Rutabaga Brassica napus (Napobrassica Group)

The Napobrassica Group is referred to as rutabaga in the United States and is in the Brassicaceae family.  The genus name Brassica is Latin for cabbage.  Rutabaga is a cross between turnips and cabbage. 

This cool-weather biennial is grown as an annual.  Sow seeds in your garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date.  It can also be sown after the summer heat has dissipated for a fall or early winter harvest. Ensure that your plants receive 1" of water per week.  Drought conditions can make the plant woody and bitter-tasting.   It can take 3 to 4 months to reach maturity, whereas its cousin plant, the turnip, can be grown in approximately half the time.  However, rutabaga tends to be larger, denser and sweeter than a turnip. Frost helps to improve the flavor.

The edible bulb is at its best when harvested when 3-5" in diameter.  Bulbs exceeding 5" can tend to be tough.  The greens or foliage can be harvested once they reach a height of 4".  Providing the top of the bulb is not damaged when harvesting the greens, the bulb will continue to form new growth.  

Use rutabaga in the fall edible garden. The plants are also used as food for livestock.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Clubroot is a soil-born disease.  Should clubroot make a presence, avoid planting rutabaga in that location for at least 6 years.  Slugs, aphids, cutworms, looper caterpillars, and flea beetles will eat the foliage. Providing a row cover can help protect the greens and help prevent moths from laying eggs on the leaves.