Do you want to grow rutabaga in New Mexico, but don’t know when to plant them?
Planting rutabaga is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
- Rutabaga 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 rutabaga 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 rutabaga in New Mexico:
- To Learn More About HOW to Grow Rutabaga, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Plant Rutabaga in New Mexico
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 rutabaga outside in New Mexico!
For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in New Mexico. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.
New Mexico Last & First Frost Dates
Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us every year.
It should be noted that the above dates are just averages.
There are years when the last frost comes MUCH later. Sometimes, the last frost happens much earlier and you can get your rutabaga planted outside in New Mexico 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 rutabaga?
When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.
- If rutabaga are in pots, bring them inside
- If rutabaga are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
Also, make sure not to plant your rutabaga in your garden too late.
- Planting rutabaga too late will cause small rutabaga or even worse, no rutabaga.
When Should You Start Your Rutabaga Seeds Indoors?
Depending on the type of rutabaga, it takes roughly 70-80 days to grow rutabaga 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 New Mexico, head over to HERE and just type in the vegetable you want to grow.
