How to Grow a Plant From a Turnip

Saving the Seeds

• 1

  Let your turnip plants remain in the garden until they flower. Ideally, these plants should be planted well away from cabbage, rutabagas and other members of the turnip family to avoid cross-pollination.

• 2

  Keep an eye on the seedpods on your turnip plants. When they turn brown and the seeds appear full and dark, they're ripe and ready to harvest. Don't harvest seeds before they are ripe, but don't wait too long either or the birds might get them.

• 3

  Cut the flower stalks with the seed pods and hang them upside down to dry in a well-ventilated place such as a garage.

• 4

  Break open the dry seed pods over a large bowl. Remove any bits of the pod or other debris from the bowl.

• 5

  Let the seeds dry out in the open for a couple more days, then store them over the winter in envelopes or small paper bags. Label them to avoid confusion with seeds from other plants.

Planting the Seeds

• 6

  Prepare your garden soil when it's dry and workable. Turnips grow best in deep, fertile, well-draining loam soil with a pH around 6.0. Plant turnips when the soil temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit for a few weeks before your area's last spring frost. Frost dates are available from University Extension websites in most states.

• 7

  Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep at a rate of two to 20 seeds per foot of row. Rows should be 12 to 24 inches apart.

• 8

  Water your plants if necessary, but don't over-water. The soil should be kept moist but never soaking wet.

• 9

  Control weeds, pests and diseases as needed. Most turnips are ready to harvest in 40 to 70 days, depending on variety. If you plan to save seeds again, allow 20 or so turnip plants to remain in the garden until the seeds can be harvested.