MAGRES RUTABAGA SEEDS

Brassica napobrassica

An improved selection of this ancient stalwart vegetable. Selected specifically for culinary use, the golden flesh is very fine and sweet. Perfect for roasting or boiling and mashing. Raw peeled roots may be julienned for use in winter salads. The very hardy greens are nutritious as well, and are a nourishing addition to soups and frittatas.

Rutabagas are often unfairly maligned as mere famine fare, but they have been an integral part of Scandinavian cuisine for many millenia. In North American gardens, Rutabagas are a useful winter vegetable. The large starchy roots are an excellent substitute for potatoes, especially in late winter. Roots harvested in late autumn will hold for many months in heavily mulched ground, a root cellar, or cold basement.

Determining when to plant these seeds in northern gardens can be tricky, as the plants require a long season to produce large roots, but much prefer to grow in cool weather. Sowing directly into the garden in June has proven the most successful for us. Take care to thin to at least 8" and to mulch generously in effort to maintain cool moist soil throughout the growing season.

Like all Brassica, this species likes rich fertile soil. Amend prior to sowing, and fertilize as necessary where soils are less than ideal. Water frequently in hot dry weather. Best flavor after several autumn frosts. As with parsnips, salsify and parsley root, rutabaga beds can be mulched with square straw bales and harvested throughout the winter. They will also keep well for weeks or even months in the refrigerator.

Packet contains around 300 seeds.