Turnip

1. 1

   Sow direct

   March to August in successional batches every 3 weeks. 1 cm deep drill, sow thinly, cover lightly. Early sowings (March) under cloches; April onwards direct. Turnips germinate fast — 7–14 days.

2. 2

   Thin to 15 cm

   When seedlings have 2 true leaves, thin to 15 cm apart. Eat the thinnings (turnip tops are like spring greens).

3. 3

   Protect young leaves from flea beetle

   Tiny black beetles that pock-mark young brassica leaves. Apply enviromesh or fleece from sowing through the first 4 weeks; the plants then outgrow the damage. Yellow sticky traps catch a useful number.

4. 4

   Water consistently

   Turnips bolt or go woody in drought. Water deeply once a week in dry spells; mulch with grass clippings to hold moisture.

5. 5

   Pull young for tender roots

   Pull when roots are golf-ball sized (5–7 cm across) for the best flavour. Larger roots get coarse, fibrous, and bitter. The early varieties (Snowball, Purple Top Milan, Tokyo Cross) are designed to be eaten small.

6. 6

   Sow main-crop for storage

   For winter storage, sow July to early August. These take longer to mature (10–12 weeks) and store well. Lift before the first hard frost; cut tops 2 cm above the root; store in damp sand in a frost-free shed.

7. 7

   Don't confuse with swede

   Turnip (Brassica rapa) and swede (Brassica napus) are different species despite similar appearance and use. Swede is hardier (H6), slower-growing, and the orange-fleshed root of neeps. Different sowing schedule too — see the separate swede content.

Flea beetle, cabbage caterpillars, and clubroot; same brassica pest profile as swede.