Turnips are one of the fastest crops in the vegetable patch — pulled young and golf-ball sized, they're barely related to the tough ones sold for winter storage.
Turnips are often overlooked in favour of their slower, storage-friendly cousin swede, but sown little and often through the season they’re one of the quickest returns in the vegetable patch. A light, undisturbed bed topped with compost suits them well — they need loose ground near the surface, not deep digging.
Sowing & growing calendar
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | Sow in March | Sow in April | Sow in May | Sow in June | Sow in July | Sow in August | ||||||
| Harvest | Harvest in May | Harvest in June | Harvest in July | Harvest in August | Harvest in September | Harvest in October | ||||||
| Protect | Protect in April | Protect in May | Protect in June | Protect in July | Protect in August |
Care details
- Sow March – August
Sow thinly and direct; resow every few weeks for a continuous young supply.
- Protect April – August
Cover with fine mesh against flea beetle, which peppers the leaves with small holes.
- Harvest May – October
Pull as soon as roots reach golf-ball size for the best flavour.
Growing tips & common problems
- Pull them small — turnips left too long in the ground turn woody and lose the peppery sweetness that makes them worth growing.
- Sow direct rather than starting under cover; turnips resent root disturbance and grow just as fast started where they'll crop.
- Use them as a quick catch crop in any gap left by an earlier harvest — few vegetables fill a space faster.
Grows well with
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