When it’s cool outside, turnips thrive and taste better. 2 to 3 weeks before the usual last winter date in spring, plant turnip seeds straight in the garden for a late spring harvest. In reverse-season regions, turnips should be planted in late summer for fall harvest, early autumn for late autumn harvest, and late autumn for winter harvest.
The turnip is a cool-season biennial that is cultivated as an annual. From a swelling, root-like base or tuber, the turnip produces a rosette of bright green leaves. Turnips can be cultivated for their green leaves or as a root crop. Plant 5–10 plants for each member of your family.
Location
Turnips can be grown in either full or partial sun. Turnips should be planted in well-drained, organic-rich soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Adding garden compost and well-aged manure to planting beds ahead of time will help. Apply sand or gypsum to thick clay soil, or organize beds the season preceding seeding by sowing green manure and mixing it into the beds.
What Is The Best Time To Plant Turnips?
Turnips are a cool-season crop that takes 30 to 60 days to fully mature. Temperatures of 40°F to 75°F (7-24°C) are ideal for growing turnips. It’s preferable to pick them before the temperature rises beyond 75°F (24°C).
For a late spring or early summer harvest, sow turnip seeds immediately in the garden 2 to 3 weeks before the usual last frost date in spring. In reverse-season regions, plant turnips in late summer for fall harvest, early autumn for late autumn harvest, and late autumn for the winter crop.
Complement Plants For Turnips
Bush beans, peas, and southern peas are good complement plants for turnips.
Containers For Growing Turnip
Green turnips may be grown in pots with ease. Small turnip roots can be cultivated in 8-inch (20-cm) broad containers.
Recommended Products:
- Garden Pots, buy on Amazon
- Germinating Tray, buy on Amazon
- Gardening Wheelbarrow, buy on Amazon
- Gardening Gloves, buy on Amazon
- Gardening clothes, buy on Amazon
Caring for Turnips
To ensure that turnips develop as quickly as possible, keep the soil moist. Allowing the soil to dry out is not a good idea. Turnips’ roots become woody and strong-flavored as they mature slowly. In the middle of the season, side-dress turnips with aged compost.
Keep weeds out of your planting beds. Small roots can result from overcrowding. Turnips should be mulched with straw to keep the tuber tops from being sunburned.
Aphids and flea beetles may wreak havoc on turnips. Pinch out infested foliage and hose a large infestation off the plants to get rid of aphids. Keep weeds to a minimum in the garden to keep flea beetles at bay.
White rust fungus can harm turnips, causing little white cottony blisters on the top surface of the leaves and yellow discoloration on the undersides. Control isn’t required.
Harvest
30 to 60 days after planting, turnips are ready to harvest. Lift roots cautiously with a garden fork when they are 2 to 3 inches (5-7cm) in diameter. When the leaves are 12 inches (30 cm) long, they can be trimmed; the outside leaves should be cut first. Greens can be gathered from the seedlings that have been thinned.
Storage
Store in a cool (32° to 38°F), dark spot like a root cellar for up to 3 or 4 months, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Turnips should be stored in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge. The turnips mustn’t dry out, but they also shouldn’t develop moldy due to excessive moisture.
Peel, wash, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes before freezing. Blanch for 3 minutes, then cool in cold water and drain. Fill containers with the mixture, label them, and place them in the freezer.
