How to Plant Turnips in the Fall
Stocked full of high vitamin, calcium and folic acid counts, turnips provide two edible parts: their roots and leaves. These cool-season plants grow best in spring and fall, when high temperatures pose little threat. Fall turnip patches usually produce larger and higher quality turnips than spring plantings, leaving plenty of turnips to store away for winter use. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Planting in Rows
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Plant turnip seeds six weeks before the first expected fall frost in your area. Turnips will take between 30 and 75 days to fully mature, surviving numerous frosts before a full harvest is necessary.
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Set seeds in rows measuring 1 to 2 feet apart. Place three to 20 seeds in each foot of the rows. Cover seeds with a 1/2 inch of soil. Water after planting and as needed to keep the soil moist.
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3
Thin turnip seedlings when they reach 4 inches in height. Leave 2 to 4 inches of space between the seedlings.
Turnip Beds
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Prepare a seed bed by removing dead garden plants and tilling the soil. Add compost and mix it into the seed bed's top soil if the bed site needs a nutrient boost.
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Broadcast turnip seed across the seed bed, from the sides of the bed. Do not walk on the bed and compact the soil, as this may hinder plant growth. To broadcast the seeds, use a seed spreader or spread by hand.
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Run a garden rake across the seed bed to easily cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Water the bed after covering seeds, as turnip seeds need ample moisture to germinate.
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7
Thin seedlings as necessary, giving each seedling 4 inches of soil space in which to develop root bulbs.
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Tips & Warnings
Save money on fertilizer costs by placing your turnip bed where beans or peas grew earlier in the growing season.
Remove weeds from turnip patches by hand.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
