Days to Maturity: 85

If your county fair were to hold a Kohlrabi-growing contest, all the winners would be Kossaks. This hybrid just doesn't know when to stop growing, finally topping out at about 8 to 10 inches across. Now, you'd expect a big loss of texture and flavor for all that extra flesh, but amazingly not. Kossak is actually tastier than the smaller varieties, with not a trace of the "woodiness" to which older bulbs sometimes fall prey.

The flesh is white on this giant, with a firm texture and tender succulent flavor. Each mammoth bulb makes several meals.

Direct sow in early spring for late-spring harvest, or in midsummer for fall harvest. Space the plants about 6 inches apart. Unlike most vegetables, kohlrabi can take a little shade without damage.