When and how to sow turnips?

Whether they are turnips spring,fall orwinter, sowing remains the same. Once the right variety has been chosen, sow them to harvest them quickly, cook them or store them. When and how to sow turnips?

When to sow turnips?

These root vegetables like soil enriched with compost the previous fall because they are greedy. It must be very fresh. Provide a location at sun or partially shaded. The turnips sow at different times of the year:

• sowing of spring varieties (‘Market Express’, ‘De Milano Red’, ‘Des Vertus’, ‘De Nancy’, ‘De Croissy’) from March to May;
• sowing of autumn and winter varieties (‘Jaune Boule d’or’, ‘Plat de Hollande’, ‘Blanc Dur d’hiver’) from July to September.

To stagger harvests, remember to space out sowing every 15 days or 3 weeks. Early-year sowing needs to be covered in order to remain sheltered from the weather report. From April, sow directly in the vegetable patch.

How to sow turnips?

Here are some tips for successful turnip seedlings:

• work the soil so that it is as loose as possible;
• draw a row about 1.5 cm deep;
• place a seed every 3 cm;
• leave a space of 25 cm between two rows;
• lightly cover the seeds;
• plumb with the back rake;
• water in fine rain.

Depending on the variety sown, count between 2 and 3 months of cultivation to harvest them.

How to maintain turnips?

Once the turnips are sown, you will need to thin the rows when the leaves are about 10 cm. This step makes it possible to keep only the most beautiful specimens and to be able to leave them room to develop. Without thinning, you will get stunted turnips because they are too tight. L’watering regular is essential to obtain turnips that are not stringy and pungent. This regularity also avoids the presence of flea beetles, small insects which pierce the leaves. Mulch to fight against the heat summer and preserve the humidity of the waterings. Binez and weed rows of turnips to avoid competition with weeds. Avoid wetting the foliage, which can encourage the appearance of insects or diseases.

Can I grow turnips in pots?

Turnips are among the vegetables that can be grown easily in a pot, container or planter, like radishthe tomatoesthe peppers where the salads. Choose turnips with small round roots (‘Market Express’ or ‘Petrowski’ variety) and a shallow container. Save long-rooted turnips for the vegetable patch. The two main steps will be thinning to remove some thickly sown radishes to leave space for the roots to develop and watering. Potted crops require more water because evaporation is important.