Posted: August 25, 2021
Fall is just around the corner, but there's no reason to stop planting! Try planting turnips this month for a late season harvest!
Photo by Elizabeth Schultheis, MSU Extension
As summer is winding down, and the vegetable gardens are producing, I am getting ready to plant turnips. Turnips have been eaten since prehistoric times. They are a form of Brassica rapa and are easy to grow. Sowing in late summer is ideal, as the plants are cold hardy. Try not to sow where Cole crops had been planted the previous four years to help minimize insect and disease issues.
If you want to improve the soil, add some well-rotted manure or compost. Do Not Use fresh manure, as it contains bacteria that can contaminate vegetables and cause human disease. Like most vegetables, turnips do best in soil with a pH between 6 and 7.5.
Plant the seed ½ inch deep and 12 to 24 inches between rows. The seed can also be broadcast. I have one brother who plants in rows because he says it's easier to water. Another brother likes to broadcast the seed because he plants a very large area. I plan on broadcasting the seeds because they will be in the small, raised bed I've set aside for turnips.
Turnip seeds will germinate in about 10 days. Water well, keeping in mind plants need about an inch of water each week to prevent turnips from becoming woody or bitter
Once the seedlings have their first true leaves or are 2-4 inches tall, thin them to about 4 inches apart or further, depending on the size turnip you want to grow. Cultivate carefully to prevent damage to the feeder roots.
As your turnips grow, watch for insect pests. Insects that bother turnips are root maggots that feed on the roots. If you notice your plants are stunted or start to wilt for no reason, you may want to gently lift a plant from the soil and check the roots. Root maggots are the culprit if the roots are eaten away or there's tunneling through the turnip - and maggots are visible! Tiny flea beetles are another pest, chewing irregular holes in the leaves. Severe flea beetle damage can result in wilted or stunted plants.
I do enjoy eating turnips raw. You can simply peel and slice the turnip like an apple to eat with dips, or add slices to your salad. They can also be baked, boiled, roasted, or mashed. The green tops can also be harvested and cooked. Do harvest greens when they are young and tender.
Roots can be stored with the tops removed for two weeks in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in a cool dark place like a root cellar at 32° to 38°F.
I am looking forward to trying this late summer vegetable and enjoying the harvest through late fall and winter!
~ Sharon Miller, Penn State Master Gardener, Lycoming County
