Organic purple kohlrabi seeds to grow as microgreens
Organic Purple Kohlrabi seeds to grow as microgreens
Available in 15g or 250g
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Organic purple kohlrabi seeds to grow as microgreens images
Organic purple Kohlrabi seeds to grow as microgreens
Purple kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae - a direct cousin of cabbage, broccoli, radish, rocket and mustard. At the adult stage, it is usually its swollen base, both round and crunchy, that is eaten, a kind of "above-ground cabbage-apple" particularly popular in Central European and South-East Asian cuisines. But at the microgreen stage, it is something else entirely: the young shoot is harvested at the cotyledon stage, where the flavour is at its most delicate and the purple colour reaches its maximum intensity.
🌱 What sets it apart is that colour. The stems are a deep violet, sometimes almost purple, which contrasts nicely with the soft green of the cotyledons. It is a colour that comes from anthocyanins - the same pigments found in red cabbage, aubergine and blueberries - and not from the betalains of beetroot. In terms of taste, the flavour is mild, crunchy, slightly spicy, in the crucifer register but much more approachable than radish or mustard. Really in the spirit of fresh raw cabbage, with no bitterness.
In practice, it goes wonderfully with crunchy raw salads (grated carrot, raw fennel, red cabbage), avocado toasts (the green/violet contrast is superb), lettuce or salad leaf wraps, raw "raw pesto" style sauces (blended with basil, lemon, pine nuts), finely cut vegetable tartares, colourful raw bowls, fresh seaweed salads (wakame, dulse, samphire) where the violet pairs elegantly with the marine shades, raw gazpacho-style soups, homemade seaweed hummus, or green smoothies for an aromatic touch. A few fresh shoots just before serving, and the dish instantly takes on another visual dimension.
Harvest at : 5 to 7 cm tall
Cycle : 6 to 10 days (quick harvest!)
Quantity per tray : 8 to 9 g of seeds
🌱 How to grow your purple kohlrabi microgreens at home?
Microgreens are grown on a light, well-draining substrate, and not by mist watering like classic sprouted seeds. For an optimal, repeatable result, we recommend our GEO Smart Greens sprouter from Geo Bavicchi combined with GEO ceramic granules (100% natural, reusable substrate).
🌱 The principle is simple:
- Pour the ceramic granules into the perforated growing tray.
- Spread 8 to 9 g of purple kohlrabi seeds evenly over the surface, without pressing them in. Good news: no soaking needed for Brassicaceae seeds, which are small and germinate easily.
- On the first day, spray generously with water to hydrate the seeds well.
- Place the tray in a bright spot, out of direct sunlight.
- Then pour water into the lower tray: thanks to bottom watering, the substrate absorbs moisture by capillary action, without drowning the shoots or encouraging mould.
- Keep an eye on surface moisture (an extra spray if the air is dry).
- Harvest with scissors as soon as your shoots reach 5 to 7 cm. It's ready - and it's quick: just 6 to 10 days.
🌱 The advantages of the ceramic granule substrate: a porous structure that holds just the right amount of water, very little water used, a clean environment, no potting soil messing up the kitchen, and above all 100% natural and reusable from one crop to the next.
🌱 Discover our 8 varieties of microgreens
We offer a complete range of organic seeds to grow as microgreens, carefully selected from Geo Bavicchi. From aromatic flavours to spicy ones, via mild and earthy flavours, here is the complete list of varieties available in our Biovie catalogue:
| Variety | Shoot colour | Dominant flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Dill (Dill) |
Light green, thin stems | Aniseed, fresh |
| Red chard (Ruby Red Chard) |
Purple stems, green cotyledons | Mild, slightly earthy |
| Chioggia chard | Pale pink striped stems, green cotyledons | Mild, subtle |
| Bull's Blood red beetroot | Burgundy red, intense purple | Earthy, mild, sweet |
| Purple kohlrabi | Purple stems, green cotyledons | Mild, like raw cabbage |
| Green mizuna | Light green, serrated | Slightly spicy, mustardy |
| Red mizuna | Red-green serrated | Spicier, like rocket |
| Tatsoi | Glossy dark green, spoon-shaped | Mild, like spinach |
All our varieties are organic, guaranteed with a germination rate above 95%, and selected from Geo Bavicchi in Perugia, Umbria.
🌱 Below is a behind-the-scenes video at our supplier Geo Bavicchi:
🌱 And the interview we had the pleasure of filming with Dario Bavicchi, who embodies the third generation of this Italian family business founded in 1896:
🌱 What do purple kohlrabi microgreens contain?
Frankly, what struck me when I looked into this variety is that we enter a different botanical family from that of chards and beetroots: the Brassicaceae (or Crucifers), a large family that includes cabbages, broccoli, radishes, rockets, mustards and turnips, recognisable by their characteristic sulphur compounds. Purple kohlrabi as microgreens is that crucifer flavour, but in a young, raw version, much milder than that of adult cabbage.
The diversity of varieties available - dill, chard, beetroot, kohlrabi, mizuna, tatsoi… - offers varied flavours and colours, perfect for varying the pleasures every day.
- Presence of glucosinolates. Purple kohlrabi microgreens contain glucosinolates, sulphur compounds characteristic of the Brassicaceae family. These are the compounds that give kohlrabi its slightly spicy flavour typical of crucifers.
- Presence of anthocyanins. The violet colour of the stems comes from anthocyanins, plant pigments also found in red cabbage, aubergine, black grapes and blueberries. Please note: these are different pigments from the betalains of beetroot, even if the visual effect may look similar.
- Presence of chlorophylls and carotenoids. Like all young green shoots, purple kohlrabi microgreens contain plant pigments - chlorophylls, carotenoids - characteristic of fresh, living foods.
There you have it. To my mind, the decisive argument is not a particular "superpower", it is rather the idea that a spoonful of freshly cut shoots naturally enriches your plate - with no processing, no cooking, no transport. You harvest, you cut, you eat. That is the very definition of living food. And with purple kohlrabi, you diversify by seeking out that mild crucifer flavour that the other microgreens in our selection don't offer.
Please note: like all Brassicaceae (cabbages, broccoli, radish, turnip…), kohlrabi contains compounds called "goitrogens" which, when eaten raw in very large quantities, can interfere with iodine absorption. For consumption at the microgreen stage (a few shoots per dish), no particular restriction is documented. People with thyroid disorders can simply moderate very regular consumption of raw crucifers.
🌱 To go further on growing young shoots at home, see our blog articles:
Best before: 31/12/2029
- Packaging : available in a doypack of 15 g (about 1 crop) or 300 g (economy size, about 33 to 37 crops)
- Best before : 3 years after the production date
- Origin : Italy - Geo Bavicchi supply chain (Perugia, Umbria), a family business specialising in sprouting seeds since 1896, certified organic
- Botanical variety : Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes, variety with purple stems (Brassicaceae family)
- Guaranteed germination rate : above 95% (each batch tested before sale)
- Storage : away from light, in a cool, dry place
🌱 Packaging quality that matches the quality of the seeds: all our bags are made from materials certified for food contact, moisture-resistant, and show the best-before date, the weight and the production batch number - for complete traceability. The instructions are printed in five languages: Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
🌱 Frequently asked questions about purple kohlrabi microgreens
Is purple kohlrabi really a cabbage?
Yes, it really is a cabbage - and it is one of the many forms that Brassica oleraceacan take, the species that also gives us headed cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, romanesco and collard greens. What sets kohlrabi apart is that it is usually the swollen base of its stem (that characteristic "ball" above the ground) that is eaten, rather than its leaves or flower heads. The purple variety is selected for the colour of its skin and its young shoots - a hue that comes from anthocyanins.
Why are purple kohlrabi shoots purple?
The violet colour comes from anthocyanins, plant pigments also found in red cabbage, aubergine, black grapes and blueberries. Not to be confused with the betalains responsible for the red of beetroot - chemically, they are two different families of pigments, even if the visual effect may look similar. In practice, the more the shoot develops and receives light, the more the colour intensifies.
What is the difference between sprouted seeds and purple kohlrabi microgreens?
Sprouted seeds are harvested very early (2 to 5 days), at the rootlet stage, and are grown in a jar or sprouter with daily rinsing. Microgreens go further: they are harvested at the cotyledon stage (the first embryonic leaves), between 6 and 10 days for kohlrabi, and only the aerial part, cut with scissors, is eaten. They are grown on a light substrate - in our case, 100% natural ceramic granules. And with purple kohlrabi as microgreens, you get as a bonus that vivid violet colour that the sprouted seed does not reveal.
How many purple kohlrabi seeds for one tray?
Allow about 8 to 9 g of seeds for a standard tray of the GEO Smart Greens. The 15 g bag therefore gives you 1 crop, and the 300 g size about 33 to 37 crops - enough to have fresh purple kohlrabi microgreens continuously for nearly a year. It is our most economical size for this variety.
How long does it take to harvest purple kohlrabi microgreens?
In practice, allow 6 to 10 days between sowing and harvest. It is one of the quickest harvests in our selection - the Brassicaceae (kohlrabi, but also radish, broccoli, mustard) generally have a shorter cycle than the Amaranthaceae (chards and beetroots), which need 10 to 14 days. Harvest when the shoots reach 5 to 7 cm. If you want fresh microgreens quickly, it is an excellent variety to go for.
Do purple kohlrabi seeds need soaking before sowing?
No, it isn't necessary. Unlike chard or beetroot seeds (which are hard seed clusters requiring several hours of soaking), Brassicaceae seeds such as kohlrabi are small, smooth and germinate quickly without any special preparation. Pour them straight onto the substrate, spray generously on the first day, and off you go.
Can purple kohlrabi seeds be grown in an Easygreen Light or Sol sprouter?
For microgreens, it isn't ideal. Easygreen sprouters are perfect for classic sprouted seeds (alfalfa, broccoli, lentils, fenugreek...) grown by misting or siphon effect, without substrate. Microgreens, on the other hand, need to be grown on a substrate with bottom watering. That is precisely the function of the GEO Smart Greenssprouter, designed for this process.
Is the ceramic granule substrate really reusable?
Yes, it is one of its big assets. After harvest, you remove the roots, rinse the granules in clean water, and you can start a new crop. The porous structure of the ceramic keeps its absorption capacity over the cycles - up to 5 reuses recommended by Bavicchi. It is frankly more eco-friendly than a single-use peat or coir type substrate.
How do I store my purple kohlrabi microgreens after harvest?
Ideally, cut them just before serving - that way you get all their freshness and crunch. If you need to store them, put them in the fridge in an airtight box between two sheets of kitchen paper. They keep 3 to 4 days, but their flavour and colour are at their best in the first 24 hours.
How do I add purple kohlrabi microgreens to my everyday dishes?
A few concrete ideas we use at home with Aurélie: on an avocado toast (on sourdough bread or seed crackers) - the avocado green / shoot violet contrast is superb; in a crunchy raw salad with grated carrot, raw fennel, red cabbage; blended into a raw "raw pesto" style sauce with basil, lemon and pine nuts (the violet tints the sauce nicely); on a finely cut vegetable tartare; in a fresh seaweed salad such as rehydrated wakame or dulse - the violet pairs elegantly with the marine shades; as a garnish on a homemade seaweed hummus; as a topping on a green smoothie for a touch of colour; or in a lettuce leaf wrap filled with raw vegetables. Always add at the end of preparation, raw, to preserve the aromas and the brightness of the colour.
🌱 Notes for your first crops:
- Purple kohlrabi likes light but hates scorching direct sun. A well-lit kitchen does the job perfectly. Good to know: the violet hue of the stems intensifies with good light exposure - a shoot grown in the shade will be paler than one grown in indirect light.
- Moisture must be constant but never excessive. That is the whole point of the bottom watering of the GEO Smart Greens sprouter: the substrate absorbs just what it needs.
- No need to pre-soak the seeds, a practical asset of this variety.
- If you see mould appearing (rare with this system), it is usually a sign of too much water or not enough ventilation. Adjust and it picks up again.
Disclaimer: the information presented in this product sheet is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before making any changes to your diet or supplementation. As part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Updated: May 2026. Article validated by Éric Viard, founder of Biovie and ISTOMengineer, co-author of "Algues au quotidien" (Gallimard, 2024) - Best cookbook in the world, Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2025, and Best cookbook in France, Académie Nationale de Cuisine 2025.
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