Turnip

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade is useful in warmer climates.

Water

Keep soil evenly moist, especially during germination and root swelling; avoid waterlogging.

Soil

Loose, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0-7.5. Avoid compacted ground and fresh manure.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m) in leaf; flowering stems can reach 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m).

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Yellow, four-petalled flowers in spring or early summer if plants overwinter and are allowed to flower.

Foliage

Green, rough-textured leaves, often lobed, forming a low rosette above the root.

Growth

Fast; many varieties produce usable roots in 35-60 days.

Care needed

Low

• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly about 0.5 in (1 cm) deep; transplanting can distort the roots.
• Thin seedlings to 3-6 in (8-15 cm) apart, following the variety's spacing guidance.
• Water during dry spells so roots grow steadily without becoming tough.
• Work mature compost into the bed before sowing; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which favours leaves over roots.
• Apply a light mulch once seedlings are established, keeping it clear of their crowns.
• Use insect mesh from sowing and rotate crops away from other brassicas.

Pruning. No pruning is needed. Pick a few outer leaves for greens, leaving the central growing point and enough foliage to support root growth.

Pull roots when they reach the variety's recommended size, usually about 2-3 in (5-8 cm) across, before they become woody or pithy. Pick young, tender leaves as needed, or harvest whole plants for greens; taking many leaves reduces root growth. Lift storage crops before the ground freezes hard, remove the tops and store the roots cool and humid.

Early spring

Prepare a loose seedbed with mature compost and sow once the soil is workable.

Spring

Thin seedlings, cover with insect mesh and make small repeat sowings for a steady harvest.

Late spring

Harvest spring roots while young; stop sowing if hot weather is approaching.

Late summer

Sow an autumn crop, allowing roughly 6-10 weeks before persistent freezing weather.

Autumn

Harvest roots as they size up; in mild or warm climates, continue cool-season sowings.

Late autumn

Lift roots for storage before hard freezes, or protect short-term crops with mulch where winters are mild.

• Plant in short rows in a kitchen garden for quick crops between slower vegetables.
• Use blocks of leafy rosettes in a potager alongside lettuce and beetroot.
• Grow compact varieties in deep containers or raised beds close to the kitchen.
• Follow cleared summer crops with turnips to keep edible beds productive into autumn.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Cottage garden, Homestead, Edible landscape, Small-space and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Lettuce, Spinach, Peas, Beetroot and Spring onions.

Wildlife: Leaves feed several moth and butterfly caterpillars, which may damage the crop. Plants left to flower provide pollen and nectar for bees and other insects.

• Flea beetles chew small holes in young leaves: cover seedlings with fine insect mesh immediately after sowing and keep them well watered.
• Cabbage root fly larvae tunnel into roots: use insect mesh with buried or securely sealed edges, and rotate brassica beds.
• Clubroot causes swollen, distorted roots and wilting: avoid affected ground, improve drainage and test soil before liming; resting beds from brassicas for several years helps reduce risk.
• Woody, pithy roots or premature flowering result from heat, water stress or delayed harvest: sow in cool seasons, maintain moisture and pull roots young.

Roots and leaves are edible for people and are not known to be toxic to cats or dogs in ordinary food amounts, although large servings can cause digestive upset. Large or prolonged brassica intake can affect thyroid function; heavy consumption by horses and other grazing livestock can also cause serious illness, so do not offer unrestricted access or piles of crop waste.

• Swede or rutabaga (Brassica napus Napobrassica Group)

  Usually has a larger, slower-maturing root with a more distinct neck, often yellow flesh, and smoother, waxier blue-green leaves; turnip leaves are generally rougher and brighter green.

• Radish (Raphanus sativus)

  Some round white radishes resemble turnips, but their roots usually taste distinctly peppery. Flowering radishes generally have white, pink or lilac flowers, often with darker veins, rather than turnip's yellow flowers.

The botanical name combines Brassica, the Latin name for cabbage, with rapa, the Latin word for turnip.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown directly where the plants will mature. For seed saving, selected plants usually need winter chilling before flowering and can cross with other flowering Brassica rapa crops, including pak choi and some mustards.

Accepted botanical name

Brassica rapa rapa

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.