Garden Vegetable - Turnips

Botanical Information

Starting

Notes:

Turnips are very easily grown, provided they grow quickly when young and the soil is not allowed to dry out. They succeed in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil. Prefers a light sandy soil and dislikes a heavy soil. Prefers cool moist growing conditions. Succeeds in any reasonable soil. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.3.
The turnip is often cultivated, both in the garden and commercially, for its edible root. A fast growing plant, it can take less than ten weeks from sowing to harvesting. There are several named varieties and by careful selection and successional sowing it is possible to harvest roots all year round. The roots are fairly cold hardy and can be left in the ground during the winter, harvesting them as required. However, they can be troubled by slugs and other creatures so it is often better to harvest them in late autumn or early winter and store them in a cool but frost-free place. Grows well with peas but dislikes growing with hedge mustard and knotweed. A good bee plant.

Propagation: Seed - sow in situ from early spring to late summer. The first sowing can be made under cloches in late winter and will be ready for use in early summer. The latest sowings for winter use can be made in mid to late summer.