Turnips are an underrated crop: sweet, tender roots for roasting and mashing, plus leafy tops that cook like greens. They are fast, easy and hardy, they grow in cool weather when little else will, and they are one of the best crops for autumn and winter harvests.
Turnips are a cool-season root crop that grows quickly in spring and autumn.
Turnips at a glance
| Growing factor | What turnips need |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 7–10 |
| Days to maturity | 40–60 |
| Spacing | 4–6 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Brassicaceae |
Starting seeds
This is a direct-sow crop: the seed goes straight into the garden where it is to grow, and the plants are not transplanted. Prepare a fine, weed-free seed bed, sow at the depth shown on the seed packet, and keep the bed evenly moist until seedlings appear — expect germination in 7–10 days.
Sow too early into cold, wet soil and germination stalls; sow too late and the plants run out of season. Use our frost-date calculator and the hardiness-zone finder to place your sowing window. Zones 11–13 are frost-free, so sowing windows there are set by heat and rain rather than frost — check your local extension service.
Turnips are sown direct where they are to grow — their roots do not transplant. Sow thinly in shallow drills and thin seedlings to their proper spacing so each root has room to swell. A spring sowing gives young roots for early summer, while a late summer sowing gives the best crop of all, maturing in the cool of autumn when turnips taste sweetest.
Transplanting and planting out
Turnips are not transplanted; the work is thinning. Thin seedlings to their proper spacing once they are big enough to handle, and do it in the evening, watering the row afterwards. The thinnings are edible as greens, so nothing is wasted. Keep the bed weed-free while the plants are young.
Space plants 4–6 inches apart — crowding is one of the commonest causes of small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many plants fit your bed.
Soil and feeding
Turnips grow best in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Dig in compost before planting: it improves heavy soil, helps light soil hold moisture, and feeds the soil life that feeds your plants. Aim for a soil pH of 6.0–7.0 — a simple soil test will tell you where you stand, and garden lime or sulfur can nudge pH up or down over a season, so test before you amend rather than guessing.
Feed lightly and steadily rather than in one heavy dose: too much fast nitrogen late in the season pushes leafy growth at the expense of the part you eat. Our fertiliser calculator works out amounts for your bed size, and the soil-volume calculator tells you how much mix a new bed needs.
Watering
Water needs are moderate: keep the soil evenly moist, watering deeply when the top inch or two dries out. Deep, infrequent watering builds deeper roots than a daily sprinkle.
Water at the base of the plant, in the morning, so the leaves dry quickly and the water reaches the roots. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it. A mulch layer cuts evaporation and keeps moisture even.
Sunlight and temperature
Turnips need full sun — a spot that gets sun for most of the day. Our sunlight calculator can check your spot.
This crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so it stands up to frost and even light freezes, and it is at its best in the cool seasons. In Zones 11–13, which are frost-free, heat rather than cold is the limit — grow it in the cooler months, with afternoon shade in the hottest weather. Our hardiness-zone finder will confirm your zone, and the frost-date calculator gives you the frost dates to plan around.
Pests and diseases
The pests and diseases most often reported on turnips are cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, slugs. Healthy, well-watered plants resist attack better than stressed ones, and rotating beds so the Brassicaceae family does not repeat in the same spot helps keep soil-borne problems down.
- Cabbage Worms — small green caterpillars that chew holes in brassica leaves; fine mesh from planting time keeps the butterflies off.
- Aphids — small sap-sucking insects on new growth; wash off with a strong jet of water and encourage ladybirds.
- Flea Beetles — tiny jumping beetles that chew shot-holes in leaves, worst on seedlings; row cover keeps them off young plants.
- Slugs — chew ragged holes in leaves at night; water in the morning so the surface dries by evening.
Inspect plants weekly, especially leaf undersides, and act early. Our pest-identifier helper can help identify what you are seeing.
Companion plants
Good companion plants for turnips include:
- Marigolds — their roots discourage some soil pests
- Basil — attracts pollinators
- Onions — their scent is said to confuse pests
- Lettuce — shallow-rooted, fills gaps without competing
Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed plan.
Harvesting
Pull turnips when the roots are young and a useful size — check by brushing the soil away from the top of a root. Young turnips are sweet and tender; roots left to grow large turn woody and strong-flavoured. Pull them when the soil is moist, twist the tops off, and use them soon after picking. Autumn-sown turnips can stay in the ground and be pulled as needed through the cool months.
Expect the crop to be ready about 40–60 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that window by a week or two either way. Our harvest-date calculator works out your expected harvest date from your sowing date, and the vegetable-yield estimator can estimate how much a bed should produce.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Small roots | crowding or dry soil while roots swell | Thin seedlings to their proper spacing and keep the soil moist while the roots are forming. |
| Woody or strong-flavoured roots | heat, or roots left too long | Grow turnips for spring and autumn, pick them young, and keep them watered. |
| Flea beetles on seedlings | tiny beetles chewing shot-holes in young leaves | Row cover over young plants keeps flea beetles off until the plants are bigger. |
Small roots
Thin seedlings to their proper spacing and keep the soil moist while the roots are forming.
Woody or strong-flavoured roots
Grow turnips for spring and autumn, pick them young, and keep them watered.
Flea beetles on seedlings
Row cover over young plants keeps flea beetles off until the plants are bigger.
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant turnips?
Sow once the soil is workable in spring — this crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so it can go in early. For zone-specific timing, see zone 3 or zone 6, and check your local extension service for the dates that fit your area.
How long do turnips take to grow?
Turnips take 40–60 days from sowing to maturity, and seed germinates in 7–10 days. Weather and variety shift the harvest window by a week or two, so judge readiness by look and feel rather than the calendar alone.
How far apart should I plant turnips?
Space plants 4–6 inches apart — that is the room a mature plant needs, and crowding means poor airflow and small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many fit your bed.
Can I eat turnip tops?
Yes — turnip tops are a traditional green, cooked like spinach or chard, and they are one of the best reasons to grow turnips. Pick the young leaves from the outside of the plant, or use the thinnings.