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Tending the crop…
🥕 Vegetable
How to Grow Turnips
A fast, no-fuss root crop — sow directly, thin early, harvest in 6-8 weeks. Grow it in spring and fall; warm weather makes roots hot and woody.
Harvest
55 Days
Sunlight
full
Watering
moderate
Medium
in-ground
Spacing
1 sq ft
245%
Return on Investment
One turnips plant produces roughly 8 lbs. Worth $10.32 vs a $2.99 seed cost.
Practical Maintenance
- Light: Full Sun (6+ hrs/day)
- Water: Moderate — water 1-2x per week
- Spacing: 1 sq ft per plant.
Champion Varieties
Lineages for your homestead goals
Purple Top White Globe
The classic — purple-shouldered, white-bottomed, fast and dependable.
Tokyo Cross
A Japanese hybrid that's mild, quick (35 days), and great for salads.
Hakurei
A sweet white salad turnip — eaten raw, it tastes like a mild radish-apple.
Golden Ball
An heirloom yellow turnip with a rich, sweet flavor and long storage life.
Guilds & Companions
Resource Competitors
Complete Care Guide
Soil · Water · First 30 days · Monthly care · Troubleshooting · Harvest
Soil
Loose, well-draining, rock-free soil. pH 6.0–7.0. Amend with compost. Avoid fresh manure — causes forked, hairy roots.
Watering
1 inch per week, evenly and consistently. Irregular watering = woody, cracked roots. Light mulch helps retain moisture.
🗓️ The First 30 Days
- Days 1–3Direct sow 1/2 inch deep, 1 inch apart, rows 12–18 inches apart. Succession plant every 7–10 days for continuous harvest.
- Days 4–7Light straw or grass clipping mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temp.
- Days 8–14Thin to 2–4 inches apart at 1–2 inches tall. Thinnings make excellent salad greens.
- Days 15–21Check for root development on early varieties — some are ready in 30–35 days from sowing.
- Days 22‗30Plant next succession. Turnips are 30–60 day crops — you can run multiple rounds in spring and fall.
📆 Monthly Care
- Month 1