How to Grow and Care for Rutabagas: A Complete Guide

Jemmy
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The rutabaga is sweet, hardy, and healthful-a Swede or Swedish turnip that's great in soups, in stews, and roasted-so rather versatile. Although they are fairly easy to grow, these root vegetables really come into their own in cool climates; that is what makes them so great to plant in the fall or early spring. Properly cared for, rutabaga gives a plentiful harvest that will store well during the winter period and hence may extend the value of your homegrown vegetables for a very long time beyond the growing season. The following comprehensive guide will see you through every step in the growth of rutabaga in detail-from site selection to management in respect of pests and diseases.

Common Name Rutabaga, Swedish turnip
Scientific Name Brassica napus
Family Brassicaceae
Appearance Round root, yellow-orange flesh, purple top
Flavor Profile Sweet and earthy
Growing Season 90–120 days; mid-summer planting
Optimal Climate Cool climates (zones 3–9)
Soil Requirements Well-draining, loamy soil; pH 5.5–7.0
Water Needs Consistent moisture
Sunlight Needs Full sun (6–8 hours)
Harvesting Time When roots are 3–5 inches in diameter
Uses Roasted, mashed, or in stews
Nutritional Value High in fiber, vitamin C, potassium
Storage Stores for months in cool, dark place


Choosing the Right Location

Rutabaga requires full sun; it needs at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. While the plant will allow light shades, a lack of adequate sun makes it produce smaller roots or be underdeveloped. Ensure that the site has good air circulation so that outbreaks of the disease are prevented, especially during wet periods.


Choose well-draining soil but with some retention of water since rutabagas have a constant need of water during the course of growing. If your native soil does tend to compact easily, a raised bed is a good choice. To minimize disease that can affect the rutabaga plants, avoid areas of the garden that have recently, in the last year or two, grown Brassica family crops.



Soil Preparation

Rutabaga needs open soil that is well drained, unchecked in its development. Yet another adverse effect of the compactness of the soil which it has on these vegetables is that deformed roots ultimately result in low quality in a vegetable harvest. For better fertility, work compost or aged manure into the top 8-to 12-inch depth.


If possible, check the pH of the soil for optimum performance. The rutabaga does well on slightly acidic to neutral soil pH that falls in the range from 6.0 to 7.0. Make the right adjustment in the pH by adding lime in the acidic soil and sulfur in the alkaline soil. Organic mulch can be added to improve the soil along with further feeding of the plants in the growing season.



Planting Rutabaga

Prefer direct field seeding as rutabaga does not like transplanting. Sow seed about ½ inch deep and 4-6 inches inrow spacing with rows spaced 12-18 inches. This spacing allows enough room for the roots to grow and assures good air circulation between plants.


Late summer planting delivers a fall harvest. In mild climates early spring planting may also be practiced. For the most of the growing period, temperatures should not be higher than 75° F otherwise bolting or stunted growth may occur. About 5 -10 days is needed to germinate the seeds; thus, special care of soil moisture should be dealt with in this period.



Watering and Fertilizing

Rutabagas do prefer consistent moisture for optimum root development. Water deeply, and maintain the top 6 to 8 inches of soil consistently moist, especially in dry weather. Just be sure not to overwater because standing water will cause root rot. Mulching around the plants will help retain moisture and keep weeds from competing for nutrients.


Do the application with a balanced fertilizer, 10-10-10 at planting; make a second application when plants are halfway through their growth cycle. Alternatively, side-dress with compost or aged manure to keep nutrients available to plants continually. Too much nitrogen can mean healthy leaf growth with poor root development, so avoid overfertilizing.



Growing Rutabagas in Containers

You can also grow rutabaga in containers, either because you don't have enough space to give it a try or you simply want to try container gardening. Take a very deep container-grid at least 12 inches-to let them grow their roots. Make sure the container has enough drainage holes and use loose nutrient-rich potting mix for the same.


Water regularly, as containers dry out more quickly than in-ground soil. Infestations must also be controlled more frequently since the confined container environment of a plant make them more susceptible to being overcome by pests. Though smaller, the container grown rutabaga possess the same sweetness and can be harvested like in-ground rutabaga.



Variety of Rutabaga

Varieties abound for rutabaga, all differing in their traits. Most will have that sweet taste, but getting the right one for best results under your conditions will always be better.

  • 'American Purple Top': Probably the most available variety it produces large roots with a purple top and yellow flesh. Really good for long-time storage.
  • 'Laurentian': Grown in Canada, it does better in cooler climates. It has a smooth fine-grained texture and is of mild flavor.

  • 'Joan': This is an earlier maturing variety that does best for areas with a shorter season. Its roots are somewhat smaller, but their flavor is still decent; therefore it is suitable for gardeners who live in colder areas.



Rutabagas vs. Turnips

Because they are rather similar in appearance, it may be quite hard to differentiate it from the turnip. Surprisingly enough, however, they differ so much. Whereas turnips are small, often white with purple tops, and thus have their very sharp peppery taste, rutabagas are larger, yellow inside, sweeter, and milder. While rutabagas take longer to mature, sweetening after a frost, turnips are a fast grower and are at their best during spring and fall. Nutritional values of rutabaga are higher in carbs and vitamin C, whereas turnips are higher in vitamin K and folate. For cooking purposes, rutabaga is great when roasted or mashed while turnips are more used fresh or pickled.



Pest and Disease Control

This is an easy vegetable to grow; still, there are quite a number of pests and diseases that could affect rutabaga. A proactive approach to management can prevent problems before they get out of hand.


  • Common Pests: Flea beetles and root maggots are common pests. The flea beetle makes small holes in the leaves rendering photosynthesis impossible. Root maggots eat roots rendering them un-edible. Try floating row covers to prevent insects from reaching the plants and foster beneficial insects such as predatory wasps to naturally help with pest control problems.

  • Diseases: By far, the most serious and common among diseases attacking rutabaga is club root. It makes roots swollen and distorted. To keep it under control, crop rotation and good pH soil are recommended-about 6.5. The other diseases that might infect rutabaga when the humidity is too high are downy mildew and powdery mildew. Practices that improve air circulation for instance proper spacing of the plants and removal of the diseased leaves before the situation is out of proportion will do a lot to impede diseases spread .



Harvesting of Rutabaga

Generally speaking, from planting the rutabaga will take approximately 90 to 110 days to be ready. The roots should be round and firm, about 3-5 inches in diameter. It is acceptable to start harvesting when the top of the root heaves through the soil.


Loosen roots carefully with a fork or spade being careful not to spear. Rutabaga is subject to overcooking but tolerates light frost. Many growers wait until after the first frost to dig in because this allows tubers to get sweet. They will store several months in cool, dark storage.



Storing Rutabaga

Proper storage will keep the rutabagas fresh for many months. After harvesting, trim the tops down to about 1-inch above the root. Brush excess dirt off but do not wash until you use them. Store them in the root cellar or other cool, dark, high-humidity area to prevent drying out.


It is also allowed to store them in the refrigerator as cold cellars are not usually present. Store them in a polyethylene bag with punctures to maintain moisture. In optimum conditions, they will remain fresh from 4 to 6 months without any quality loss.

 


FAQs

What time of year should I plant rutabaga?

Rutabaga is a cool-season plant. Generally, it is planted late in the summer for a fall harvest. In colder areas, they are also planted during early spring. Because they do take some time to mature, plant at least 90 days in advance of the first hard frost.

How much water does a rutabaga want?

Rutabaga prefers consistent moisture for good formation. Provide about 1-2 inches per week, but it should be constantly moist, not drowned. Inconsistent moisture will cause the roots to crack or become woody. Mulching will help to retain moisture and minimize frequent watering.

What type of soil does rutabaga prefer?

Rutabagas do best in loose, well-draining soils high in organic matter. Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0 to help prevent disease problems such as clubroot. Heavy clay soils are not recommended because of the possible root deformity due to its water holding capacity.

How do I prevent pests and diseases in rutabaga?

Put on row covers early in the season and avoid such pests as flea beetles and root maggots. Crop rotation will prevent diseases like clubroot. Weed to reduce competition, space correctly for good air circulation that will prevent fungal infection.

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