Rutabagas & Turnips
Joan Rutabaga
Organic
RU763
(OP) 90–100 days. What once was thought of as an obscure vegetable is now highly sought after in the culinary world; and for good reason! Joan is touted to be one of the sweetest and best textured rutabagas out there. Uniformly round, yellow-fleshed roots have purple tops and exhibit good resistance to club root. Flavor really sweetens up after a light frost. We really love them mashed with potatoes and buttermilk, or added to a warming winter soup with carrots and parsnips.
Winter Growing Information
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"Brassica spp.: These two root crop brassicas are favorites for the serious gardener. Especially good for winter storage right in the ground in milder areas, or for long-term storage in a basement for northern gardeners.
CULTURE: Rutabagas and turnips are fast growing and require a fertile, well-dug, well-drained seedbed that has a pH of 6. One cup of our complete fertilizer dug into 10 row feet will give the plants adequate nutrition. Sow the seeds thinly into 1/4 inch deep furrows, in rows 12-16 inches apart. The optimum soil temperature for germination is 50-80°F. Emergence can take upwards of 20 days. Keep seedbed moist. When seedlings are well established, thin them to 2-6 inches apart in the row. Sowing indoors is not recommended.
INSECTS: Cover the rows with Reemay, AG-19, or an insect barrier to reduce root maggots. Row covers prevent flies from laying their eggs at the base of developing plants. Flea beetles can be controlled with a floating row cover as well, or by applications of Rotenone or Rotenone-Pyrethrin.
DISEASES: No common problems. Consult your local county extension agent with specific problems.
HARVEST: By October-November Rutabaga roots will be tender and tasty from a well-thinned sowing in July. The roots are sweetest when small, so pick early. Also, when larger, root maggots can become a problem. Organic turnips are often easier to grow for greens than for roots. Sometimes root maggots leave the gardener too few undamaged turnips. Turnip greens can be picked when young and tender. Both root crops are best stored at 33°F and 90-95% relative humidity.
SEED SPECS: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to maturity are calculated from the date of direct seeding. Usual seed life: 3 years. Rutabagas: approximately 265-300 seeds per gram. Turnips: approximately 325-400 seeds per gram; 28 grams per ounce.
Rutabagas
Sampler: 1 gram
Packet: 7 grams
Turnips
Sampler: 2 grams
Packet: 7 grams"
CULTURE: Rutabagas and turnips are fast growing and require a fertile, well-dug, well-drained seedbed that has a pH of 6. One cup of our complete fertilizer dug into 10 row feet will give the plants adequate nutrition. Sow the seeds thinly into 1/4 inch deep furrows, in rows 12-16 inches apart. The optimum soil temperature for germination is 50-80°F. Emergence can take upwards of 20 days. Keep seedbed moist. When seedlings are well established, thin them to 2-6 inches apart in the row. Sowing indoors is not recommended.
INSECTS: Cover the rows with Reemay, AG-19, or an insect barrier to reduce root maggots. Row covers prevent flies from laying their eggs at the base of developing plants. Flea beetles can be controlled with a floating row cover as well, or by applications of Rotenone or Rotenone-Pyrethrin.
DISEASES: No common problems. Consult your local county extension agent with specific problems.
HARVEST: By October-November Rutabaga roots will be tender and tasty from a well-thinned sowing in July. The roots are sweetest when small, so pick early. Also, when larger, root maggots can become a problem. Organic turnips are often easier to grow for greens than for roots. Sometimes root maggots leave the gardener too few undamaged turnips. Turnip greens can be picked when young and tender. Both root crops are best stored at 33°F and 90-95% relative humidity.
SEED SPECS: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to maturity are calculated from the date of direct seeding. Usual seed life: 3 years. Rutabagas: approximately 265-300 seeds per gram. Turnips: approximately 325-400 seeds per gram; 28 grams per ounce.
Rutabagas
Sampler: 1 gram
Packet: 7 grams
Turnips
Sampler: 2 grams
Packet: 7 grams"
