How to Grow Turnips
Instruction & Advice for Growing Turnip Plants
in Your Vegetable Garden
| Nutrition | Watering Instructions | Harvesting |
| Climate | Fertilizing Instructions | Storage |
| Soil | Challenges | Tips |
| Planting |
*** Easy to Grow ***
Turnips are a delightful, mild root vegetable and a gardening favorite because they're so easy to grow. The turnip leaves can also be eaten as nutritious cooked greens (like spinach) or the tender young leaves mixed in with other garden greens in salads.
Gardening Advice Tip: Turnips don't like competition from other plants. Do your best to keep turnip beds free from weeds, and do not hill the soil around the exposed vegetable.
Nutrition Information: (back to top)
Under optimal growing conditions, turnip roots offer: Dietary Fiber, Chromium, Potassium, Manganese, Folate, Vitamin C, B6, C, Calcium, Copper
the Turnip Greens offer: Dietary Fiber, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Chromium, Manganese, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Iron, Vitamin C, A, E, K, B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus
Climate & Growing Conditions: (back to top)
Turnips perform best in cool gardening climates, but will grow nearly anywhere (depending upon the variety).
How to Prepare the Garden Soil: (back to top)
Turnips prefer well-drained soil and full (or partial) sun. Garden beds should be prepared with rotted manure and compost, ensuring friable (loose crumbly) soil that will allow maximum root development. For optimal growing conditions, prepare the garden plot soil to a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0. Note: this vegetable favors garden beds that were well fertilized and well-worked for another crop last season.
Gardening Advice Tip: Do not plant turnips in an area that had cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. last season. You may wish to review our information on companion planting.
How to Plant Turnips: (back to top)
Make your rows 10” apart, and ¼” deep. Drop the turnip seeds in, and cover with garden compost. Water. When seedlings appear in two weeks, avoid troubles that come with plant crowding by thinning turnips to one plant every 4”.
Extend your harvest period by planting smaller crops every three weeks.
How to Water: (back to top)
Do not let the garden beds dry out… keep evenly watered (but not soggy).
How to Fertilize: (back to top)
To boost growth, you can (if you wish) apply a dose of complete fertilizer (or compost tea) one month after planting. Additional fertilizer shouldn't be needed. Too much fertilizer will increase the leaf growth, and cause the roots to be small.
Gardening Challenges: (back to top)
Turnips are not generally bothered by plant diseases, but some pests do find them tasty: aphids, caterpillars, grubs.
Gardening Advice Tip: Practice good vegetable gardening by rotating your crops within your garden space with each new season. This will prevent many plant diseases.
How to Harvest Turnips: (back to top)
Turnips normally reach maturity in two or three months. To harvest, pull the entire plant from the ground.
Note: Be sure to harvest before they become too woody and tough in texture.
How to freeze Turnips (back to top)
Peel and trim tender turnips. Dice and blanch for 3 minutes, then chill for 3 minutes in iced water. Drain turnips, place pieces on tray in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack turnips into plastic bags, removing air, seal and label. Freeze turnips for up to 6 months.
Cold Storage (back to top)
Lift the turnips from the soil, cut the tops off, and store in bushel baskets or crates in a cellar. Or, if you’re in an area where the ground doesn’t freeze, simply leave in the garden soil until you’re ready to use.
Canning Turnips (back to top)
NOTE: This is only a guideline. If not canned properly very dangerous (life-threatening) bacteria can grow undetected in your jars. Be sure to follow standard sanitation and canning procedures, as outlined in your canning cookbook or by your local county extension office. Also, follow your specific canner's manufacturer's instructions.
Note: processing time given is for at sea level. If you're above sea level, the cooking time will be longer. Again, check with your local county extension office for conversion rates for your area, to ensure that you're producing a safe canned food product. Your local county extension office may also be able to test your pressure cooker's gauge for accuracy.
Wash the turnips and cut them into pieces, like you would to cook them. Put the vegetables in a pot on the stove, cover with cold water, and boil for 3 minutes. Pack into hot jars, leaving 1" of space at the top. Pour boiling water over the turnips, leaving the 1" of space at the top. Use a rubber spatula to remove air bubbles. Apply caps, and process 35 minutes for quart jars or 30 minutes for pint jars at 10 lbs pressure.
NOTE: Be sure to follow your pressure cooker's manufacturer supplied instructions for safety.
Follow your canning cookbook's instructions for removing, cooling and storing the jars.
Gardening Advice Tips (back to top)
Have a helpful gardening tip (or even a fun story) to share about your turnip growing experience? Share it with us at: gardeningtips@howtogardenadvice.com
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