Laurentian Rutabaga

Laurentian Rutabaga is an open-pollinated rutabaga variety with a purple top and creamy, yellow bottom. This variety produces 5-6" roots that are round and uniform. While 5-6" is typically the optimum harvesting size, they will retain their texture and flavor if allowed to get larger. The texture is mild, sweet and firm. The taste has been described as a sweet cabbage with the texture of steamed potatoes. Laurentian Rutabaga is great in soups and stews. It is a very nutritious vegetable that is packed with Vitamin C, potassium and carotenoids. This Rutabaga variety is noted to have a nice heat-tolerance and will perform well into late spring as heat and humidity increases. It stores well and is a great crop for early spring and fall. When grown in the fall, these will store well into the winter.

Laurentian Rutabaga may be direct-seeded or transplanted. Transplanting allows for more consistent plant spacing and prevents seedlings from competing with weeds in the early stages of the plant. We recommend starting transplants 3-4 weeks before the desired outdoor planting date. Rutabaga transplants grow great in our heavy-duty seed starting trays, where they develop a solid root ball with roots that are trained to grow downward. Plants are ready to go in the ground when they can be easily pulled from the cells in the seed starting tray. For direct-seeding, we suggest using the #1 seed plate with our Hoss Garden Seeder. It is important to always check the hole size to make sure the Seeds can freely flow through the holes. If necessary, drill the holes slightly larger to accommodate the seed.

Laurentian Rutabaga Planting Information

Planting Method: direct seed or transplant

When to Plant: early spring and fall

Planting Depth: 1/4"

Seed Spacing: 6"

Row Spacing: 18-24"

Days to Maturity: 95

Disease Resistance: None