How to Grow Rutabagas & Turnips in South Florida

Preparing the Bed

• 1

  Select a site that receives at least six hours of sun each day and is well away from any tree roots that could compete for water and nutrients.

• 2

  Create your own soil mixture using roughly 70 percent sand and 30 percent muck- or topsoil. Using a shovel, work a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost into this mixture.

• 3

  Cover the grass or ground with a layer of newspaper that is six to eight sheets deep -- this chokes off grass and weeds. Using a shovel, cover the newspaper with a mound of your newly created soil mixture, creating a garden bed no more than 4 feet wide and at least 6 inches deep. Rake it smooth and even.

Planting

• 4

  Plant six rutabaga seeds every foot, at a depth of 3/4 inches. Space rows 18 to 24 inches apart. Thin the seedlings to every 6 inches after emergence. Suggested cultivars include “American Purple Top” and “Laurentian.” In southern Florida, seeds can be sown from October through February.

• 5

  Sow turnips seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep in rows spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. Plant eight seeds every 12 inches, eventually thinning the seedlings to every 2 to 4 inches. The University of Florida Extension suggests “Purple Top-White Globe” turnips for their delicious roots, and “Seven Top” for abundant greens.

• 6

  Maintain an even soil moisture during germination, watering deeply two to three times every week once the seedlings emerge. Turnips are not drought-tolerant.

• 7

  Mulch heavily once seedlings emerge, using grass clippings, leaves or pine straw to discourage weeds and retain soil moisture.

• 8

  Side dress with compost midway through the growing season. Beyond adding nutrients to the soil, compost improves soil structure and water-holding capacity. Add roughly 25 to 100 pounds of compost to every 100 square feet of garden.