Turnips are somewhat cold hardy so can be grown spring through fall. Direct sow seeds (outside) 4/15 - 8/15. Sow seeds 1/4– 1/2" deep, 1.5" apart in rows 12–18" apart. We recommend covering seeds & plants with light row cover fabric to protect from flea beetles and root maggots - cover edges of fabric with soil to keep the bugs out. If you want turnips all summer, succession plant them every month.
Harvest roots small or as they begin to mature (2" in diameter) but don't leave them in the ground too long or they will become tough. Turnip greens can be cooked and eaten as cooked greens.
Turnip is a difficult seed saving crop in the north because they are biennial and need to be stored over the wintertime so that they can flower and make seeds the following year. Plant them mid August outside and dig in fall then store in a refridgerator or root cellar. Or, sow them in September in a hoophouse. Minimum population size: 25. Isolation: ½ mile.
