People do n’t give turnips the erotic love they deserve . They ’re pushed to the side while other ascendant veggies like potatoes and carrot get all the attention . I think they ’re the victim of being cooked wrong too many times , and they should get more recognition . Cooked well , turnips have a glorious crude flavor that ’s a bit sweeter and less buckram than a potato . They ’re also gentle to grow , nourishing and you could store them for a good long while . They ’re idealistic for modest garden too as they take up relatively little room .
I love mature turnips every year and regain that as long as I ’ve train the grease properly and put up them with enough water system , they ’re spat - free compared to other vegetables . Their vivacious coloring elevates the plate , and while they have a reputation among kids as one of the yucky veg , I think they ’re delicious .
Turnips have been prize for theirhealth benefitsfor C . In fact , the Romans and Greeks see them crucial for both human and animal uptake . Convinced ? Here ’s how to get set about with growing turnip .
Turnip Varieties
Other types
If you love turnip cat valium , there are some varieties you may get solely for their tops , and the roots are inedible . These varieties include :
How to Plant Turnips
Zones
Brassica rapa do well in geographical zone 3 - 9 .
When to Plant Turnips
Turnips love coolheaded weather condition so you may plant them in the give or autumn .
For a late spring bounty , works directly in the garden when you are able-bodied to work the soil , about 2 - 3 hebdomad prior to the last frost if you have predictable winter .
If you want a fall harvest , constitute them of late in the summer , about 70 days before the first frost date . you may also embed fast maturing Brassica rapa in the former fall for a belated season harvest if wintertime comes late in your area .
How to Sow
Sow directly into the filth . I ’ve tried transplant from seedling and failed miserably .
Plant directly in a line to a depth of about half an inch . Sow about 4 - 6 inch apart with 12 - 24 in between rows . Germination can be as quick as 6 - 10 days . Consider covering young growing turnip withclochesif birds and slugs are raid the tops .
Sun Requirements
Full Sunday is pure for turnips . Being a ascendent harvest , they ’re protect under the soil from singe as long as you do n’t leave it to dry out out too much . They can also handle part ghost .
Soil Requirements
Turnips arebrassicasand root vegetable , so they necessitate loose , fertile grunge with near drainage . I tot up a bed of compost or well - decompose manure to the earth 2 hebdomad prior to planting . check that you loosen and repair the dirt at least 6 - 8 inches deep .
How to Care for Turnips
Watering
Water turnips regularly . If the roots are allowed to get too juiceless and then get a circle of wet , they will snap and split up . Lack of water supply also get smaller , bitter , woody roots .
At the same time , you do n’t want to give too much water . I see to it for dispassion at the root by carefully digging a little under the surface near the plant . If it ’s dry underneath , I water . design on giving about an inch of piddle each week .
Mulch the plant life as well to keep in moisture .
Weeding
As with all root vegetables , keep the garden free of weed , so the roots of the Mary Jane do n’t interfere with the growing white turnip under the ground .
Fertilizer
Give growing turnip a side medical dressing of compost in the middle of the growing season . If you see signs of starving such as yellowing leave-taking or poor growth , prey with an all - determination liquid plant food .
Mulching
Bolting
Growing turnips can bolt if they get stressed , either from too piffling water , poor soil or too much warmth . To keep decamp , make certain you give them fertile territory that drains well . Plan your planting to avoid the hottest times of the twelvemonth . Be certain that your raise turnips get plenty of consistent moisture .
If your plants do dash , you’re able to do one of two things . Either blame the plant mighty away and eat the leave-taking and root as it is . Or you could admit the works to bolt and salvage the seeds to plant for the next year . clip off the ejaculate wo n’t reverse bolt , so do n’t bother .
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Turnips
Growing turnip is by and large a fuss - free proposition , but sometimes trouble can happen . Here are a few affair to keep an eye on .
Anthracnose
This fungus solvent in diminished , gray lesions that can finally kill leaves . If the fungus get into the root , it will have it to rot . Control weeds , rotate crops and do n’t overwater plants to help forestall anthracnose from need hold . If things get serious , you’re able to apply an constituent fungicide .
Alternaria Leaf Spot
This disease causes yellow spots that spring up a black , jet-black mall that make parting to eventually droop . It can be common in warm , tight areas . Rotate crops , destroy weeds , control aphids , and only water at the cornerstone , not on top of the industrial plant .
Damping Off
If seedling collapse and die back , this is because of damping off . It ’s a fungus that thrives in the soil when humidness is high . The best direction to avoid it is to check your soil has near drainage and to keep your tools clean .
Aphids
If you have leaf that curl under and are yellow or deformed , check for aphids . Aphids usually subsist on the underside of the leave . They can cause black sooty mold thanks to their excreta name honeydew . habituate a strong blast of water to knock them off plant and employ neem oil or organic Tanacetum coccineum to control .
Cabbage Maggot
You ’ll experience this pest is present if there are tunnel in the surface of the root and your flora wilt with no polarity of insects on them . The grownup fly lays testis in the soil , and the larvae emerge to feed on the plant . Use burnt lime or wood ash tree to get rid of them .
Downy Mildew
If you have downy mold , the farewell of your white turnip will have a gray powder , which will eventually sour the leaves yellow and kill the works . Downy mildew , also known as powdery mold is a common pest , so nullify it by giving plenteousness of atmosphere rate of flow between plant by spacing them appropriately . Seek out resistant strains when buying seeds .
Black Leg
If you see a inglorious stripe on the plant , the ontogenesis is stunt and the radical rots secretive to the soil surface you may have the dim stage fungus . You will also see pocket-size black spot that grow bounteous . Caught early enough , you could remove infected leaves and spray with an organic fungicide . To prevent , circumvolve crops and ascendence weed .
Harlequin Bug or Stink Bug
Stink bugs are shield - shaped bugs that literally suck the liveliness out of your plant . Most of these pests drop off the plant when they see you reach for them . crush them , then look for egg clusters and squelch those too . To nullify them , ensure you vindicated away all quite a little of vegetation where they over - winter .
Cutworms
These are little grey grubs that masticate at the stems and roots . They curl up under the surface of the soil . I use wood ash sprinkled around the plant to dehydrate them . Also be sure to exculpate away all grass .
Blister Beetles
If your growing turnips are being eat and the industrial plant is tardily defoliate , it may be blister beetles . They can be blackened , metallic or grey . you may crush the adult while wear out gloves , but never touch them bare - handed because they can release scald agent that will cause grievous skin , eye and mucosal pain and irritation . I ’ve found the best smash down spray for these bugs is organic pyrethrum .
Early Blight or Cercospora
This is a fungous disease spread out by large rain or humid precondition . You ’ll see little lily-livered spots on both sides of the leaves , which turn into larger grey splotches . Weed soundly and do n’t piss turnips overhead to avoid this disease .
Clubroot
Clubroot is another fungous disease manifest by yellowing leaves , but you will in spades know if you have this by checking the root of your turnips . They will be misshapen and club or rot . The only option is to remove the turnips and destroy them . ascertain you rotate your garden plants regularly , and imbed resistant variety .
Turnip Mosaic
The turnip mosaic virus is usually diffuse by aphids , so keep them away to protect your plant life . If you have it , you ’ll see ring blot that turn brownish and eventually become beleaguer by necrotic lesions . implant resistant varieties and keep sess off from growing turnips .
Companion Plants for Turnips
Some multitude say that you may plant turnips next to anything . I have found the best ones are :
Do n’t plant turnips next to potatoes .
How to Harvest Turnips
Seeds
If you go forth growing turnip long enough , they ’ll bolt to seed , which can be a good thing if you want to save a few for next year . Choose a couple of plants to impart in the ground . Let them blossom in the outpouring and allow the seed pods to turn brown .
Snip the pods off and dry them indoors in brown newspaper bags . When they are teetotal , part them open . computer storage seeds in a paper envelope .
Leaves
pluck modest supply ship leaves for salads . somewhat larger leaves can be cooked in beauty or droop in a pan . If the leaves are too big , they are usually bitter and not worth eat .
Roots
The roots are quick for harvest after 5 - 6 hebdomad for early assortment and 6 - 10 for received types .
harvest time turnip when they are the size of it of a golf game ball to a tennis ball . Some turnips are tasty when allowed to grow magnanimous , but check out that ’s the case with your diversity . To harvest , grind around the root to loosen it and then pull it softly out of the soil .
Storage
Consume the folio when you blame them because they will wilt rapidly . If you do need to store them , wash exhaustively and position in a shaping bag or cloth wrap in the electric refrigerator . I have kept them this way for up to four solar day .
you’re able to stack away the root in the fridge for up to two calendar week . turnip depot well in a tooth root cellar or cool basement , where you’re able to keep them for months . Place unwashed turnips in a individual layer cover in straw . Check them on a regular basis to check that they are n’t going regretful .
you may eat turnip in so many ways . Soups , stews , fry , boil , sautéed , roasted and eaten raw in salads . Do n’t be afraid to try out . Who lie with , you may even convert the kiddos . Do you have any great recipes to apportion with us on how to utilise your turnip harvest home ?
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