Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Turnips
Posted by Unknown in Advise and Tips, Turnip, Vegetable on Monday 28 January 2013
(Gardens.com)
There are mistakes that you want to avoid when growing turnips. Turnips
are a handy vegetable to grow in your garden and following these tips
will help ensure a good crop yield and healthy, edible turnip plants for
you and your family to enjoy.
How Turnips Grow
Turnips
grow easily and can be planted in spring, late summer or fall. Turnips
grown in the fall are planted in larger quantities in order to be
harvest and stored for winter use. Turnips also include rutabagas, which
are a cross between cabbage and turnips. Turnips take about two months
to grow before cultivation and use, while rutabagas require and an
additional four weeks before they are ready to eat.
Fall Plantings of Turnips
If
planting turnips in the fall for winter yield, they should be planted
at least 100 days before the first frost. Avoid planting your fall
turnip crop any later than this in order to have them ready for use, as
well as avoid the turnip crop dying or becoming ruined because of the
cold.
Allow Sufficient Room Between Rows
You
want to make sure to allow sufficient room between rows when planting
turnips. At least 12 to 24 inches (1 to 2 feet) between rows with seeds
planted at a depth of 1/2 inch. You can plant 3 to 20 seeds per row, but
should avoid putting too many turnip seeds in any one row. If you are
growing turnips for the turnip greens, be sure to cut the tops when they
grow to 4 to 6 inches. If you do not properly cut the greens at the
growing points, located at the top of the turnip, they will grow back.
Proper Cultivation of the Turnips
You
can cultivate the plants within 2 to 3 inches when you first plant the
turnips. As they grow, cultivate up to 1 inch. This will prevent damage
to the roots, which could prevent further growth from taking place.
Apply Appropriate Insecticides
Apply
the appropriate insecticide to treat any root maggots that may get into
the soil. Be sure to ask when buying the turnip seeds from a home or
garden and plant store for the best insecticide to use, particularly one
that will cause little or no harm to the turnip plants.
Harvesting the Turnips
Turnips
planted in the Spring should be harvested when they reach a decent size
for storage and preparing. The turnips will continue to grow if left in
the ground, particularly as the weather gets better. Get them out of
the ground as soon as they reach maturity. An appropriate size for
turnips at harvest is 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Any larger than that
and they lose some of their sweetness and taste.
Harvesting
turnips when planted in the fall for winter use should be done before
the first frost. If you like, cover the plants with a straw mulch to
keep them warm. Remembering to pull the plants when they are large
enough.
