Rediscover Rutabagas – Low Maintenance Crop
Posted on November 10th, 2008 by Sharon Sweeny in Vegetables
Rutabagas are a low maintenance crop.
Called a “swede” by shoppers and gardeners everywhere, the name “rutabaga” is derived from the word “rotbagga,” the Swedish word for a thick root. Rutabagas are classified botanically as Brassica napus. They are a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip, and are thought to originate in Bohemia as recently as the 1600’s.
Rutabagas have historically been planted as a crop to feed livestock. Their spreading leaves shade the ground and discourage weeds. Because they grow so close to the surface, they make a good “foraging” crop—the livestock dig the roots themselves.
Grown as an annual but actually a biennial, rutabagas are a perfect crop for late fall harvest. They are very hardy and can be left in the ground until freezing weather sets in for good, as late as Thanksgiving in the far northern areas of the United States.
Rutabagas mature in 80 to 100 days. Plant so the roots mature about a week before to about 6 weeks after your first fall frost. In most of the United States, plant rutabagas from late May to late June.
Sow seeds of rutabagas about 1/2 inch deep, 2 to 4 inches apart in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. Thin plants to about 8 inches apart. Rutabagas do best in soil which was improved the previous year.
Rutabagas can reach 6 to 8 inches in diameter, but the smaller ones are more tender and flavorful. Begin harvesting when the roots reach about 2 inches in diameter. The greens of rutabagas can be eaten; most often they are cooked and eaten like spinach.
Rutabagas will keep about four months if properly stored in a root cellar environment.
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