Turnip

Brassica rapa (Rapifera group) · Cabbage family (Brassicaceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	2 to 11
Sun	full sun
Water	moderate
Life cycle	biennial
Frost	Hardy: takes frost
Soil pH	6.0–7.5
Spacing	3 to 6 inches
Days to harvest	45 to 70 days
Soil temperature to plant	at least 40°F

About Turnip

Turnips are fast, cold-hardy root crops, and their leafy tops are good cooked greens too. They are easy to sow in both spring and fall.

Grown as a cool-season annual in every zone; time it for the cool weather of spring or fall.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Sow seeds outdoors: 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost
Fall planting: 2 to 12 weeks before the first fall frost

Days count from seeding to roots; greens can be picked in about 30 days, so the latest fall sowings are mainly for greens.

Soil

Loose, well-drained soil from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline; give about an inch of water a week.

Follow a soil test and keep pH 6.0 to 7.0; work in compost or well-rotted manure the season before, and without a test add about 2 to 3 lb of complete fertilizer such as 10-20-10 per 100 sq ft.

Feeding

3 to 4 weeks after planting, when plants are about 4 to 5 inches tall: nitrogen fertilizer such as calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0). Use about 1 lb per 100 sq ft (30 ft of row) beside the plants and water it in; split it into two feedings 3 to 4 weeks apart on sandy soil.

Too much nitrogen or fresh manure can give forked roots and fewer good roots; phosphorus matters most for root size.

Harvest

Pull roots when they are 2 to 3 inches across, usually with their shoulders showing above the soil; larger roots get woody. Cut young tops for greens.

Pull roots once at 2 to 3 inches wide, before they turn woody; greens can be cut and cooked, including from thinnings.

Varieties (16)

Variety	Type	Days	Notes
Alamo	Greens only		Grown only for greens; it does not form a swollen root.
Seven Top	Greens only, heirloom	45 days	Grown for its very dark green leaves; the root is not eaten.
Market Express	Hybrid		Mild and sweet. Small, pure white, globe-shaped roots that mature very early. Good for both roots and greens.
Royal Crown	Hybrid		A vigorous, uniform hybrid with semi-flat roots that are white below and purple on top.
Royal Globe	Hybrid	45 days	A hybrid with uniform size, shape and color that grows faster than open-pollinated turnips. Royal Globe II has broader, darker, less cut leaves.
Tokyo Cross	Hybrid	35 days	A very early hybrid with white, globe-shaped roots.
White Lady	Hybrid	35 to 40 days	Medium, pure white roots with tender leaves on an upright plant. It tolerates heat and resists bolting.
All Top	Hybrid, greens	35 days	A fast, high-yielding hybrid grown for greens. It can be cut more than once.
Topper	Hybrid, greens		A hybrid Seven Top type with smooth, dark leaves, good cold tolerance, and resistance to aphids and downy mildew.
Just Right	Hybrid, roots and greens	50 to 70 days	A large white globe that tolerates cold, so it is best for fall and winter crops.
Shogoin	Open-pollinated, greens and roots	30 to 42 days	Tender, mild leaves. Grown mostly for its tender leaves. Roots are white and flat on top. Mississippi State calls it a quick-growing Japanese type.
Purple Top White Globe	Roots and greens, heirloom	50 to 55 days	Mild and sweet. Round, smooth white roots with a bright purple top. Wisconsin calls it the standard American turnip.
Hakurei	Salad turnip	38 days	Small, smooth, flat-round white roots that mature early.
Golden Ball	Yellow-fleshed		A yellow-fleshed turnip for summer.
Purple Crown		50 to 55 days	A purple-top turnip on Kentucky's list.
White Egg			Sweet. Egg-shaped white roots with a green-white top and crisp flesh.

Pests to watch for

Flea beetles, Cabbage maggot, Bagrada bug, Beet armyworm, Seedcorn maggot, Blister beetles, Voles

Diseases and problems

Black rot of cabbage-family crops, Clubroot, Boron deficiency, Alternaria leaf spot (cabbage family), Powdery mildew, White rust, Common scab, Turnip mosaic

In the kitchen

Roots are roasted, mashed, boiled or eaten raw when small; the tops are cooked as greens.

Keeping it: Cut off the tops, then refrigerate roots in a sealed bag or container. In a cold (32 to 35F), humid root cellar they can keep 4 to 5 months, though they dry out more easily than other roots.

Safety: If you take the blood thinner warfarin, keep the amount of turnip greens you eat about the same from day to day, because they are very rich in vitamin K (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).

Pets: Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA

Sources

Photo: Photo: thebittenword.com, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.