Repotting guide

When & how to repot Kohlrabi 'Winner' (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes 'Winner')

Also called Winner kohlrabi, white kohlrabi.

More about kohlrabi 'winner'

About Kohlrabi 'Winner'

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes 'Winner' · also called Winner kohlrabi, white kohlrabi · edible

Kohlrabi 'Winner' is a reliable pale-green ('white') variety prized for smooth, uniform globes and sweet, crisp flesh in about 45-55 days. It resists splitting and stays tender over a longer harvest window than older strains. Like all kohlrabi it needs cool conditions, rich soil and steady water to size up without turning woody.

Mature size: Globe best at 6-8 cm across (harvest by 10 cm); whole plant about 30 cm tall and 25-30 cm wide.

Watch for — Cabbage root fly: Larvae tunnel the stem base and stunt or kill young plants. Fit brassica collars at the stem or net plants to block egg-laying females.

How to tell kohlrabi 'winner' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For kohlrabi 'winner', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot kohlrabi 'winner' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot kohlrabi 'winner'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Kohlrabi 'Winner'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Compact rosette of upright blue-green leaves over a swollen, pale-green above-ground stem forming the edible globe..

What size pot to step kohlrabi 'winner' up to

Pot kohlrabi 'winner' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot kohlrabi 'winner'

Pot kohlrabi 'winner' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting kohlrabi 'winner'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check kohlrabi 'winner' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh rich, moisture-retentive, well-drained loam, ph 6.0-7.5 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water kohlrabi 'winner' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for kohlrabi 'winner'

Kohlrabi 'Winner' wants rich, moisture-retentive, well-drained loam, ph 6.0-7.5. Prefers firm soil amended with compost. Maintain near-neutral pH to suppress clubroot and ensure good nutrient uptake. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting kohlrabi 'winner' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot kohlrabi 'winner'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for kohlrabi 'winner'. Kohlrabi 'Winner' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into rich, moisture-retentive, well-drained loam, ph 6.0-7.5 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does kohlrabi 'winner' need?

When is the best time of year to repot kohlrabi 'winner'?

Can you put kohlrabi 'winner' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing kohlrabi 'winner' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise kohlrabi 'winner' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting kohlrabi 'winner'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.