Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook - 2023 - 96

Seed Treatment. Soak seed in hot water at 122°F. Soak rutabagas
for 20 minutes and turnips for 25 minutes. Dry the seed, then
dust with a labeled fungicide to prevent damping-off. Further information
on seed treatments can be found under SEED TREATMENTS
in the disease management section of the handbook.
SPACING AND SEEDING
Radishes: Salad or garden radish roots are normally red
skinned, round, less than two inches in diameter and grow rapidly,
generally taking less than one month from seeding to harvest.
Icicle types are elongated root forms of garden radishes. Daikon
radishes are Asian storage radishes that produce large, white cylindrical
roots which can exceed twelve inches in length and can
weigh over one pound. Spanish radishes have round or elongated
large storage roots with black skin. Storage radishes can take
up to ninety days from seeding to harvest.
Radishes are a quick-growing, cool-season crop producing
its best quality when grown at temperatures of 50° to 65°F. Many
radish types are ready for harvest 23 to 28 days after sowing.
Radishes must be grown with an adequate moisture supply; otherwise,
when growth is checked radishes become hot, tough, and
pithy. Warm temperature and longer day-lengths induce seedstalk
formation.
Seed radish as early in the spring as soil can be worked,
then in order to maintain a continual supply make additional
plantings at 8- to 10-day intervals. Space rows 8 to 15 inches
apart and sow 12 to 15 seed per foot within a row. This will require
10 to 15 pounds of seed per acre.
RADISH PLANTING DATES
Spring
AL North
AL South
GA North
GA South
KY East
KY Central
KY West
LA North
LA South
MS North
MS South
NC East
NC West
OK
SC East
SC West
TN East
TN West
NR = Not recommended
Rutabagas: A cool-season crop that develops best at temperatures
of 60° to 65°F. Usually considered a fall crop, it
can be grown in the spring. Seed at least 90 days before the
early freeze date in the fall. Sow 1.5 to 2 pounds of seed per
acre at a depth of 1 inch in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Thin
to 4 to 8 inches in the row when plants are 2 to 3 inches tall.
This is a long term root crop normally requiring up to 120 days
or more to mature.
96
2/15-5/15
1/15-3/31
3/15-5/15
2/1-3/31
3/15-5/15
3/10-5/10
3/10-4/1
2/1-3/15
1/15-3/15
3/5-4/30
2/1-3/31
2/15-6/30
4/1-8/15
03/1-3/31
2/1-6/15
3/15-6/30
4/1-5/30
3/1-5/1
Fall
8/1-10/15
8/1-10/31
8/1-9/15
8/1-10/15
8/1-9/1
8/15-9/15
9/15-10/1
8/1-10/30
8/1-10/30
8/1-9/15
8/1-9/30
8/1-9/15
NR
7/15-9/30
8/1-9/30
8/1-9/15
8/1-9/15
8/1-9/30
RUTABAGA PLANTING DATES
Spring
Fall
AL North
AL South
GA North
GA South
KY East
KY Central
KY West
LA North
LA South
MS
NC East
NC West
OK
SC East
SC West
TN East
TN West
NR = Not recommended
Turnips: Seed as early in the spring as soil can be worked or at
least 70 days before the early freeze date in the fall. Seed in rows
1 to 2 pounds per acre, 0.25 to 0.5 inch deep, in rows 14 to 18
inches apart. Plants should be 2 to 3 inches apart in the row. Seed
can also be broadcast at the rate of 2.5 pounds per acre.
TURNIP (ROOTS) PLANTING DATES
Spring
Fall
AL North
AL South
GA North
GA South
KY East
KY Central
KY West
LA North
LA South
MS North
MS South
NC East
NC West
OK
SC East
SC West
TN East
TN West
NR = Not recommended
HARVESTING AND STORAGE
Rutabagas: Pull and trim tops in field. Bruised, damaged, or
diseased rutabagas will not store well. Wash rutabagas in clean
water, spray-rinse with clean water, then dry as rapidly as possible
before waxing and shipping. Rutabagas can be stored 2 to 4
months at 32°F and at 90% to 95% relative humidity.
Turnips: The crop is dug mechanically and either bunched or
topped. Turnips can be stored at 32° to 35°F and at 90% to 95%
relative humidity.
For further postharvest information on radish, rutabaga, and turnip,
see Table 14.
2023 Vegetable Crop Handbook for Southeastern United States
2/15-5/15
1/15-3/31
3/15-5/15
2/1-3/31
3/15-4/15
3/10-4/10
3/1-4/1
2/1-3/15
1/15-3/15
1/20-4/1
1/15-3/1
2/15-6/30
4/1-8/15
3/1-4/30
2/1-4/1
3/15-4/30
3/15-5/30
3/1-5/1
8/1-10/15
8/1-10/30
8/1-9/15
8/1-10/15
7/1-7/15
7/15-8/1
8/1-8/15
7/15-10/31
7/15-10/31
7/25-8/20
8/10-9/15
8/1-9/15
NR
7/15-9/30
8/1-9/30
8/1-9/15
7/15-8/10
8/1-8/25
2/15-5/15
1/15-3/31
3/15-5/15
2/1-3/31
3/15-5/15
3/10-5/10
3/10-4/1
2/1-3/15
1/15-3/15
NR
2/15-4/15
4/1-8/15
3/1-3/31
2/1-3/31
3/15-4/30
3/15-5/15
3/10-4/1
8/1-9/15
8/1-10/15
8/1-9/15
8/1-10/15
NR
NR
NR
7/15-10/30
7/15-10/30
NR
8/1-9/30
NR
7/15-8/15
8/15-10/15
7/15-9/30
NR
NR
Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook - 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook - 2023
