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Classic Rutabagas

Improved Helenor

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Classic Rutabagas

Improved Helenor

This easy to grow Dutch rutabaga (a.k.a. swede) has a fine texture and warm, rich flavors like apples crossed with turnips. High yielding Helenor r...
This easy to grow Dutch rutabaga (a.k.a. swede) has a fine texture and warm, rich flavors like apples crossed with turnips. High yielding Helenor roots develop good color early, with creamy exteriors splashed with violet and yellow interior flesh. This mainstay root vegetable is ready to harvest and enjoy from tennis to softball size to use as needed from the garden. You’ll love them tossed in olive oil, then roasted or sautéed to bring out their natural sweetness.
Seed Count: Approx: 120 / Weight: 0.25 gms
$ 3.99
#5995
#5995
Scroll down for full planting information.

START SEEDS DIRECTLY OUTDOORS

Mild Winter Areas: In midsummer, sow seeds in well-drained garden soil in full sun. Sow 2 inches apart and 1/2 inch deep in rows 12 inches apart. When several inches tall, thin seedlings to stand 6 inches apart, so roots have room to size up. If spring sowing is your only option, sow seed as soon as soil can be worked, and harvest as soon as roots size up to avoid them becoming fibrous.

Cold Winter Areas:
Plant as above in early to midsummer, about 12 weeks before first fall frost, so roots will finish in cooler autumn weather. Flavor gets sweeter after a few frosts; mulch to protect roots from freezing.

GROWING NOTES

Rutabaga reach top quality and flavor maturing in cool weather, so are best planted midsummer for a fall crop. For best quality roots, keep plants consistently moist and well weeded. Use floating row covers or fine insect netting to keep out pests while seedlings are young.

HARVEST AND USE

Harvest as needed when roots reach tennis ball size; pull or dig out roots carefully. Rutabagas are delicious peeled, then cut in chunks, tossed with olive oil & roasted until tender by themselves or with other root vegetables. Or slice them up to sauté gently in butter, or steam and mash.

Cold Winters

Mild Winters

Sun/Shade

Sow Seeds

Days To Germinate

Days To Harvest

June – July
Aug – Sept
Mar – Apr
Full Sun
2 in. apart
1/2 in. deep
10 – 14 days
85 – 90 days

Cold Winters

Mild Winters

Sun/Shade

Sow Seeds

Days To Germinate

Days To Harvest

June – July
Aug – Sept
Mar – Apr
Full Sun
2 in. apart
1/2 in. deep
10 – 14 days
85 – 90 days

Cold Winters

June – July

Mild Winters

Aug – Sept
Mar – Apr

Sun/Shade

Full Sun

Sow Seeds

2 in. apart
1/2 in. deep

Days To Germinate

10 – 14 days

Days To Harvest

85 – 90 days

More Root Vegetables

Photos From Our Trial Garden

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Classic Rutabagas

Improved Helenor


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