Five harvested Wilhelmsburger rutabagas with purple shoulders and golden roots on a light gray background.
Freshly harvested Wilhelmsburger rutabagas with purple-shouldered roots and golden skin on a light surface.
Freshly harvested Wilhelmsburger rutabagas with purple shoulders, golden roots, and soil-covered taproots.
1 - 3

Wilhelmsburger - Rutabaga Seeds

$3.74 $5.35
Open-Pollinated
Quick Facts
  • Old European rutabaga with purple shoulders and golden flesh
  • Large, smooth roots sweeten as cool weather settles in
  • Roast, mash, or store for hearty winter meals
  • 80 days from sowing
  • Brassica napus
Choose size

🌱 Sow with Confidence—One-Year Seed Guarantee

Wilhelmsburger rutabaga is an old European variety grown for large, smooth roots with purple shoulders and golden flesh. It is a cool-season crop that develops sweetness and substance as the weather turns, making it useful for fall and winter kitchens.

Roast, mash, stew, or store the roots after harvest for hearty meals. Wilhelmsburger brings traditional root-cellar character to the garden, offering a crop that feels humble in the field and deeply useful on the table.

Orders ship from Pennsylvania within 1–2 business days via USPS. Orders $79+ ship free within the contiguous United States.

Unopened items may be returned within 30 days. If something arrives damaged, incomplete, or incorrect, we’ll make it right.

View Shipping Policy

We stand behind every packet. Our seeds are untreated, germination-tested, true to variety, and covered for one year from purchase.

If seeds arrive damaged, fail to germinate under reasonable growing conditions, or do not grow true to type, contact us and we’ll make it right with a replacement, store credit, or refund.

View Refund, Return & Guarantee Policy

FAMILY OWNED

Hand packed in Pennsylvania by our family.

LAB TESTED

Third-party tested for reliable germination.

NON-GMO

Open-pollinated varieties for home gardens & seed saving.

UNTREATED SEED

Never coated with chemical seed treatments.

Customers rate us 4.8/5 based on 307 reviews.

Rutabaga Growing Basics

Rutabagas are a patient garden crop, swelling slowly beneath the soil as summer gives way to cooler days. Their golden flesh and purple-brushed shoulders have long earned a place in northern kitchens, where they were valued as dependable roots for roasting, mashing, and winter storage.

Sometimes called Swedish turnips or swedes, rutabagas are larger, denser, and slower-growing than ordinary turnips. They are cool-season biennials usually grown as annuals, producing their sweetest, smoothest roots when growth is steady and the crop matures in cool autumn weather.

Direct sow rutabagas so the roots mature during cool weather. In many climates, this means sowing in early to midsummer for harvest after the first light frosts.

Allow about 90–110 days before the first hard freeze, depending on the variety. Rutabagas tolerate frost well, and cool autumn temperatures often improve their sweetness and texture.

Sow seeds about ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart in loose, well-prepared soil. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings emerge.

Thin plants to about 4–6 inches apart once they are established. Rutabagas are best direct sown because transplanting may disturb the developing root. Young thinnings may be used as tender greens.

Choose a site with full sun and deep, well-drained soil free of stones and hard clods. Finished compost can improve soil structure and help roots develop evenly.

Keep moisture steady throughout the long growing season. Dry spells may produce woody or strongly flavored roots. Mulch lightly once plants are established to conserve moisture, cool the soil, and reduce weed competition.

Harvest when roots reach about 3–5 inches across and feel firm and heavy. Smaller roots are often more tender, though many varieties remain useful at larger sizes.

Light frost can improve flavor, but harvest before the soil freezes hard. Cut off the tops, brush away loose soil, and store sound roots in cool, humid conditions. Rutabagas keep well when protected from drying out.

Full Rutabaga Growing Guide