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Turnips are a quick crop which matures in 6 weeks from sowing seed to harvest. It is therefore worth having in the vegetable plot to fill in gaps between other crops

An easy to grow vegetable that matures quickly with a delicate flavour.

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Turnip / RHS Gardening

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Turnip trial | BBC Beechgrove Garden

Today George and Carole also sowed turnips in the small raised beds.

There were 12 varieties of different colours: white, yellow and purple. These would take 8-10 weeks before they could be harvested as small baby turnips. A range of autumn onions and shallots would be sown after the turnips.

Turnips should be sown in drills 30 cm (12”) apart and 18mm (¾”) deep from April onwards. This is an easy to grow vegetable that matures quickly with a delicate flavour.

Featured turnip varieties

  • Turnip ‘Scarlet Queen’ RS F1. This is a real head turner with its beautiful red globe- shaped roots and red stems. The flesh is crisp, sweet and white. Delightful grated into salads or gently steamed as a hot vegetable. 200 seeds for £1.49.
  • Turnip ‘Armand’. This purple and white skinned turnip can be grown late due to its hardiness. It can be spring sown for summer and autumn lifting or sown later for winter use. Try some for Christmas lunch for a change. The flesh is sweet and
  • Turnip ‘Golden Ball’. Yellow skinned with sweet, yellow flesh, one of the best maincrop turnips. It is also a good keeper and a fine variety for exhibition work. 1500 seeds for 99p.
  • Turnip ‘Market Express’, AGM. Ready for lifting as little as 50 days from sowing, the small, pure white roots are of the highest quality and are cold tolerant. Lovely raw in salads. 300 seeds for £1.69.
  • Turnip ‘Purple Top Milan’ The classic flat- rooted turnip, the white flesh is truly delicious. 1500 seeds for £1.19.
  • Turnip ‘Sweetball’. A salad turnip. The incredibly sweet flavoured, firm textured roots reach only 6-8cm in diameter and can be pulled smaller. Ideal raw in salads and stir-fries and there is no bitter after taste. The flesh is clear and white. 100 seeds for £1.49.
  • Turnip ‘Snowball’. A great old favourite and still reliable for giving a good crop of medium sized, globe shaped roots. Also suitable for lifting when small. 1500 seeds for £1.19.
  • Turnip ‘Petrowski’. An early cropping heirloom variety renowned for its fine texture, close grain and superb flavour, this compact turnip with small tops is ideal as a catch crop. Make the best use of available space and grow between rows of slower growing vegetables. 1000 seeds for £1.65.
  • Turnip ‘Sweet Marble’ F1. Fast growing, sweet tasting roots with no bitter aftertaste. Can be eaten raw or cooked and the leaves can be used as spinach. 100 seeds for £1.65.
  • Turnip ‘Oasis’ F1. Can be picked at any size with a surprisingly sweet juicy flavour similar to a melon. Delicious when eaten raw like an apple or grated into salads. Resistant to virus. Ideal for summer and autumn harvests. 300 seeds for £2.49.
  • Turnip ‘Primera’ F1. Succulent red topped, white ping-pong ball-sized roots full of flavour especially when grated raw into salads or as a steamed vegetable. Use tender tops in salads, stir fries or steamed. 150 seeds for £2.99.
  • Turnip ‘Tokyo Cross’ F1, AGM. Delicious pure white round roots. Harvest at ‘ping pong’ ball mini-veg for best flavour. The tops may also be used for stir fry or boiling. 370 seeds for £1.59.

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