Rutabaga
Brassica napus Napobrassica Group
Rutabagas, or swedes, are root vegetables with a mild, earthy flavor. Not to be confused with turnips, rutabagas are purple and yellow with a slightly sweeter taste, and often grow larger. However, aside from taking more days to mature, rutabagas do require very similar care to turnips. Some of the first jack-o-lanterns were carved from rutabagas!
How to Grow Rutabaga
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Varieties
Companion Plants
Combative Plants
Nutrition
Vitamins
Nutrients
Pests
Diseases
Beneficial Critters
Harvesting
Leave rutabagas in the ground as long as possible. Frost improves the flavor, so many gardeners wait until after the first hard frost to dig them up.
Storage
Rutabagas store for a long time when kept in root cellar conditions. They may also be kept in refrigerators, although they may sprout. To increase storage life, delay harvest as long as possible. Rutabagas will keep their quality in the ground for weeks. Once you harvest them, remove the tops and the long, thin taproot. Clean dirt off the skin, being careful not to cut or bruise the roots..
