Hybrid

Terek

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

Wikimedia Commons

The best all-around kohlrabi we've found. Remarkable uniformity, texture, and flavor even past typical market size. Exceptionally sweet and mild. Holds a long time in the field without getting woody. Small petiole attachment makes for easier stripping and peeling. Terek's compact plant allows for tighter spacing and produces higher marketable yields. High quality up to 6" in diameter.

Harvest

40d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

6–9

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

10-24 inches

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Terek in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 brassica →

Zone Map

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Terek · Zones 6–9

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing6-8 inches

SoilWell-drained, fertile soil, slightly acidic to neutral

WaterRegular, consistent moisture

FlavorExceptionally sweet and mild with tender, refined texture that holds quality even at larger sizes.

ColorLight green to pale green

Size6"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	April – May	June – July	June – July	July – September
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	May – July	June – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December
Zone 3	March – April	May – June	May – June	June – October
Zone 4	March – April	May – June	April – June	June – October
Zone 5	February – March	April – May	April – May	May – November
Zone 6	February – March	April – May	April – May	May – November
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	March – May	April – November
Zone 8	January – February	March – April	March – April	April – December
Zone 9	January – January	February – March	February – March	March – December
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	January – March	February – December

Succession Planting

In zone 7, Terek hits harvest in about 40 days, which means you can run two solid windows: one starting with transplants in April through early May, and a second round direct-sown or transplanted in late August through September for a fall harvest. Sow every 3 weeks within those windows rather than all at once — a single big planting will hand you more kohlrabi than you can use in one week.

Stop your spring successions by late May. Once daytime highs are consistently above 80°F, the bulbs turn woody and the plants push toward bolting. The fall window is actually more forgiving — kohlrabi sweetens up after a light frost, so don't be in a hurry to pull everything in October.

Complete Growing Guide

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Terek reaches harvest at 40 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 6" at peak.

The fruits dry and split when ripe.

Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Siliqua. Length: > 3 inches.

Garden value: Edible

Harvest time: Fall, Summer

Edibility: The foliage is edible raw or cooked but when cooked can emit an unpleasant odor.

Storage & Preservation

Harvest Terek kohlrabi at 2–3 inches in diameter for optimal tenderness. Store freshly picked bulbs in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator at 32–40°F with 90–95% humidity; they'll keep for 3–4 weeks. Remove leaves before storage to slow moisture loss from the stems. For longer preservation, blanch peeled and cubed bulbs for 3 minutes, then freeze in airtight containers for up to eight months. Terek also ferments well—slice thinly, salt at 2–3%, and submerge in brine for a crisp, tangy product ready in 2–3 weeks. Raw kohlrabi can be thinly sliced and dried in a dehydrator at 135°F for 6–8 hours to create chips, though this method concentrates the mild, slightly sweet flavor. A gardener's advantage: Terek's tender flesh means you can eat the young leaves raw or cooked alongside the bulb—don't discard them.

History & Origin

Terek is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: W. Europe

Advantages

+Remains sweet and mild even at larger 6-inch diameters
+Holds well in field without becoming woody or tough
+Small petiole attachment simplifies stripping and peeling processes
+Compact plants enable tighter spacing and higher yields
+Exceptional uniformity makes harvest and marketing more efficient

Considerations

-Requires consistent moisture to prevent splitting at large sizes
-May bolt prematurely in very hot summer conditions
-Compact plant habit limits air circulation in humid climates

Companion Plants

Nasturtiums are the most useful plant you can put near Terek. They pull aphids off the brassica leaves — aphids genuinely prefer nasturtiums — and the flowers attract predatory insects that keep working through the rest of the bed. Dill does something different: it brings in parasitic wasps that target cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni) and imported cabbageworms (Pieris rapae), the two caterpillars most likely to shred your kohlrabi before day 40. Marigolds add scent disruption for root-feeding insects; in zone 7 Georgia, where flea beetle pressure spikes hard during the spring flush, that buffer is genuinely worth a row.

Tomatoes are the pairing to avoid. They're heavy feeders with an aggressive root system, and kohlrabi's relatively shallow roots lose that competition for water and nutrients — neither plant performs well when pushed together. Pole beans fix nitrogen slowly and, more practically, can shade out a low-growing kohlrabi planting before the bulbs size up. Save the bean bed for crops that won't be harvested at 10–12 inches tall.

Plant Together

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, reducing pest pressure on brassicas

Dill

Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms

Onions

Repels cabbage root fly and other brassica pests with strong sulfur compounds

Lettuce

Grows in shade of brassicas, maximizes garden space without competition

Carrots

Root crops complement shallow brassica roots, carrots may deter flea beetles

Marigolds

Natural pest deterrent against nematodes and various flying insects

Spinach

Compatible growing requirements and harvest timing, efficient space utilization

Chives

Repels aphids and may improve growth and flavor of nearby brassicas

Keep Apart

Tomatoes

May stunt brassica growth and both plants compete for similar soil nutrients

Strawberries

Brassicas can inhibit strawberry growth and fruit production

Pole Beans

Climbing beans can overshadow brassicas and compete for nutrients

Nutrition Facts

Calories

31kcal(2%)

Protein

2.57g(5%)

Fiber

2.4g(9%)

Carbs

6.27g(2%)

Fat

0.34g(0%)

Vitamin C

91.3mg(101%)

Vitamin A

8mcg(1%)

Vitamin K

102mcg(85%)

Iron

0.69mg(4%)

Calcium

46mg(4%)

Potassium

303mg(6%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #747447)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Cabbage worms, flea beetles, aphids, cabbage loopers

Diseases

Clubroot, black rot, powdery mildew

Troubleshooting Terek

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Irregular holes chewed through leaves, sometimes down to the midrib, on plants from transplant through mid-season

Likely Causes

Imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) — the white butterfly you see hovering over the bed is laying eggs on the undersides of leaves
Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) — a different caterpillar, pale green, loops as it moves

What to Do

1.Check the undersides of leaves every few days and pick off eggs and caterpillars by hand
2.Spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) on the foliage — it's effective and won't harm beneficial insects once it dries
3.Row cover from transplant through most of the season is the most reliable prevention if pressure is heavy

Swollen, distorted roots and stunted topgrowth — plants wilt in afternoon heat even when the soil is moist

Likely Causes

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) — a soil-borne pathogen that can persist in a bed for 10–20 years
Planting into acidic soil below pH 6.5, which favors the pathogen

What to Do

1.Pull and bag the affected plants — do not compost them, and don't move that soil around on your tools
2.Lime the bed to bring pH above 7.0; clubroot is strongly suppressed above that threshold
3.Rotate brassicas out of that bed for at least 4 years; NC State Extension cultural management guidance specifically flags keeping susceptible crops out of affected areas for several seasons

Yellow V-shaped lesions starting at leaf margins, brown veins visible when you cut the stem crosswise, plants declining fast in warm weather

Likely Causes

Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) — a bacterial disease that enters through leaf margins and moves through the vascular tissue
Overhead irrigation or heavy rain splashing contaminated soil onto leaves

What to Do

1.Remove and trash affected plants immediately — black rot moves fast through a stand
2.Switch to drip irrigation or water at the base to reduce splash transmission
3.Start with certified disease-free seed next season, and move brassicas to a different bed

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Terek kohlrabi take to mature?▼

Terek kohlrabi reaches harvest maturity in approximately 40 days from transplanting. This relatively quick timeline makes it an excellent choice for succession planting throughout the growing season, allowing you to harvest multiple crops in a single year.

Is Terek kohlrabi good for beginner gardeners?▼

Yes, Terek is an excellent variety for beginners. It's rated as easy to grow, highly uniform, and forgiving. The variety holds well in the field without becoming woody, giving you flexibility in harvest timing and reducing the pressure to pick at exact moments.

What does Terek kohlrabi taste like?▼

Terek is exceptionally sweet and mild with a tender texture that remains consistent even when plants grow larger than typical market size. The flavor profile is refined and delicate, making it appealing to those who prefer milder-tasting vegetables and excellent for fresh eating.

Can I grow Terek kohlrabi in containers?▼

Yes, Terek's compact plant habit makes it well-suited for container growing. Its smaller size allows for tighter spacing, so containers with 8-10 inches of soil depth and similar diameter should work well for producing quality bulbs.

How much space does Terek kohlrabi need between plants?▼

Terek's compact growth habit allows for tighter spacing than larger kohlrabi varieties, typically 6-8 inches apart. This closer spacing enables higher marketable yields per square foot while still producing uniform, quality bulbs up to 6 inches in diameter.

When should I plant Terek kohlrabi for best results?▼

Plant Terek in early spring for a summer harvest, or in mid-to-late summer for a fall crop. It needs full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours minimum) and prefers cool-season conditions. Time succession plantings every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvests.