How to Grow Turnips From Another Turnip

Propagate the Turnips

• 1

  Select the best turnips among your harvest to use for propagation. Look for medium-sized hard turnips that avoided pest damage.

• 2

  Trim the turnip greens so about 2 centimeters remain. Trim the roots so that 3 to 4 centimeters remain.

• 3

  Store the turnips during winter in plastic bags or a box in a dry, warm basement or cellar.

• 4

  Replant the turnips in early spring. Plant them with the entire green top above ground and about three-quarters of the turnip bulb itself underground. Water as necessary to keep the ground moist. Allow the foliage to grow. Seed pods will develop.

• 5

  Pick the seed pods when they are dry, usually in mid-summer. Crack open the pods to find the turnip seeds. Store the seeds in a clean, dry glass jar kept in a cool, dark room until you're ready to use them.

Grow Turnips

• 6

  Plant the turnip seeds immediately if desired or wait for the next growing season after the ground has reached 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 7

  Test the garden soil to ensure it has a pH of around 6. Amend the soil if necessary to reach the desired pH. For example, add limestone to raise the pH level and sulfur to lower it.

• 8

  Dig rows 1/4-to-1/2-inch deep with a hand trowel. Space out the rows by about 8 inches.

• 9

  Sprinkle the turnip seeds along the row and cover with no more than a 1/2 inch of soil. Water often enough to keep the ground moist but not flooded. Weed the bed as necessary.

• 10

  Pick the turnips when mature, usually about 60-90 days after planting. Consult information on your specific variety for narrower maturity times. Save any turnips from the harvest for additional propagation.