Mentions in the factsheets

Handy Hint

Carole and George were at the raised beds looking at the turnip crop. This is 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. Here 12 different coloured turnip varieties had been trialled. Of the purple variety, ‘Primera F1’ was the best.

 

 

 

 

Of the whites Carole preferred ‘Oasis’ as it looked sweeter. George liked ‘Tokyo Cross’ as it was a bit earlier in cropping.

 

 

‘Golden Ball’ was the best of the yellows in comparison with the heritage variety ‘Petrowski’. ‘Scarlet Queen’ looked more like a large radish. However, the results would be in the taste.

 

 

Turnips can be grated raw into salad s or steamed or cooked in a white sauce. There may even be time for another sowing.

 

 

 

Featured turnip varieties:

Sow in drills 30 cm, 12” apart and 18mm, ¾” deep from April onwards. An easy to grow vegetable that matures quickly with a delicate flavour.

• 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.
• 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 tender.
• Turnip ‘Golden Ball’ is yellow skinned with sweet, yellow flesh, one of the best main crop turnips. It is also a good keeper and a fine variety for exhibition work.
• Turnip ‘Market Express’ AGM is 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.
• Turnip ‘Purple Top Milan’ is a classic flat- rooted turnip, the white flesh is truly delicious.
• 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.
• Turnip ‘Snowball’ is a great old favourite and still reliable for giving a good crop of medium sized, globe shaped roots. Also suitable for lifting when small.
• Turnip ‘Petrowski’ is 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.
• Turnip ‘Sweet Marble F1’ is fast growing, sweet tasting roots with no bitter aftertaste. Can be eaten raw or cooked and the leaves can be used as spinach.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

via http://www.beechgrove.co.uk/images/factsheets/Factsheet_16_Final.pdf