Rutabaga

About it

Kind

Vegetables · Annual

Family

Brassicaceae

Sun

Full sun

Spacing

4 in apart

Soil depth in a pot

At least 10 in

Water

About every 7 days

ⓘ We don't know this plant's soil pH, feeding needs and mature size yet.

When to plant

Ready

About 70 days

Based on your last frost date. Outside the US, check local advice.

Planting partners

What has been claimed about growing Rutabaga near other plants, grouped by how well it has been tested. Most companion planting advice has never been tested; the notes say which is which.

Tested in field trials

• With Chinese Cabbage Napa cabbage grown as a trap crop beside other brassicas draws flea beetles away from them; in trials only a mix of three trap-crop species improved the protected broccoli's yield. UMN Extension ↗Europe PMC ↗
• With Mustard Greens Mustard grown as a trap crop beside other brassicas draws flea beetles away from them; in trials only a mix of three trap-crop species improved the protected broccoli's yield. UMN Extension ↗Europe PMC ↗

Mixed evidence

• With Green Onion Green onions are often planted to keep flea beetles off brassicas, but little research supports it and some contradicts it. UMN Extension ↗
• With Marigold Marigolds are often planted to keep flea beetles off brassicas, but little research supports it and some contradicts it. UMN Extension ↗

Safety for pets and children

• Cats No information in our sources
• Dogs No information in our sources
• Horses No information in our sources
• Children No information in our sources

"No information" means our sources do not say, not that the plant is harmless. A non-toxic listing is not a reason to let anyone eat a plant.

Pests and diseases

No pest or disease notes for Rutabaga yet.

Check the label and your local extension service before using any product.

Where this comes from

• category NC State Extension ↗ Listed in Table 16-4, "Garden Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs"
• climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists rutabagas among the cool-season annuals, which it defines as cold-hardy; the Toolbox says frost improves the flavour. No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
• climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists rutabagas among the cool-season annuals, which it defines as cold-hardy; the Toolbox says frost improves the flavour. No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
• days to maturity NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4: Rutabaga 70-80; low end
• family npgsweb.ars-grin.gov ↗ GRIN page: Brassica napus L. var. napobrassica (L.) Döll (the catalogue row is the Napobrassica Group)
• life cycle NC State Extension ↗
• life cycle NC State Extension ↗
• min soil depth in NC State Extension ↗ Not in Table 18-1; 10 in as carrots (10), since a rutabaga root is larger than a turnip's. Derived. A group figure, as every ch. 18 depth is
• space requirement NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4 distance between plants: 4 in. The table publishes no row distance, so rows equal plants -- the square spacing of an intensive bed
• species NC State Extension ↗
• sunlight NC State Extension ↗ Toolbox Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
• water frequency days NC State Extension ↗ Toolbox page: "Ensure that your plants receive 1" of water per week."