Rutabaga are a cool-season biannual primarly grown for its edible bulb, but its leaves are also edible. The bulb matures slowly in 90 to 120 days, with a flavor that is generally mild, sweet, and earthy with a subtle peppery note that becomes sweeter after frost. Bulbs are best harvested at 3-5" in diameter, as larger bulbs become tough. Grows best with consistant moisture. Many cultivars are slow to bolt.
|
Type: |
Annual |
|
Height: |
1' - 2' |
|
Spread: |
0.75’ - 1' |
|
Spacing: |
1' |
|
USDA Hardiness Zone: |
7 - 11 |
|
Culture: |
|
|
Bloom Color: |
N/A |
|
Season of Interest: |
MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance. Clubroot is a significant problem which not only destroys a crop but will also prevents planting future crops in the same location (spores remain in the soil for 20 years). Plantings are also susceptible to powdery mildew, anthracnose, alternaria, root knot and leaf spot. Aphids, cutworms, loopers, flea beetles, root maggots, and wireworms are potential insect problems.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Wildlife Garden, Edible Garden, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Dill, Agastache, Sage
IMAGE: Kolforn (Wikimedia), -2020-10-18 Fresh dug Swede (Brassica napus subsp (2), CC BY-SA 4.0, (2) PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ, Rutabaga Bailleul jardin botanique, CC BY-SA 4.0
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.
