Storage #4 Rutabaga
Storage #4 Rutabaga is a heirloom root vegetable. Germination takes 7-14 days and fruit ripens from about day 90-110. Skin runs to purple-bronze shoulders with creamy yellow lower portion and deep yellow flesh. Water need is high — consistent moisture needed. Suits zones 8-9.
Sowing
Direct sow seeds 1/2 inch deep in mid-summer, 12-14 weeks before hard frost. Plant after soil temperature drops below 75°F.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- High — consistent moisture needed
- Soil
- Deep, well-drained, fertile loam with good organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 6-8 inches
- Height
- 4 feet
- Season
- Fall, Winter and Spring
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Purple-bronze shoulders with creamy yellow lower portion and deep yellow flesh
- Size
- 4-6 inches diameter, 2-4 pounds
- Shape
- Large, round to oval with taproot
- Flavour
- Sweet, nutty, and creamy when cooked, develops more sweetness after frost
In the kitchen
Mashing, roasting, soups, stews, casseroles. Excellent storage crop for winter meals.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Flea beetles, cabbage root maggots, aphids
- Diseases
- Clubroot, black rot, soft rot
- Resistance
- Excellent cold tolerance and storage ability
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | August – September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | August – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | June – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | June – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | May – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | April – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 37
- Protein (g)
- 1.08
- Fat (g)
- 0.16
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 8.62
- Fibre (g)
- 2.3
- Sugars (g)
- 4.46
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 0
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 25
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.3
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 0.3
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.1
- Folate (µg)
- 21
- Calcium (mg)
- 43
- Iron (mg)
- 0.44
- Magnesium (mg)
- 20
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 53
- Potassium (mg)
- 305
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.24
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.7
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Storage #4 Rutabaga?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other root vegetables with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Storage #4 Rutabaga suits these too.
- Helenor 90 days
- Watermelon Radish 90 days
- Kolibri Purple Sweet Potato 90 days
- Laurentian 95 days
- Kennebec Potato 80 days
- German Butterball Potato 100 days