root · direct sow
Rutabaga: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating rutabaga a few times a week needs about 3 plants in ~3 sq ft, worth about $8 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$2.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1 | ~1 sq ft | ~2 | ~$3 |
| 2 people | 2 | ~2 sq ft | ~4 | ~$5 |
| 4 people | 3 | ~3 sq ft | ~6 | ~$8 |
| 6 people | 5 | ~4 sq ft | ~10 | ~$13 |
Spacing
6" in row · 18" between rows
Sow depth
0.5"
Days to harvest
90 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | Jun 2 – Jul 14 |
| Zone 4 | — | Jun 12 – Jul 24 |
| Zone 5 | — | Jun 22 – Aug 3 |
| Zone 6 | — | Jul 2 – Aug 13 |
| Zone 7 | — | Jul 12 – Aug 23 |
| Zone 8 | — | Aug 2 – Sep 13 |
| Zone 9 | — | Aug 22 – Oct 3 |
| Zone 10 | — | Sep 1 – Oct 13 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
3 to 5 inches across, ideally after a frost or two, cold turns the starch to sugar.
Yield
About 1.25 lbs per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~1.25 lb).
Watch for
Cabbage worms & loopers · Aphids · Flea beetles · Black rot · Cabbage root maggot, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with onion, garlic, english shelling pea, spinach. Keep away from tomato, tomato, tomato.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
37 kcal · 2.3 g fiber · 25 mg vitamin C · 305 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Rutabaga keeps for months in cool storage. See how much to grow and store to feed your household, and how long it keeps.
Rutabaga planting questions
How many rutabaga plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 1 plant per person. A family of 4 needs about 3 plants, which takes around 3 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does rutabaga need?+
Space plants 6" apart in the row with 18" between rows. Sow 0.5" deep. Direct sow in the bed.
When should I plant rutabaga?+
It depends on your frost dates. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing rutabaga worth it?+
At about $2.00/lb retail and ~1.25 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $8 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.