How to grow turnip
Pull salad turnips at golf-ball size; leave storage types to size up in cool fall weather.
Rotation and family
Turnip belongs to the brassicas (Brassicaceae). Hungry for nitrogen; clubroot spores persist in soil for years.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the leaf & brassica bed. Avoid growing it where any brassicas grew in the last three years.
Sow a fresh batch every 21 days for a steady supply. The succession planting calculator lists the dates.
When to plant turnip by zone
| Zone | Sow / plant out | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apr 29 – Jun 10 | Jul 8 – Jul 29 |
| 4 | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jul 18 – Aug 8 |
| 5 | Apr 9 – May 21 | Jul 30 – Aug 20 |
| 6 | Mar 30 – May 11 | Aug 11 – Sep 1 |
| 7 | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 21 – Sep 11 |
| 8 | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Sep 3 – Sep 24 |
| 9 | Feb 1 – Mar 15 | Sep 24 – Oct 15 |
| 10 | Jan 11 – Feb 22 | Oct 9 – Oct 30 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Turnip questions
When should I plant turnip?
Plant turnip outdoors 3 weeks before your last spring frost. For a fall crop, sow about 10 weeks before your first fall frost.
How far apart should I plant turnip?
About 4 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with turnip?
Traditional companions include onion, pea. Keep it away from potato.
How long does turnip take to grow?
Typically 40–55 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.