Sowing turnip seeds directly into your garden is the best way of growing turnips. They don’t transplant well, so starting these roots indoors is not recommended. However, you can plant turnips in spring or fall, depending on your region, and giving them an initial boost with compost or fertilizer is ideal. Otherwise, make sure you thin your seedlings no less than 5 inches apart, and enjoy the harvest in as little as 2 months! Growing turnips is easier than you think. Here’s how to do it, step by step.

What Do Turnip Seeds Look Like?

When it comes to identifying turnip seeds, these plants produce fairly uniform ones. Found in various shades of black or brown, turnip seeds are minuscule and rounded. Depending on the type of turnip seed you purchase, they may vary in terms of size and shape, as well as their color. Given their small size, there are a few different methods of sowing turnip seeds. For example, you can directly sow your seeds and evenly space them from the beginning. If you find this method too tedious, you can easily scatter your seeds in your designated turnip planting zone (full sun is preferred!) and thin the plants later. In fact, thinning your turnips is always necessary, regardless of your seed planting method. Crowded turnips mean there won’t be enough room to develop their delicious roots!

Before you dive into planting, you should take some time to pick out the type of turnips you want to grow. There are a few different turnip varieties, classified in different ways. Some turnips grow faster than others, and some are purple as opposed to white. Plus, there are even some turnip varieties that are grown for their greens only, with the roots largely ignored! Here are some of the best turnip varieties for you to consider:

“Just Right“. An extremely popular variety for its cold tolerance and delicious greens. Roots are ready after two months, while the greens can be harvested as early as one!“Golden Globe“. Yellow or golden roots, similar to golden beets. Wonderful turnip greens and crisp bulbs leave you wanting more.“Royal Crown“. Purple heads and plenty of greens to eat. Develops early and the roots are delicious when roasted.“Tokyo Cross“. Ready in just over one month’s time, with a unique spicy flavor. Pure white and creamy in texture.“Market Express“. Another fast-growing variety, ready in 40 days. Turnips are small and petite, with a sweet flavor.

Germinating and Growing Turnips from Seed

Growing turnips from seed is an incredibly easy process- so easy that you may want to grow this crop in both spring and fall! Here’s how to germinate, grow, and care for turnips:

In early spring or fall, ensure that your soil is ready. Turnips grow primarily underground, after all, and they prefer a gentle fertilizer or compost mix when starting from seed. Till your earth and mix in something special for your seeds, and perhaps take the temperature of your soil too. Anything colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit is a no-go for turnips, and make sure you’re planting in full sunshine! Start your seeds outside after the danger of frost has passed in spring, or a few months before your first frost date in the fall.Sow your turnip seeds evenly- or don’t! You can choose to space your turnip seeds two inches apart in rows one foot apart, or you can simply scatter your seeds in their designated rows and thin them later. Either way, you’ll likely need to thin your plants as they age, so the latter method may work best for most of you!Don’t bury too deep, but water deeply. Turnips need to be near the surface initially, so make sure not to bury your seeds deeper than a half-inch. Once your seeds have been sown, water them well. Turnips love consistently moist soil, so keep this in mind as your plants grow.Thin your seedlings after a few weeks. One of the best reasons to grow turnips is the fact that thinning your crops is part of the process. In fact, you can eat all of the microgreens that you harvest! Once you have some established seedlings, only keep strong plants spaced at least 5 inches apart from each other. This leads to the biggest and happiest roots!Feel free to harvest your greens as you go. Your turnip roots need more time than the greens, and the greens are just as edible as the roots! Trim your turnip greens after their first month of growing and enjoy them raw in salads or roasted. The greens will come back, and you can harvest them again before your roots are ready, depending on the variety you choose to grow!

Harvesting Turnip Seeds

It’s easy to grow turnips, again and again, season after season. You can either let this perennial plant bolt and come back next year if you’re in a more temperate region, or you can collect seeds after your turnips flower. Here’s how to harvest your very own seeds:

Let your turnips flower, and let those flowers die. You’ll know your turnip flowers are ready to be cut and harvested when they have turned brown. Turnips spread their seeds quickly after this point in time, so be ready.Cut your dried stalks. The lower the seed pods are on your flower stalks, the more ready they are. Keep this in mind as you carefully cut the turnip flowers from the base, and store them in a bag to bring inside.Remove the seed pods from the stalk and let them dry. Even if your turnip pods are brown and dried, another bit of drying time won’t hurt. Leave your turnip seed pods in a cool, dry location for up to a week.Separate your turnip seeds from the rest of the pod. Gently crack your turnip pods open and you’ll see the tiny black seeds inside. Save these for your next turnip planting date, and enjoy this self-sustaining vegetable for years to come!

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