turnips

[queen of the cobs]

Hi,

When is the right time to plant turnips? I've been hoping that it could be one of those vegs that I could sow in late summer - am I wrong? I rather wanted one of those small varieties, and recall someone mentioning Snowball on a post a week or so ago.

Any recomendations happily received.
x

[DirtDobber]

yes late summer is the perfect time to plant .....you have to check the seed package for the days to maturity and then count back from your frostfreeze date to be sure you give them time to mature...Here in the southern USA they are nearly always grown in the fall...they actually will stand quite a bit of cold and many people leave them in the ground until a heavy freeze is expected ....some people even believe that they taste better, especially the greens, after a frost...

[Hazel at the Hill]

Sow any time from now, QOTC - I'm sowing my snowball turnips in short rows every 2 wks - my first lot were sowed 17 March and I ate the first lot this week (bit smaller than a tennis ball) - that's about 10wks, and I'll continue (space permitting!) till late in ths Autumn.

[Kimbo]

I am sowing snowball and arcoat put them both in a couple of weeks ago and they are looking very healthy at the moment.'

According to the packets (from Suttons) snowball takes 10 wks and arcoat 10 weeks and can be sown from apri to aug and havested jun - nov (snowball) and june - oct (arcoat).

Hope this helps

[Flummery]

Mine are coming along nicely too. Not ready to eat yet! Should be another month I reckon. Still have time to grow another lot when the early veg are out but I think I'll put swede in instead. Love them mashed with butter and pepper! Also, they don't mind staying put in the ground - useful in winter.

[queen of the cobs]

thanks everyone - that's cheered me up no end. Have bought some from ebay.

When do you think the latest I could plant them would be? If they like a frost and don't mind staying in the ground, I'd like to leave it as late as possible. Given that they need 10 weeks, I was wondering if I planted some of them in the middle of July / end of July, that would work?

[Vegmonkey]

That'll be absolutely fine QOTC, mine went in from seed about 4 weeks ago, and are coming on nicely. Obviously the closer you plant them, the smaller they will be, so make sure you read the advice sent with the plants. I'll be posting a blog entry on the turnips soon, so keep an eye out!

[big digger]

Vegmonkey
what do you know of storing turnips if you have a glut - moist sand isnt working for me.
big digger

[Snadger]

Vegmonkey
what do you know of storing turnips if you have a glut - moist sand isnt working for me.
big digger

Dice em and freeze em! Or you could try a straw 'clamp'?

[Vegmonkey]

I'll go with that...freeze them min bags that are enough for 2 people, so when you need them for a meal, you only have to defrost one bag at a time