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Turnip Vs Rutabaga

Turnip and rutabaga
Turnip and Rutabagas are related, but are not the same veggie.

Is it a Turnip or a Rutabaga?

​Turnips (Brassica napobrassica) and rutabagas (Brassica rapa) can be found in the produce section of the grocery store, but these root veggies can be difficult to tell apart. While they are both from the same family, they are not the same veggie. In fact, the rutabaga is a cross between a turnip and a cabbage, says the Iowa State University Extension. Some refer to rutabagas as "Swedes" or "yellow turnips".

Do turnips and rutabagas look different?

turnips
Turnips
Turnips are globe-shaped with white skin and flesh. They may have either green or purple shoulders. Turnips have one taproot with no distinct neck at the top. Foliage consists of light, thin leaves that are slightly hairy, sprouting directly from the top of the turnip.
Rutabaga
Rutabaga
Rutabagas are larger and are typically conically shaped with a taproot with side roots. The top tapers to a distinct neck and sports smooth, blue-green foliage similar to cabbage leaves. The skin of rutabaga is yellow, and the flesh is yellow-orange.

Do turnips and rutabagas taste the same?

Turnips have crisp, zesty flesh and are often served in salads or eaten raw with dip. Turnips can also be used in stews or casseroles, but the flavor may be overpowering.

Rutabagas have a milder and creamier flavor. Rutabagas are often boiled or baked and mashed or added to soups and casseroles. 

Should I grow turnips or rutabagas in my garden?

Picture
While they both require the same growing conditions, rutabagas require a longer growing season. Rutabagas require 90 days to maturity, while some turnips reach maturity in as few as 35 days. Most turnips mature in 55 to 60 days.
When deciding whether to grow turnips or rutabagas, there are several things to keep in mind.
  • How will you eat them? If you are looking for a crisp veggie to eat raw, turnips may be a good choice. On the other hand, if you will be serving them mashed with butter and salt and pepper as a side dish, rutabagas might be a better choice.
  • How long is your growing season? If you are growing veggies in Maine or other short-season gardens and want to eat your veggies by midsummer, turnips might be the better choice as they will mature early. However, if you have a longer growing season, or you want to harvest them in the fall and store them for winter, rutabagas are a better choice.
  • Personal tastes. Some people love the crisp, zesty flavor of turnips, while others prefer the milder flavor of rutabagas. Small children, or those with a sensitive palate, may find turnips too harsh for their tastes.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables