Rutabaga

Rutabaga

Brassica napobrassica

Sow outdoors 3 weeks before your last spring frost. Space plants 6 in (15 cm) apart.

Photo: Picasa user Seedambassadors, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

When to plant

Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.

See the dates for your garden

Enter your average last spring frost and first fall frost. Every timing on this site turns into a calendar date. Not sure of yours? Your local extension service or a search for “last frost date” and your town will tell you; the app finds them from your location.

Last spring frost
First fall frost

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Optimal Spring Direct Sow

From seedRecommended
  1. Sow outdoors3 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 90 days after sowing

Growing rutabaga

Spacing in the row
6 in (15 cm)
Between rows
24 in (61 cm)
Planting depth
0.5 inches
Sun
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, fertile loam; pH balanced is optimal.
Germination
7-14 days at 45-85°F (optimal 60-75°F)
Harvest season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Mature height
12-18 inches (foliage)
Life cycle
Biennial

Direct sow seeds 0.5 inches deep. Thin to final spacing once true leaves appear.

Watering. Consistent moisture is crucial, especially during root development. Aim for 1 inch per week.

Neighbours

The companion chart →

Grows well beside

Keep apart from

Feeding

Growing
Balanced organic fertilizer or compost tea 3-4 weeks after germination.
How often
At planting, then once at midseason.
Note
Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, which promote leafy growth over root development, favoring foliage over root.

Your rutabaga, planned to the day.

Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.

Add rutabaga to your planting calendar →

Help test itHelp test it on Android