Back to Top
Rutabaga Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/2”
Row Spacing:15”-20”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Days to Germination:7-10 days
Germination Temperature:45°-75°F
A cool weather root vegetable, Rutabagas are much like giant Turnips with distinctive, leafy necks and smooth, waxy leaves. In mid-summer, about 3 months before the first fall frost, deeply dig a rich, well-draining bed in full sunlight. Amend well with compost and/or well-rotted manure. Sow seeds 1⁄2" deep and 2" to 3" apart. Keep the seed bed moist while germinating. Once the seedlings are 3" tall, thin to 6" to 8" apart. Keep well watered, cultivated and mulched to deter weeds and retain ground moisture: Rutabagas don’t like competition. Once the purple-shouldered, golden roots reach the size of softballs or before a severe frost, harvest by removing the entire plant; cut off tops within 1" of the crown and store. Rutabagas can be stored for long periods in a cool, humid place. A member of the Brassica family, Rutabagas should not be grown in the same site as other Brassicas for 4 years.
Deer Resistant Seed Varieties
Tips for Harvesting and Storing Root Vegetables
Planting Depth:1/2”
Row Spacing:15”-20”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Days to Germination:7-10 days
Germination Temperature:45°-75°F
A cool weather root vegetable, Rutabagas are much like giant Turnips with distinctive, leafy necks and smooth, waxy leaves. In mid-summer, about 3 months before the first fall frost, deeply dig a rich, well-draining bed in full sunlight. Amend well with compost and/or well-rotted manure. Sow seeds 1⁄2" deep and 2" to 3" apart. Keep the seed bed moist while germinating. Once the seedlings are 3" tall, thin to 6" to 8" apart. Keep well watered, cultivated and mulched to deter weeds and retain ground moisture: Rutabagas don’t like competition. Once the purple-shouldered, golden roots reach the size of softballs or before a severe frost, harvest by removing the entire plant; cut off tops within 1" of the crown and store. Rutabagas can be stored for long periods in a cool, humid place. A member of the Brassica family, Rutabagas should not be grown in the same site as other Brassicas for 4 years.
Deer Resistant Seed Varieties
Tips for Harvesting and Storing Root Vegetables
