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How to Grow Turnips: Planting, Growing & Harvesting Tips for Bigger Roots

Turnips are a cool-weather root vegetable that germinate in only a few days.

Image Credit:
Elena Koromyslova/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group)
Grown as
Biennial
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Drought-Tolerant
Plant Type
Vegetables
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Turn up the turnip love! These fast-growing root veggies are as underrated as they are easy to grow. Whether you’re after the tender greens or those tasty globe-shaped roots, turnips are a two-for-one deal in the garden. 

Cool weather? Perfect. Quick payoff? Absolutely. Let’s dig into how to plant, grow, and harvest turnips like a pro—your soil (and your taste buds) will thank you!

Turnips will grow in spring or fall weather but do not like the hot summer months. (Note that an autumn crop seeded in late summer is usually sweeter and more tender than a spring crop, and pests are less of a problem.)

Turnips are seeded directly into the garden; they do not transplant well. Plus, they germinate in only a few days. Within a month, their greens are ready to harvest, and within a second month, the swollen roots are ready to be taken up.

How do you cook turnips? Turnips can be eaten raw, baked, boiled, roasted, or mashed. Prepare turnips as you would carrots. Or, try them as an alternative to potatoes; we enjoy a turnip gratin or a turnip soufflé.

Planting

Turnips grow best in full sun when temperatures range from 40° to 75°F. As soon as the garden can be worked, loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches. Mix in 2 to 4 inches of aged manure and/or compost. Add more to heavy, clay soil to improve drainage.

When to Plant Turnips

How to Plant Turnips

  • Before planting, mix in a nice low organic fertilizer (such as a 5-5-5) about 12 inches into the soil. Avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen, or you’ll get leafy greens at the expense of a big root. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
  • Sow seeds directly in the soil ¼ to ½ inch deep, 1 inch apart, in rows 12 to 18 inches apart.
  • You can also scatter turnip seeds and thin the seedlings later.
  • Cover seeds with not more than ½ an inch of soil.
  • Water well and consistently.
  • Protect spring crops from pests with row covers at planting.

Growing

  • Once seedlings are 4 inches high, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. Crowding can result in small or malformed roots. If you grow them any closer than 4 inches, they’re not going to grow.
  • Keep the beds weed-free, but be careful of disturbing the roots of young turnips.
  • Mulch heavily to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
  • Turnips do not need much care, but consistent soil moisture is important. Water regularly to keep the soil lightly moist; 1 inch per week should prevent roots from becoming tough and bitter.

How to Avoid Bolting

Turnips are hardy biennials, even though we treat them as annuals. They naturally flower and go to seed in the second year. In the first year, they sometimes may bolt (flower and go to seed early) due to stress caused by extreme temperatures (cold or hot) or lack of nutrients or water. Such stresses can also result in little or no root growth, a root that forms above ground, or greens only.

Be sure to pick turnips before temperatures get into the 80°s (F) to avoid bolting.

Harvesting

  • Harvest greens when turnips are small; the leaves taste best when young and tender. Cut leaves 2 inches above the base; they may grow back. Harvest just a few at a time if also growing for roots.
  • Harvest roots at any time; however, small, young turnips are more tender. Often early types are harvested after about 5 weeks. Main crop types after 6 to 10 weeks.
  • For fall turnips, consider harvesting after one or two light frosts (but before a hard freeze) for a sweeter taste.
  • Mulch to harvest later in the season and to protect from a hard freeze.

How to Store Turnips

  • Store for up to 3 or 4 months in a cool (32° to 38°F), dark place such as a root cellar, or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  • If storing in the refrigerator, keep turnips in a perforated plastic bag. It’s important that the turnips do not dry out but also that they do not become moldy from too much moisture.
  • To freeze: Peel, wash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, blanch for 3 minutes, cool immediately in cold water, and drain. Pack into containers, label, and freeze.

Pests and Problems

Turnip Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Black rotInsectYellow, V-shape areas on leaf edges that brown and progress toward leaf center; leaves eventually collapse; stem cross sections reveal blackened veinsDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; provide good drainage; remove plant debris; rotate crops
Cabbage root maggotsInsectWilted/stunted plants; off-color leaves; larvae feeding on rootsUse collars around seedling stems; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; use row covers; destroy crop residue; till soil in fall; rotate crops
ClubrootFungusWilted/stunted plants; yellow leaves; roots appear swollen/distortedDestroy infected plants; solarize soil; maintain soil pH of around 7.2; disinfect tools; rotate crops
Downy mildewFungusYellow, angular spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn brown; white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides only; defoliationRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Flea beetlesInsectNumerous tiny holes in leavesUse row covers; mulch heavily; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Powdery mildewFungusWhite spots on upper leaf surfaces expand to flour-like coating over entire leaves; foliage may yellow/die; distortion/stunting of leavesDestroy infected leaves or plants; choose resistant varieties; plant in full sun, if possible; ensure good air circulation; spray plants with 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 quart water; destroy crop residue
StinkbugsInsectYellow/white blotches on leaves; shriveled seeds; eggs, often keg-shape, in clusters on leaf undersidesDestroy crop residue; handpick (bugs emit odor, wear gloves); destroy eggs; spray nymphs with insecticidal soap; use row covers; weed; till soil in fall
White rustFungusChalk-white blisters mainly on leaf undersides; small, yellow-green spots or blisters, sometimes in circular arrangement, on upper leaf surfaces; possible distortion or galls; stems may also be infectedDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; weed; destroy crop residue; rotate crops

Types

Many turnips are grown not for the root itself but for the turnip greens, which can be cooked or used raw in salads. Younger turnip greens will not be as bitter as mature leaves. If you are growing turnips primarily for their greens, almost any turnip variety will do.

For roots, try these …

  • ‘Gold Ball’: yellow skin, soft, yellow flesh; harvest at 3 inches in diameter for maximum sweetness (will grow to 4 to 5 inches)
  • ‘Just Right’: pure white roots, delicious greens; extremely cold-tolerant; stores well; not recommended for a spring crop, as it tends to bolt early
  • ‘Purple Top White Globe’: delectable leaves; great for an extended production of greens; roots have purple shoulders; heirloom
  • ‘Golden Globe’: roots with amber skin; firm, crisp, sweet flesh; tasty tops.

Wit and Wisdom

  • “Turnips like a dry bed but a wet head.”
  • Turnips are often confused with rutabagas because they are similar, and people like to plant them together. The two root vegetables grow well under the same conditions, but rutabagas take about 4 weeks longer to mature.
  • In 19th-century Ireland, Halloween jack-o’-lanterns were carved from turnips, not pumpkins. Lit by a candle inside, the grotesque faces were intended to scare away demons and evil spirits. Learn more about the origins of Halloween traditions.

Vegetables

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Missy Butler</span> Fri, 08/02/2019 - 10:48
A sack of seed depends on how much land and quantity you are wanting to plant. Check out Sustainable Seed Company site. for seed counts and germination, to give you more specific quantities in a sack.
<span>Cindy Lassiter</span> Thu, 03/07/2019 - 14:58
Wash & quarter turnips. Drizzle & toss with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt & Rosemary leaves. Bake at 375, for about 30 minutes, tossing with a spatula about every 10 minutes to evenly brown them. Delicious!
<span>Upama</span> Wed, 10/25/2017 - 07:43
in what altitude is turnip grown? and in which variety does it fall?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 10/25/2017 - 08:06

Turnips grow at low and high altitudes. They are cool-weather vegetables so ideal for high altitudes.  Plant four weeks before the last frost date.

 <span>Richo</span> Tue, 08/08/2017 - 09:24
Best thing I do with turnips is make cole slaw with them. Delicious.
<span>Hocko</span> Thu, 06/29/2017 - 09:56
I am starting a food plot using turnips. Plot is 8000 to 10000 square feet. Any thoughts on how many lbs of seed needed using a broadcast spreader?
<span>Vicki</span> Fri, 04/14/2017 - 12:55
My turnips have flowered, can I still eat the turnip bulb?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 04/14/2017 - 14:39

Once the turnip goes to flower/seed, the root becomes woody and tough and isn't suitable for eating. Turnips are biennials, so they will naturally flower and go to seed (called bolting) the second year. Occasionally, though, they may bolt the first year if the plant is under stress, such exposed to extreme temperatures (both cold or hot) or lacks enough nutrients or water.

 <span>Pat</span> Mon, 10/24/2016 - 20:23
I grow 60 acres of turnips. This year we are experimenting with a harvester. To harvest we had to use a topper first to top the leaves. There is still approx 3" of stalk left on top. Can we store these with that stalk still on them.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 10/26/2016 - 10:18

On such a large scale, it might be best to contact your county's Cooperative Extension Service for advice. For contact information, please see:
http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services