Growing Turnips: The Complete Guide

People don't give turnips the love they deserve. They are set aside while other root vegetables like potatoes and carrots get all the attention.

Perhaps they are victims of being cooked too badly too many times and should be given more credit. Cooked properly, turnips have a glorious earthy flavor that is slightly sweeter and less starchy than potatoes.

They are also easy to grow, nutritious, and you can store them for quite a long time. They are also ideal for small gardens as they take up relatively little space.

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Turnips have been valued for centuries for their health benefits. In fact, the Romans and Greeks considered them important for human and animal consumption. Convinced? See how to start growing turnips.

1.When to plant turnips

Turnips love cool weather, so you can plant them in the spring or fall.
For a late spring payoff, plant directly in the garden when you can work the soil, about 2-3 weeks before the last frost if winters are to be expected.

If you want a fall harvest, plant them in late summer, about 70 days before the date of the first frost. You can also plant quick-ripening turnips in early fall for a late harvest if winter is late in your area.

2.How to sow

Plant directly in a row to a depth of about half an inch. Sow 4-6 inches apart with 12-24 inches between rows. Germination can last from 6 to 10 days. Consider covering growing turnips with bells if birds and slugs are attacking the canopies.

Sun requirements: Full sun is perfect for turnips. As a root crop, they are protected underground from burning as long as you don't allow them to get too dry. They can also handle partial shade.
Soil requirements: Turnips are brassicas and rooted, so they need fertile, loose, well-draining soil. As a tip, you can add some very rotten compost or manure to the soil 2 weeks before planting. Make sure to loosen and set the soil at least 6 to 20 inches deep.

3.How to care for turnips

Watering:

Water your turnips regularly. If the roots get too dry and then get too much moisture, they will crack and crack. Lack of water also causes smaller bitter woody roots.

At the same time, it is not advisable to give too much water. Check that the roots are dry by digging a little below the surface near the plant. If it's dry underneath, water them. Plan to give about an inch of water a week.

Weeding:

As with all root vegetables, keep the garden free of weeds so that the roots of the weeds do not interfere with the growth of turnips under the ground.

Fertilizer:

Give growing turnips a layer of compost in the middle of the growing season. If you notice signs of hunger, such as yellowing leaves or poor growth, feed him an all-purpose liquid fertilizer.

Bolting:

Growing turnips can bolt if stressed, either from too little water, poor soil, or too much heat. To avoid screwing in, be sure to give them fertile, well-drained soil.

Plan your planting to avoid the hottest times of the year. Make sure your growing turnips get enough constant moisture. If your plants fail, you can do one of two things. Pick the plant right away and eat the leaves and root as is.

Or you can allow the plant to skip over and save the seeds for planting next year. Cutting the seeds will not reverse the screwing, so don't worry.

4.How to harvest turnips

Seeds:

If you stop growing turnips long enough they will turn into seeds, which can be nice if you want to save some for next year. Pick some plants to put in the ground.

Let them bloom in spring and let the pods turn brown. Cut the fruits and dry them inside in brown paper bags. When they're dry, tear them up. Store the seeds in a paper envelope.

Leaves:

Choose small, tender leaves for salads. Slightly larger leaves can be cooked on plates or wilted in a pan. If the leaves are too large, they are often bitter and not worth eating.

Roots:

The roots are ready for harvest after 5 to 6 weeks for early varieties and 6 to 10 weeks for standard types. Harvest turnips when they are the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball.

Some turnips are tasty when grown large, but make sure that is the case with your variety. To harvest, dig around the root to loosen it, then gently lift it out of the ground.