Rutabaga Seeds, Macomber Turnip
A close-up of a Macomber Turnip Rutabaga on a white background.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga with roasted and seasoned rutabaga on a white background.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga in a terra cotta pot with another rutabaga and a recipe.
A whole and sliced Macomber Turnip Rutabaga with a bowl full of roasted rutabaga on white.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga in a pot with leaves, a recipe and roasted rutabaga.
Rutabaga Seeds, Macomber Turnip
A close-up of a Macomber Turnip Rutabaga on a white background.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga with roasted and seasoned rutabaga on a white background.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga in a terra cotta pot with another rutabaga and a recipe.
A whole and sliced Macomber Turnip Rutabaga with a bowl full of roasted rutabaga on white.
A Macomber Turnip Rutabaga in a pot with leaves, a recipe and roasted rutabaga.

Rutabaga Seeds,
Macomber Turnip

SKU: #RT110Min. seed count: 100
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Description

Is it a turnip, or is it a rutabaga? Or is it a hybrid of both? Local lore in Westport, Massachusetts, holds that in 1876 brothers Adin and Elihu Macomber brought seeds home from the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition and planted them near radishes in their garden. The brothers thought they were turnip seeds (Brassica rapa) but they were really rutabaga (Brassica napus var. napobrassica), which is a cross between the turnip and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). Historians for the D. Landreth Seed Co., which had a huge presence at the Philadelphia exposition, think the Macomber brothers actually acquired the seeds of Sweet German rutabaga at the company’s booth. The variety thrived in the coastal Massachusetts climate. Whatever you call it, Macomber Turnip rutabaga is wildly popular around Westport – and rightfully so – the mild, white, thin-skinned roots grow large and are even sweet enough to eat raw!

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Brassica napus var. napobrassica
Life Cycle
Biennial
Sun Requirement
6–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
4–7
Days to Maturity
100
Planting Depth
¼ in.
Plant Spacing
6–8 in.
Ideal Temperature
45–85°F
Frost Hardy
Yes

When to Grow

Macomber is a long-season rutabaga that needs about 100 days to size up, so count back at least that far from the date you want to dig the roots rather than using the shorter schedule that suits quicker varieties. Sow a quarter inch deep into rich, well-worked soil; at soil temperatures anywhere from 45 to 85 F the seedlings break ground in 4 to 7 days. In zone 6 that means sowing about 100 days before your first hard freeze, roughly early to mid July; in zones 7 through 9 a late-summer sowing works, letting the frost-hardy roots finish in cold weather, and cold weather is what makes a rutabaga sweet.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Rutabagas like rich, well-worked soil, so try double digging to ensure a fluffy root zone.
  • Sow seeds 90 days before the first frost date for rutabagas.
  • Thin plants to about 8-12 inches apart.
  • Keep plants moist and well weeded.
  • Seeds germinate in 45-85 F.
  • Sow seeds ¼ inch deep.
  • Seeds germinate in 4-7 days.

How to Grow

  • Growing rutabaga is very similar to growing turnips. They are a long-season crop (longer than turnips), and they require 90-120 days to maturity.
  • Rutabagas are cold tolerant and taste best when harvested in late fall.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Rutabagas are insect pollinated, so they will need ¼ mile spacing from other varieties to ensure pure seeds. (Turnips cross with other turnips but not with rutabagas.)
  • Flea beetles, leaf miners and the cabbage maggot can be controlled in spring crops with row covers. Cover at seeding and seal the edges with soil to exclude the cabbage maggot fly.

How to Save Seeds

  • Like other cabbage family members, these crops are usually biennial, which means they flower in the second year.
  • You will need to either overwinter plants with mulch or row cover, or dig the roots up and replant in the early spring. Digging is preferred because it allows you to select only the largest, choicest roots for seed production.
  • Cut flower stalks when pods have dried, place into a bag and shake seeds loose.
  • Seeds will store for 5 years.

FAQ

Is Macomber a turnip or a rutabaga?

Despite the name, it is a rutabaga, Brassica napus var. napobrassica, which is a cross between the turnip and cabbage. Local lore in Westport, Massachusetts holds that brothers Adin and Elihu Macomber brought the seeds home from the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition believing they were turnip seeds; historians for the D. Landreth Seed Co. think the brothers actually acquired seed of Sweet German rutabaga at the company's booth.

Can the roots be eaten raw?

Yes. The mild, white, thin-skinned roots grow large and are even sweet enough to eat raw.

What kind of soil does it need?

Rutabagas like rich, well-worked soil, so try double digging to ensure a fluffy root zone. Thin plants to about 6 to 8 inches apart, and keep them moist and well weeded.
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