How to Plant Turnips

• Turnips like a light fertile loam but will grow in most soils. Choose a nice sunny site.
• Raised beds or planting into the ground works best for turnips. but you could also plant into fairly deep, rectangular planters or wide pots.
• In areas prone to heavy rainfall and waterlogging plant your seedlings in ridges to help with drainage.
• Plant 20cm apart

How to Grow Turnips

• It is good to cover plants with horticultural fleece – this will help to keep many pests off your plants (see below!) – just drape it gently over the plants and secure at sides and corners with heavy stones.
• Keep well watered during dry spells, trying to avoid periods of drought and very dry soil.
• Keep weeds down – an onion hoe is good for getting in between plants – be careful not to disturb the crown of the turnips
• Watch out for slugs and snails while plants are young

Common Pests & Problems with Turnips

Turnips are part of the brassica family, and suffer from the same pests/diseases:

• Flea Beetle – lots of tiny pin-prick holes in the leaves is a sure sign of flea beetle. Try to keep plants well watered to avoid the soil becoming dry, and keep plants covered with fleece/mesh.
• Cabbage root fly – these flies often lay their eggs at the base of brassica plants. When the maggots hatch they burrow into the roots and eat through your beloved plants! Keep plants covered with horticultural fleece to avoid this.
• Caterpillars – cabbage butterflies will lay their eggs on the leaves of brassicas. When they hatch, the caterpillars will rapidly eat the leaves. It is best to cover turnip plants with fleece/mesh netting to prevent this. If you do find caterpillars or eggs, wipe them off asap.
• Pigeons – pigeons love brassica leaves – it is best to net your crops!
• Slugs & Snails – these will happily chew through turnips. Be sure to protect crops with slug traps, grit etc.

How to Harvest & Store Turnips

• If planted in spring/summer, they should be ready to harvest within a month or so, when the roots reach golf ball size. You’ll be able to see the crowns above the soil so it is easy to tell when they are the right size.
• If planted in autumn, you may be able to harvest before Christmas if it is mild.
• You can store turnips in a hessian sack in a cool, dry place for several weeks, although they are best eaten fresh!