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Baker City, ORMar 16–30Apr 27 – Jun 8Jul 14–28
Bend and Redmond, ORMar 31 – Apr 14May 12 – Jun 23Jul 13–27
Burns, ORApr 2–16May 14 – Jun 25—
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Eugene, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Gresham, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Klamath Falls, ORMar 31 – Apr 14May 12 – Jun 23Jul 17–31
Medford, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Pendleton, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Portland, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Roseburg, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Salem, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
The Dalles, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Wilsonville and Canby, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Bellingham, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Ellensburg, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Aug 5–19
Everett, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Forks, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Moses Lake, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Olympia, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 12–26
Omak and Okanogan, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Aug 5–19
Seattle and Tacoma, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Spokane, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Aug 10–24
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 9–23
Vancouver, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 13–27
Walla Walla, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Wenatchee, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 13–27
Yakima, WAFeb 27 – Mar 13Apr 10 – May 22Aug 2–16

How to grow kohlrabi

  1. Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
  2. Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
  3. Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, Thin to 6 inches apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ to ½ inch deep.
  4. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
  5. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  6. Harvest: Cut bulbs at 2 to 3 inches across. Peel off the tough skin and eat raw or cooked.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Cabbage worms chew the leaves. Insect netting keeps the white moths from laying eggs.

More cabbage family

See all 51 plants