How to Grow Turnips From Another Turnip

Growing turnips from another turnip plant is a two-year process.

Turnips are among the most well-known root vegetables and have been a staple food in Europe since prehistoric times, according to experts. Packed with vitamin C and fiber but low in calories, turnips also are a nutritious vegetable. Gardeners can grow turnips from existing plants in a process called propagation. Turnip propagation is a two-year process to produce the seeds necessary for new plants to grow. Gardeners may wish to propagate their turnips if they have a particularly enjoyable variety growing or just for the sheer challenge of gardening without purchasing seedlings.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Plastic bags
• Soil testing kit
• Soil amendments
• Hand trowel

Instructions

Propagate the Turnips

1. Select the best turnips among your harvest to use for propagation. Look for medium-sized hard turnips that avoided pest damage.

2. Trim the turnip greens so about 2 centimeters remain. Trim the roots so that 3 to 4 centimeters remain.

3. Store the turnips during winter in plastic bags or a box in a dry, warm basement or cellar.

4. Replant the turnips in early spring. Plant them with the entire green top above ground and about three-quarters of the turnip bulb itself underground. Water as necessary to keep the ground moist. Allow the foliage to grow. Seed pods will develop.

5. Pick the seed pods when they are dry, usually in mid-summer. Crack open the pods to find the turnip seeds. Store the seeds in a clean, dry glass jar kept in a cool, dark room until you're ready to use them.

Grow Turnips

1. Plant the turnip seeds immediately if desired or wait for the next growing season after the ground has reached 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Test the garden soil to ensure it has a pH of around 6. Amend the soil if necessary to reach the desired pH. For example, add limestone to raise the pH level and sulfur to lower it.

3. Dig rows 1/4-to-1/2-inch deep with a hand trowel. Space out the rows by about 8 inches.

4. Sprinkle the turnip seeds along the row and cover with no more than a 1/2 inch of soil. Water often enough to keep the ground moist but not flooded. Weed the bed as necessary.

5. Pick the turnips when mature, usually about 60-90 days after planting. Consult information on your specific variety for narrower maturity times. Save any turnips from the harvest for additional propagation.

Tips & Warnings

• Properly stored turnip seeds will keep for four years, according to the Alternative Field Crops Manual.

References

• Pacific Northwest Extension: Propagating Plants From Seed
• Ethnobotany Research and Applications: The Turnip in Eastern Tyrol
• Alternative Field Crops Manual: Turnip
• Gardening Tips 'N Ideas: How to Propagate a Turnip