Growing turnips requires relatively little care and can usually be harvested after 5-10 weeks by taking both the root of the vegetable and the green part. Start with seeds and plan to grow turnips in the spring or fall.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Planting
Step 1. Sow in spring or autumn
Turnips thrive in colder temperatures, so you should plant them when the soil temperature is still quite low. For spring turnips, plant seeds outdoors three weeks before the last expected frost. For fall ones, plant the seeds in the middle of summer, about two months before the first expected frost of winter.
- The soil temperature must maintain an average of at least 4 ° C for the seeds to germinate, but temperatures between 10 and 21 ° C favor faster growth.
- Turnips grown in the fall are typically sweeter than spring turnips and are also less likely to attract root worms.
Step 2. Find a good location
Turnips thrive in full sun, so the area you choose should receive at least six hours of direct sun each day, if not a little more.
- Ideally, you should also find a spot with naturally light, well-draining soil. You can improve the soil conditions if necessary, but if they are already good the job will be easier.
- Also keep in mind that turnips prefer soils with a pH of 6.5. Most soils are never too acidic or too alkaline, so testing isn't always necessary. However, if you are having difficulty with your turnip crop, consider checking the pH of the soil by taking a sample and taking it to a testing lab or by purchasing a kit that you can find at a nursery or home improvement store.
Step 3. Improve the soil conditions
Aerate the soil with a rake or shovel to a depth of 30 - 38 cm, then mix in a 5-10 cm layer of compost.
For best results, consider adding a few handfuls of well-decomposed manure to the compost as well
Step 4. Sowing
Sprinkle the seeds into the soil you have prepared as evenly as possible. Gently cover them with 6mm of soil for spring turnips or 1.25cm of soil for fall turnips.
- Alternatively, you can plant the seeds in rows 30-45 cm apart.
- Know that germination usually occurs within 7 - 14 days.
- Once the seeds are planted, make sure they are all equally watered. You do not have to wet them directly, as this will leave the soil, but you do need to make sure that the surface of the soil is a little damp to the touch.
Step 5. Thin out the seedlings
When they reach a height of 10 cm, remove the weaker ones so that the stronger ones have more space and resources. The "early" varieties must be thinned out so that they are 5-10 cm apart from each other, while the standard varieties or "main crops" should be spaced 15 cm apart.
- If you want to grow turnips only for their green part, however, you shouldn't thin them out.
- Usually, the green parts of the removed plants are large enough to be consumed.
Part 2 of 3: General Care
Step 1. Water as needed
Turnips need 2.5cm of water per week. If you water them less, the roots become hard and bitter, but if you water them much more they can rot.
Keep an eye on rainfall in your area. During the seasons of medium rainfall, perhaps no additional irrigation is needed. If the season is dry, however, you should water the turnips by hand
Step 2. Add abundant mulch
When the plants reach a height of 12 - 13 cm, add a 5 cm layer of mulch around the vegetables.
- Mulch retains moisture which can promote better growth and a more intense flavor.
- In addition, it can control and limit weeds in the vegetable garden.
Step 3. Consider fertilizing
While not strictly necessary, a monthly application of a light organic fertilizer can help strengthen turnip roots. Choose a fertilizer that is high in potassium and phosphorus, rather than one rich in nitrogen.
- Nitrogen fertilizers tend to thicken turnip greens a lot, but the roots suffer as a result.
- Look for fertilizers that also contain boron or apply a spray that contains boron 4-6 weeks after planting.
- Make sure whatever fertilizer you use is safe for food crops.
- As an alternative to fertilizer, you can apply a dose of compost tea about once a month.
Step 4. Eliminate any weeds
All weeds that emerge from the mulch must be removed by hand. Avoid using herbicides because the chemicals they contain can be absorbed by the plant, damaging it and making it unsuitable for human consumption.
Step 5. Pay attention to parasites and fungi
Root worms and beetles are among the most common pests you need to worry about, while powdery mildew and downy mildew are the most common forms of fungus.
- Root worms are a bigger problem when growing turnips in soil where you grew radishes, turnips, or rutabagas the previous year. To avoid infestations, you need to rotate crops and spray the soil with a food-safe insecticide specifically designed for use against root worms.
- Keeping the soil pH above 6.0 can also prevent most mold and other fungus problems. Periodically check the soil acidity with a kit or by taking a sample to an analysis laboratory.
- Generally speaking, once the roots are infested with pests or fungi, there isn't much you can do to save them. The best solution is to remove the infected plant and properly treat the soil to destroy as many pests or fungi present as possible. Maybe you can recover the rest of the turnip crop, but that's not certain.
Part 3 of 3: The Harvest
Step 1. Harvest the early vegetables
As a general rule, you can harvest them as soon as they are big enough to do so. Generally, the right time is when the green part grows to a height of 10-15cm.
- As long as the meristems or knots are not removed, the green part should regrow after harvest.
- If you wish to harvest the leaves and roots of the same plant, only remove two or three leaves per plant. If you remove them all, the root will die.
Step 2. Remove the roots of the turnips once they are ripe
You can harvest ripe turnips after 5-10 weeks. The "early" varieties take only five weeks to mature, while the standard varieties require at least 6 - 10.
- You can harvest small turnips simply by hand. To harvest large ones, use a fork to loosen the soil around the root before pulling it out.
- You can harvest turnips of any size. The small ones are tender and tend to be a little sweeter than the large ones, so most people prefer to harvest them when the roots are between 2.5 and 7.5 cm in diameter.
- You can check the size of the root by gently moving the earth on top of a plant to see the root below. If that looks ready for harvest, the others will probably be ripe as well.
- Make sure you collect all the turnips before the frosts begin. Avoid overgrowth, as when overripe they take on a woody flavor and texture.
Step 3. Store vegetables at cool temperatures
When stored and kept in a cool place, turnips usually last 3-4 months. Consider keeping them in a cellar, basement, or shed and cover them with straw.
- Remove the buds, leaving 1.25cm of stem before storing. Do not remove any soil that may have stuck to the roots, as it protects them during the storage period.
- You can decide to leave the fall crop in the ground until early winter by covering the turnips with thick mulch, but remove them before the ground freezes and hardens.
- Turnips can be stored in the refrigerator.
