Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Brassicaceae
Native
Unknown
Life Cycle
Biennial
Plant Height
Medium (12" - 24")
Further Information
Growing Conditions
Frost Tolerant
About American Purple Top Rutabaga Seeds
Brassica napus subsp. rapifera
Best harvested at 4"–6" diameter; root is yellowish with purple shoulders.
Planting Rutabaga
Plant Spacing
A group of 3 seeds every 6"
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Medium (12" - 24")
Planting Depth
¼"
Coverage & Planting Details
| Coverage | This packet sows up to 80 feet. |
|---|---|
| Row Spacing | 18"–24" |
| Seed Depth | ¼" |
| Seed Spacing | A group of 3 seeds every 6" |
| Thinning | When 4" tall, thin to 1 every 6" |
| Germination | 7–14 days |
| Start Indoors | Not recommended; root crops do not transplant well. |
| Direct Sow | RECOMMENDED. Cold Climates: 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, as soon as soil can be worked for early summer harvest, or 3 to 4 months before your first fall frost date for fall harvest. Mild Climates: Sow in fall for late winter for spring harvest. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 60°–80°F |
| Growing & Harvesting | Harvest in early summer before consistently high temperatures start or in fall after a few light frosts. Do not allow roots to freeze. The foliage may also be harvested for greens. Harvest only about 25% of the plant's leaves at a time so as not to affect the plant's ability to produce large roots. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 12 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 1 Total 1 star reviews: 0
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
14 reviews
- JamiRated 5 out of 5 stars12/16/255 Stars
Excited to try
- AmeryVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars7/20/25Must grow!
Perfection! I harvested a few young roots today to check progress and I must say, these will be a must grow in my garden moving forward (zone 4b)! From germination to harvest this variety has been so easy to grow. The mild yet complex flavor and buttery texture are so much better than the large store bought rutabaga in my area. Looking forward to enjoying growing this variety for years to come!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests7/23/25Hey Amery,
Thank you so much for sharing your photo and feedback. Your rutabaga is gorgeous! We're so glad you're enjoying them! If you have any good recipes for rutabaga we'd love it if you could share it. Keep on growing 🌻️
- TonyaRated 5 out of 5 stars1/3/255 Stars
Fast shipping. Will start in the spring.
- TonyaVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1/3/255 Stars
Fast shipping. Will start in the spring.
- DeLaine M.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars12/18/245 Stars
OK. Last year I did a great Winter Garden with brussels Sprouts, carrots, Beets, Rutabaga :) and some other things like a Winter Lettuce variety. I took measures to protect it from colder nights, but all in all I had a fabulous success. This year, those nasty weather monsters decided for the first time where I live to give us a very extended length of time with very cold temps and freezing at night. I tried so hard to save my garden, but those monsters won and I lost everything. The worst/best(?) part was how well everything was thriving before the deep freeze. The Rutabagas were growing like gangbuster. So was everything else. Not to worry, I will be buying more seeds and planting them again ASAP. I will also be looking into some sort of over wintering supplies so this does not happen again. I LOVE BI SEEDS!!!!!