What do turnip seedlings look like

Sow turnips in spring for an early summer harvest and use; direct sow in the garden 5 to 4 weeks before the last frost in spring. Start a second crop in late summer for winter storage and use. Grow turnips and other roots crops in light-textured soil free of pebbles and stones.

This will ensure roots do not split or become malformed. The first best guess is soil, and everything follows. We hope your turnips were good. You can prepare mashed turnips ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just reheat in the microwave or in a low temp. Perhaps it means not to keep the roots too wet or they could rot but the leaves like to be watered That's what it sounds like to me.

Doesn't seem any one else answered. I didn't see mustard greens in the list of vegetables, do I follow the same instructions as turnips and if not when do I plant them? I live in south Louisiana. Skip to main content.

You are here Gardening » Growing Guides. Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Turnips. By Catherine Boeckmann. Turnips are a cool-weather root vegetable that germinate in only a few days. When to Plant Turnips For a late spring harvest, sow turnip seeds about 2 to 3 weeks before the average last spring frost date. For an autumn harvest, sow turnips in late summer.

Sow after summer crops of onions, squash, beans or sweet corn. You can also sow seeds in early autumn for a late autumn harvest. Preparing the Site The key to growing big turnips is loose soil.

In advance, mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or aged manure in addition to some sand if soil has a lot of clay in order to improve drainage. How to Plant Turnips Before planting, mix in a nice low organic fertilizer such as a about 12 inches into the soil. Avoid a Miracle Gro or any high-nitrogen fertilizer. Turnips are seeded directly into the garden; they do not transplant well.

Water well and consistently. How to Grow Turnips Once seedlings are 4 inches high, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. Crowding can result in small or malformed roots. Keep the beds weed-free, but be careful of disturbing the root 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 soil lightly moist; 1 inch per week should prevent roots from becoming tough and bitter. Avoid Bolting Turnips are hardy biennials, even though we treat them as annuals. Be sure to pick turnips before temperatures get into the 80s to avoid bolting. How to Harvest Turnips Harvest greens when turnips are small; the leaves taste best when young and tender.

Keeping the soil lightly moist encourages the growth of luxuriant greens and big roots with no splits and cracks.

Turnip greens taste best when they are young and have been exposed to several days and nights of cool weather. Similarly, turnip roots accumulate sugars as soil temperatures decline. For these reasons, it's best to harvest the season's best turnips after light frosts have arrived, but before your first hard freeze. Ugly or excess turnips can be carved into turnip candle lanterns for Halloween.

Mature turnips are surprisingly cold hardy. Turnips that survive winter promptly produce sprays of yellow flowers in spring. Both the unopened flower buds and the green seed pods are edible, and make interesting additions to soups and salads. But mostly I allow a few plants to bloom to please honeybees, which gather the turnip nectar when it's barely warm enough to fly.

Turnip Types I grow three different types of turnip, which are handled differently in the garden: Oriental hybrids like ' Hakurei ' and ' Market Express ' produce sweet, white ping-pong ball size roots in only four to five weeks. Worthy of salads or stir fries, the mild-flavored roots are the best type of turnip to eat raw. Older, woodier turnips can still be used for mashing or for soups and stews. If you are going to store turnips, remove the leaves first or they will continue to draw energy and nutrients from the bulbs.

Use the greens as soon as possible. The bulbs can be stored in the refrigerator or any cool, dark place for months. Turnips are prone to all the usual problems associated with growing Brassicas , including anthracnose, clubroot, leaf spot, scab, turnip mosaic virus, Rhizoctonia rot, root-knot, and white rust. If you have experienced clubroot, waiting six years to grow Brassicas in the same area is recommended.

Insect pests include turnip aphids and flea beetles, which damage the greens. Row covers can be used to keep them off the leaves. Root maggots and wireworms cause more of a problem because they damage the bulbs. Penn State University. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

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