Rutabagas are terrific in the south and very sweet. The key is to plant them in the fall and pick them during the early spring when the roots get large; but I start picking the greens in late fall. I prefer the greens off of rutabagas to any other green. Don't let the large leaves fool you, they cook down to very tender and sweet greens. Just chop them up a little and drop into a pot with some water, bacon drippings and salt and cook til tender. I always plant a lot and thin them several times for the greens and leave a couple of dozen to make roots. The greens and roots can be cooked together for a real taste treat. Just don't use the really old leaves with brown dead spots or edges on them. Oh yeah, for you real rutabaga novices, make sure you peel the root and cut it up before cooking.
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Originally Posted by tjg911
they keep very well, all winter and are good mixed with potatoes and mashed.
now for the surprise, i never thought anyone would grow rutabagas in the south. rutabagas are a northern crop, so i always thought. they get sweeter after frosts, i let mine sit until mid november to get several hard freezes. so since you don't (do you?) get frosts and freezes in the south are your rutabagas sweet?
tom
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