Turnips & Rutabagas — FarmPal
Underrated root crops that deliver quick roots and delicious greens.
Sun
full
Water
moderate
Spacing
4-6 inches apart
Days to Harvest
Turnips: 30-60 days. Rutabagas: 90-100 days
Planting Depth
1/4 1/2 inch
Companion Plants
Peas
Beans
Onions
Avoid Planting Near
Potatoes
Other brassicas
Common Pests
Flea beetles
Cabbage root maggot
Aphids
Diseases to Watch
Clubroot
White rust
Powdery mildew
Growing Tips
- •Direct sow in spring or late summer (fall crop is sweeter)
- •Flavor improves dramatically after frost
- •Don't neglect the greens very nutritious and tasty
- •Thin early for best root development
- •Quick crop fits between other plantings
Harvesting
- •Pull turnips at 2-3 inches for tender baby roots
- •Larger roots are fine for cooking and storage
- •Rutabagas need full season harvest after hard frost
- •Greens can be harvested anytime
Storage
Root cellar 4-6 months. Freeze or pickle.
Varieties
Purple Top White Globe
Classic. Fast growing. Dual-purpose.
Hakurei
Japanese salad turnip. Sweet, eat raw. 35 days.
Golden Ball
Yellow flesh. Sweet and buttery. Good storage.
American Purple Top
Rutabaga. Large. Sweet after frost. Stores months.