Turnips and Rutabagas at a Glance
Try growing turnips and rutabagas to bring rich, earthy flavors to your kitchen.
August/September 2013
By Barbara Pleasant
Learn more about salad turnips and growing rutabagas in All About Growing Turnips and Rutabagas.
| Types | Description | Varieties |
| Salad Turnips (Brassica rapa) | These fast-growing varieties produce small, mild-flavored pink or white roots ideal for eating raw or pickling. The tender young greens need minimal cooking and are a great addition to stir-fries. | ‘Hakurei’ (F1), 38 days ‘Oasis’ (F1), 50 days ‘Shogoin,’ 42 days ‘Tokyo Market,’ 35 days |
| All-purpose turnips (B. rapa) | Main-crop turnips are best grown in your fall garden. Plants produce both roots and greens, though most greens should be kept intact to grow larger roots. These turnips often survive winter in mild climates. | ‘Golden Globe,’ 55 days ‘Purple Top White Globe,’ 50 days ‘Scarlet Ohno Revival,’ 50 days ‘White Egg,’ 45 days |
| Rutabagas (B. napobrassica) | Rutabagas have a finer texture and a deeper, more complex flavor than turnips do. Rich soil, ample spacing and protection from deer are required for growing these buttery root vegetables. | ‘Gilfeather,’ 85 days ‘Joan,’ 90 days ‘Laurentian,’ 95 days ‘Nadmorska,’ 90 days |
| Locate sources for these varieties of turnips and rutabagas with our custom Seed and Plant Finder. | ||
Contributing editor Barbara Pleasantgardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens. Contact Barbara by visiting her website or finding her on Google+.
