Rutabaga (American Purple Top)

📖 About This Plant

Rutabaga (American Purple Top) is a large, sweet, cool-season root vegetable — a natural cross between a turnip and a wild cabbage — producing globe-shaped roots with distinctive purple-topped tan skin and sweet, creamy-yellow flesh. Far milder and sweeter than turnips, rutabaga has an earthy sweetness that develops best after fall frosts. Maturing in 90 days, it's grown in zones 3–9 as a fall crop, direct-sown in midsummer for harvest in late fall. American Purple Top is the most widely grown cultivar in North America and the UK (where it's called swede), prized for its consistent size, excellent storage, and old-fashioned flavor in mashed swede, soups, and stews.

📊 Quick Facts

📅 When to Plant in Your Area

🌱 Care Tips

Direct sow rutabaga seeds 1/4 inch deep in midsummer — typically 90 days before first expected fall frost. Thin to 6–8 inches apart for full-sized roots. Rutabaga needs deep, well-loosened, fertile soil free of large stones or roots that cause forking. Water consistently for steady growth; inconsistent moisture causes woody, bitter roots. Side-dress with a balanced fertilizer 4 weeks after germination. Rutabaga improves dramatically after multiple frosts — the cold converts starches to sugars. Harvest after several frosts when roots are 3–5 inches in diameter. Roots can be left in the ground through light freezes, protected by a thick layer of straw mulch, and harvested through winter. After harvest, wax the skins to extend storage life at cool (34–40°F), moist conditions for up to 4 months.

🤝 Companion Plants

These plants grow well alongside Rutabaga:

🌿 Related Vegetable

More vegetable that grow in similar conditions:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions