Rainline Garden

When to plant kohlrabi in Yakima, WA

Plant kohlrabi in the garden in Yakima Apr 10 – May 22, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Feb 27 – Mar 13. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 2–16.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Yakima's typical last spring frost is May 8. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop can go in about 4 weeks before that.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

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

Step by step

  1. Start seeds indoors Feb 27 – Mar 13 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 Apr 10 – May 22, 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 Aug 2–16 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 here

  • Kolibri (purple)
  • Winner
  • Kossak (large, stores well)

Watch out for

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

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

Common questions

When is the last frost in Yakima, WA?

Typically May 8. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 27. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Yakima Air Terminal.

Is it too late to plant kohlrabi in Yakima?

The spring planting window runs through May 22. If you miss it, plant again for fall from August 2 to August 16.

When should I start kohlrabi from seed indoors in Yakima?

February 27 to March 13, which is 6 to 4 weeks before the April 10 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Also plant in Yakima around the same time

Planting dates for kohlrabi in nearby areas

Full planting calendar for Yakima · Kohlrabi in every city