How to Grow Turnips for Winter

Plant turnips 70 to 80 days before the first frost in your area for a fall and winter harvest. The plants must grow and mature before the ground freezes in early winter. Stagger the plantings over two to three weeks for a larger harvest.

Prepare the turnip plot in a site that gets full to partial or filtered sunshine and has quick drainage. The crop will rot if it sits in standing water during late summer or fall rains. Loosen soil to a depth of 10 inches and incorporate 3 to 4 inches of organic compost for a looser base. Turnips can't grow in tight or poor soil.

Plant turnip seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep an inch apart in rows. Allow 12 to 18 inches between rows. Water the plot with 2 inches of water to settle the soil and mulch between the rows with 2 inches of organic mulch.

Thin the seedlings to every 4 to 6 inches in the row when they sprout to give them more room for growing. Maintain consistent watering and mulching to keep the soil moist and restrict weed growth. Soil moisture is especially important in the high heat of late summer.

Harvest turnips at maturity after the first light frost. Pull the plants up in the cool of morning for a sweet, crispy harvest. Allowing the turnips to remain outside for light frost sweetens the flesh – but don't leave them for hard frost, which kills the plants and their roots. Turnips are best when harvested at 2 to 3 inches in size.