When to Plant Turnips Outdoors

When to Plant

• Start planting turnips as early as you can work the ground in the spring. If you want to be precise, take the ground temperature once the weather starts to turn from winter to spring -- when it stays stable around at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the soil is safe for planting your turnips. Given their germination time and temperature requirements, stop planting turnips about 70 days before the first frost.

Spacing and Care

• Turnips should be planted thickly and in wide rows -- dig and till rows about 15 or 16 inches wide and a half inch deep. Your rows should be between 1 and 2 feet apart from each other. Water your seedlings if the weather is dry, as the summer heat can make the soil too hot for optimum growth. Other than this, turnips need little care or attention as they grow. Pull weeds as they appear.

Harvesting

• The best quality turnips are about 2 to 3 inches in diameter, but if you are interested only in the greens and not the turnips themselves, this doesn't make much difference. If the greens are all you care about, just watch them grow above ground. Begin pulling up your turnips or harvesting the greens when they are 4 to 5 inches tall, and remember that the smallest leaves are the tenderest.

Soil Qualities

• When planting turnips, the time frame isn't your only concern. You must also ensure that the soil is fertile enough for your seedlings. The pH level should be about 6.0. Turnips are generally able to compete with weeds, though you should still remove weeds as you see them grow. To prevent them, treat the soil with fertilizer either when you plant your seeds or within three days of planting.