Do Rutabagas Grow Well in Florida?

Planting Date

• Cool weather, including light frost, brings out the best culinary qualities in rutabagas. For Florida gardeners, this translates to growing them only in the winter, when they can mature to perfection. Otherwise, rutabagas do not grow well in Florida and may have tough, bitter roots. They need about 100 days from seed to harvest and should be planted in mid-autumn after nighttime temperatures have stabilized around 50 to 60 degrees. This assures that they mature before the first warm weather begins -- early February in many parts of Florida.

Soils

• Rutabagas grow very well in most soils in Florida. The sandy loam soils make it easy for large roots to develop, though areas where the pH is below 5.5 will need to be limed before planting. Incorporating compost into the soil will improve the quality of rutabagas grown in sandy soils of low fertility. Low-lying, mucky soils in Florida are not suitable for growing rutabagas unless they are planted in raised beds at least 6 inches above the surrounding grade.

Care

• Irrigation is rarely needed for winter-grown rutabagas in Florida, except during the seedling stage. Rutabagas appreciate ample moisture, however, and should be watered during extended dry spells if the top inch of soil becomes dry. Seedlings need to be thinned to allow 3 to 5 inches between each plant, and Florida's winter weed growth should be kept under control to prevent competition with the low-growing plants. In lieu of enriching the soils with compost, fertilize rutabagas with 3 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer for every 100 square feet of bed space, especially in sandy Florida soils.

Disease

• Florida's humid climate can exacerbate some fungal diseases to which rutabagas are susceptible, such as white spot, downy mildew and damping-off disease. These can be controlled with fungicides if they are noticed in their early stages, though they are rarely severe enough in rutabagas to prevent good crops from being grown. Club root, which deforms the roots and ruins the crop, is one of the most serious diseases of rutabagas in Florida and is most likely to occur in mucky, acidic soils. The only prevention for club root is to avoid planting in soils contaminated with the pathogen.