How to grow Rutabaga?
- Latin Family: Brassicaceae
- Latin Genus: Brassica
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Biennial
The rutabaga is a bigger, hardier (because it contains less water), longer-keeping turnip. It is quite popular in the northern U.S. and Canada.
Rutabaga History
The rutabaga originated in a garden somewhere in Eastern Europe as a hybrid between a turnip (B. rapa) and cabbage (B. oleracea var capitata). This plant has long been an important winter food crop for humans and animals in cold northern climates. The name rutabaga is Swedish and apparently means Root-bag.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 6.0 - 7.0
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.3 - 6.8
Rutabaga likes a heavy rich soil that is not too high in nitrogen, but contains lots of potassium. They are so sensitive to boron deficiency that they can almost be used as a test for it. If it is deficient the center of the root may rot.
How to care for Rutabaga?
Rutabaga is a fairly vigorous crop and is generally able to look after itself. Weed the plants when they are small, keep the soil moist, add mulch and they should be okay.
Water
The best roots are produced by rapid continuous growth, so keep the soil evenly moist. Lack of water can produce tough, hot roots.
Fertilizer
Low nitrogen. Moderate potassium. Moderate phosphorous.
Rutabaga isn't a very hungry plant.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 2 - 5 Years
Germination Percentage: 75.0
This biennial over-winters in the ground and flowers in the spring. It is usually self-incompatible and must be cross-pollinated by insects. This means there must be a number of plants flowering at the same time (you should save seed from at least 5 plants to maintain some genetic diversity). Rutabaga will cross-pollinate with Siberian Kale, so only one type can be flowering at one time.
The tall plants can get very heavy with seed, so usually need staking to stop them falling over. They can produce a lot of seed, far more than you will ever need for planting.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Full sun.
Conditions:Cold, Cool
Season:Long Season
Storage
Rutabagas are very hardy and can be left in the garden until needed, so long as it doesn’t get too cold.
Storage Req: Ground
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: days
The roots store well in the root cellar at 32 to 40˚ F.
Storage Req: Cool, Moist
Storage Temp: 32-40°F
Storage Length: 60-180 days
Problems
Boron deficiency
Rutabaga is a fairly trouble free crop, able to look after itself. If you keep the soil moist you should avoid splitting.
A deficiency of boron can cause the interior of the root to rot, but this shouldn't be a problem if you use plenty of compost.
Rutabaga Types
- Rutabaga
A rutabaga is a [biennial] cross between a cabbage and a turnip and is bigger, sweeter and denser, with yellow or orange flesh. It is mostly eaten cooked, but is quite good raw too.
Pests
- Cabbage Root Maggot
- Deer
- Cabbageworms
- Gophers
- Groundhog
- Leafhoppers
- Leafminers
- Slugs and snails
- Aphids
- Birds
- Cutworms
- Flea Beetle
- Nematodes
- Thrips
Diseases
- Boron
- Wirestem
- Clubroot
- Blackleg, Aerial Stem Rot
- Damping Off
- Downy Mildew
Related Plants
Jicama
Celeriac / Celery Root
Radish
Salsify & Scorzo
Shallot
Rutabaga
Garlic
Finocchio
Leek
Turnip