How and when to harvest rutabaga to preserve the harvest until spring
Rutabaga is one of the undeservedly forgotten agricultural crops along with turnips and spelt. Although it is the leader in vitamin C content among root vegetables. The vegetable is rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamins B1, B2, P.
Rutabaga was very popular in Russia until the mid-18th century, but with the advent of potatoes its cultivation declined sharply. Nowadays, growing healthy vegetables is again gaining momentum among those who watch their diet and seek to diversify their diet. However, it is not enough to grow a root crop; you also need to harvest it in time and preserve it. In this article we will tell you when to remove rutabaga from the garden and how to store it until spring.
Rutabaga harvesting time
A healthy and tasty vegetable that can be eaten 1.5–2 months after emergence. Root crops intended for long-term storage are removed from the garden only after ripeness.
When is it time to harvest
Mass harvesting begins in 3-4 months after emergence. The best time for digging is September and early October. By this time, the rutabaga stops growing and is completely ripe. The harvest is harvested before frost sets in: frozen fruits quickly lose their taste and are poorly stored.
Factors affecting rutabaga ripeness
Rutabaga is a fairly cold-resistant root vegetable.. It continues to grow and accumulate useful substances until the onset of cold weather. Late varieties of vegetables are sweeter and tastier than early ones. The latter are dug in August.
Factors that influence the timing of harvest include::
- ripening period of a particular variety (early ripening varieties are dug earlier than late ones);
- size of root vegetables (large vegetables are removed from the garden earlier, small ones are left longer if weather conditions permit).
Interesting facts about rutabaga:
Determination of maturity
A good assistant in determining the degree of ripeness of a vegetable The recommendations of the variety manufacturer are used. The packaging with seeds indicates the timing of emergence and ripening of root crops. The first thing people pay attention to is the variety and time of planting. Based on these data, it is easy to calculate the ripening period of the vegetable.
The growing season of rutabaga ranges from 90 to 130 days. The emerging shoots develop slowly at first. The first pair of true leaves grows about a week after emergence. After 1–1.5 months, the formation of the root crop begins. By the end of the growing season, about a third of the tops turn yellow and dry out. The weight of the fruit at this time ranges from 400 g to 1 kg, depending on the variety.
However, weather conditions vary from year to year, and accordingly, the harvest time will vary.
To correctly determine when to dig rutabaga, observe the root crop itself. Harvesting begins when growths appear. The appearance of crusts indicates that the vegetable is ripe. If in doubt, dig up a few fruits and try.
The following external signs will indicate that rutabaga is ready for harvesting harvest and storage for the winter:
- yellowing and drying of the lower leaves of the plant;
- the size and weight of root crops correspond to the declared indicators of the seed manufacturer.
Nevertheless, if there is a threat of frost, vegetables are dug up earlier. Otherwise, parts of the crop protruding from the ground will freeze.
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Harvesting rutabaga
Rutabagas are removed from the garden for storage in dry, sunny weather.. If, when determining the timing of harvesting, you rely on the lunar calendar, remember that all root crops are harvested on the days of the waning moon.
Excavation technology for long-term storage
To save the collected vegetables until spring, When harvesting, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Root crops begin to be dug up on time, as they reach technical ripeness. Overexposed in the garden, they become tough and lose their taste.
- Rutabaga is pulled out of the ground by hand or with a shovel and fork. Tools are used with caution so as not to damage the skin of the fruit.
- Vegetables removed from the ground are cleaned from the ground with your hands, without hitting each other or on a hard surface. The tops are twisted or trimmed, leaving a tail of 1.5–2 cm. It is preferable to twist the leaves: this way the tops break off at the desired height and the apical bud remains intact.
- Vegetables are placed for a couple of days in a dark, well-ventilated place. It is not advisable to dry root vegetables in the sun, as they will lose moisture and will be stored worse.
- The rutabaga is sorted. Small, damaged fruits and those with many lateral roots are eaten immediately or used as animal feed.
Important! Rutabagas intended for long-term storage are not washed. This leads to spoilage and rotting of root crops.
Preparation for storage
Cleaned from dirt, dried and sorted rutabaga is ready for laying for winter storage. The cellar or basement where the root crops will be located also needs to be prepared. The storage area is cleaned, disinfected and ventilated every time before storing vegetables.
First of all, tidy up the basement or cellar. Last year's crops, garbage, and sand residues are removed. The boards from which the bins are made are pulled out, washed with soap and soda and dried thoroughly. For disinfection, the room and container in which the vegetables will be located are treated 2-3 times with a 3-5% solution of copper sulfate.
Preserved root crops are susceptible to various diseases (rot, Phoma, bacteriosis). The following measures help prevent their appearance and development during storage:
- sowing varieties resistant to disease development;
- careful harvesting and transportation;
- sorting damaged fruits;
- maintaining the correct temperature;
- disinfection of storage facilities, containers and equipment.
Important! Rutabaga is delivered to the storage location in a clean, dry container.
Choosing a place and method of storage
Properly prepared root vegetables put in unheated storage for the winter. The rutabaga is placed in boxes or cardboard boxes and covered with sand. The optimal temperature is from 0 to +2 °C (lowering to -0.5...-1 °C is allowed). Air humidity is maintained within 90–95%. The vegetable also stores well in regular plastic bags.
If there is no suitable basement or cellar, rutabaga can be left in the ground in the garden. To do this, dig shallow holes or trenches and lay vegetables in them, covering them with dry sawdust or straw. The top of the pit is covered with a layer of earth.
Conclusion
Rutabaga is a nutritious and healthy vegetable, rich in vitamin C and a number of macroelements, and has a long shelf life.Timely harvesting before frost and proper preparation for storage help retain the taste and valuable substances in root crops until spring.