Do you want to grow Rutabagas in Hardiness Zone 3, but don’t know when to plant them?
Planting Rutabagas is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
- Rutabagas are not able to survive frost or cold weather under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if you plant them outside too early in the spring they will die. And if you plant them too late, your Rutabagas won’t produce a harvest before the first frost arrives in the fall.
Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to plant Rutabagas in Hardiness Zone 3.
- To Learn More About HOW to Grow Rutabagas, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Plant Rutabagas in Hardiness Zone 3
As you may have already guessed, you need to pay very close attention to your local weather in the spring. Specifically, you are going to need to watch when the last frost occurs.
In general, when there hasn’t been a frost for two weeks, you are SAFE to plant your Rutabagas outside in Hardiness Zone 3!
Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us every year.
There are years when the last frost comes MUCH later. Sometimes, the last frost happens much earlier and you can get your Rutabagas planted outside in Hardiness Zone 3 much quicker.
Like I said before, you need to be very diligent in checking your local weather.
So what happens if a frost comes AFTER you plant your Rutabagas?
When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.
- If Rutabagas are in pots, bring them inside
- If Rutabagas are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
Also, make sure not to plant your Rutabagas in your garden too late.
- Planting Rutabagas too late will cause small Rutabagas or even worse, no Rutabagas.
When Should You Start Your Rutabaga Seeds Indoors?
Depending on the type of Rutabaga, it takes roughly 70-80 days to grow Rutabagas from seed indoors and then transplant them to your garden.
For a specific date that you should start Rutabaga seeds indoors you should:
- Find the last average frost date HERE
- And then subtract 80 days from it
Not only this, but I recommend again paying close attention to your local weather report.
It should also be noted that the best technique for bringing your Rutabaga plants outside is to introduce them (in their pots) outside for an hour. And then increase the amount of time they spend outside each day by an hour until they have been outside for 8 hours.
This will “hardened” your Rutabaga plant, increasing its chances of fighting off diseases, insects, droughts, and wet conditions.
If you want to learn WHEN to plant ANY Vegetable in Hardiness Zone 3, head over to HERE and just type in the vegetable you want to grow.
