Turnips are a common food because of their bulbous root and pungent, nutrient-dense leaves. However all turnip greens are fit for human consumption, many kinds have been bred for their ability to produce a large number of tasty turnip greens.
Keep reading for a detailed step-by-step guide about growing seven top greens.
History Of Seven Top Turning Greens
The Seven Top Turnip comes from a long history of turnips. Turnips were cultivated in two locations, with European variants originating in the Mediterranean region. In addition, as early as 300 BCE, the Early Greeks were cultivating many varieties.
The turnip, which is said to have evolved in Central Asia, west of the Himalayan mountain range, has been produced in Asia for the past 4,000 years. Turnips were grown in what became France as earlier as 100 A.D.
The Seven Top turnip cultivar was first discovered in Virginia, and by the nineteenth century, it had become a common garden staple across the Eastern Atlantic region and the South. The Seven Top greens would continue to flourish throughout the twentieth century as seed firms started to distribute the plant across the country.
It ultimately gained a devoted fan base in Kentucky, southern Ohio, and, of course, Missouri. Despite its reputation in home gardens, it was not commercially farmed since it does not yield the bulbous root that many people enjoy. The Seven Top is the classic and highly appreciated in the South for those who enjoy turnip greens.
The greens are typically used in wilted salads with heated bacon grease and salt. The greens have a stronger spicy aroma than lettuce, cress, or peppergrass, yet are less spicy than mustard.
The Brassica genus includes mustard greens and cabbage, and the Seven Top belongs to that family. The root, stems, leaves, blossoms, and seeds of Brassica plants have been produced for food and can be utilized in a variety of culinary preparations.
“It (turnips) should be spoken of soon after maize, or the bean, at any rate,” wrote Roman author and naturalist Pliny the Elder, “for there is no plant that is of more extensive service next to these two crops.” Turnips are not identical, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, with some weighing up to fifty pounds.
They can be circular, plain, or even cylindrical, with or without green, red, or purple at the top, and in a variety of colors. The leaves of the Seven Top are harvested around 45 days after planting, and it is usually planted in the fall and winter seasons…
Greens became a staple crop in the South because of their lengthy planting season and excellent nutritional benefits. Southern food is a blend of European, African, and Native American culinary customs and norms that has been impacted by the African Diaspora.
Before the nineteenth century, the mass of Africans in the United States was subjugated, and their period in Africa was spent primarily laboring in agriculture and domestic devotion to one another. Their captivity, however, put them in a position to control their captors.
This effect expanded not just to the foods they consumed and presented, but also to the crops they farmed, agricultural processes, culinary techniques, and, potentially, even hospitality notions. Before Europeans arrived, a soupy stew eaten over a starch was most likely in use across the African continent, differing from area to area.
How To Grow Seven Top Turnip Greens
- Choose a garden site with fertile, well-drained soil and 6 – 8 hrs of direct sunlight each day.
- Rake the soil smooth and break it to a depth of one foot. Once the soil is workable in the spring, sow seeds straight into the garden.
- One-half inch deep and one-half to one inch apart, seeds should be planted.
- Maintain the soil moist and hard over the seeds till seedlings emerge.
- Thin plants to two to three inches apart in eighteen-inch rows when they reach 112 inches tall. (Always clip off undesirable plants when trimming.) Pulling the seedlings you want to keep may shock (stun) or kill them.)
- Keep the soil prepared and water as needed to maintain weeds at bay.
- Provide the plants lots of space if you’re dry farming or otherwise not hydrating frequently so that their particular roots don’t compete for the same water and nutrients. Eighteen inches is the approximate distance.
How To Harvest Turnip Greens
Turnip greens can be harvested when the roots of the turnips are well developed. This helps keep your turnips alive and so you can harvest more greens.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you understand how to grow seven top turnips. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions.
