🟣 Turnip

Turnips are quick, easy roots that can be harvested young as tender, mild, sweet baby turnips, or left to size up for winter. They are among the fastest of the brassicas, and sowings in spring and again in late summer give two main harvest windows.

Both the root and the leaves, known as turnip tops or greens, are edible, and the tops are a useful early spring cut. They like cool, moist weather and bolt or turn woody if they are stressed by drought, so keep them well watered.

Varieties to try

Purple Top Milan (fast and flat, for early crops)Snowball (white and sweet)Golden Ball (yellow flesh, stores well)Tokyo Cross (very fast baby turnips)Market Express (early and bolt resistant)

For an early crop, sow from March to April under cloches or fleece, choosing a quick, bolt-resistant variety. For autumn and winter roots, sow in July and August, when moisture is steadier and flea beetle is less of a problem. Sow thinly in shallow drills 1–2 cm deep, in rows 23–30 cm apart, then thin as they grow.

Turnips grow best in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that has been well dug and is free of fresh manure. In a small garden, sow a short row every two or three weeks, which gives tender baby turnips from 6–8 weeks. They can also be grown in deep containers for an easy crop on a balcony.

Top tips

• Sow short rows every two to three weeks for baby turnips.
• Use fleece in March to protect against cold and flea beetle.
• Make a main sowing in July or August for autumn crops.
• Water the drill before sowing in dry spells.

Thin seedlings to 10–15 cm apart in two stages, the first when they are 2–3 cm tall. Water regularly: turnips need steady moisture to swell evenly, and drought gives woody, hot-tasting roots. Hoe between rows to keep weeds down, taking care not to disturb the shallow roots.

Flea beetle makes tiny holes in the leaves, particularly in spring, and is best prevented by fine mesh or by keeping plants well watered. Like all brassicas, turnips are prone to clubroot on acid soils, so lime when needed and rotate crops every year, with a gap of at least four years.

Top tips

• Fine insect mesh from sowing is the best flea beetle control.
• Water evenly to avoid splitting and woody roots.
• Rotate with other brassicas on a four-year plan.
• Lime acid soils for clubroot control.

Watch out for

Flea beetleClubrootCabbage root flyAphids

Baby turnips are ready from about six weeks, at the size of a golf ball, and are at their sweetest and most tender then. Maincrop turnips are best at about 5–7 cm across; larger roots get woody and strong-tasting. Pull or lift with a fork and cut off the tops.

Turnip tops can be cut as greens from about four weeks, picking a few leaves from each plant. Late-sown turnips can stay in the ground through autumn and be lifted as needed, although in colder areas lift them before hard frosts and store.

Top tips

• Pick small turnips for the best flavour.
• Cut the tops as greens while young.
• Lift before hard frosts in cold areas.
• Pull in the morning and keep roots cool.

Young turnips are lovely raw, grated or sliced thin in salads, or lightly steamed and buttered. Larger roots are better roasted, mashed with potatoes, or added to stews and soups. The tops can be sautéed with garlic and chilli, much like spring greens.

Twist off the tops and keep the roots in a bag in the fridge for up to two weeks. For longer storage, keep undamaged roots in a box of dry sand or compost in a cool, frost-free shed for two to three months. Cubed turnips can be blanched for two minutes and frozen.

Top tips

• Roast with honey and thyme for sweetness.
• Use the tops quickly, like spinach.
• Peel larger roots thickly.
• Blanch cubes for two minutes before freezing.