Turnips

SOW MAR, AUG, SEP harvest MAY, JUN, OCT, NOV

Baby turnips have a delicate flavor and add to the variety of young veg you can eat fresh and out of their ‘normal’ season. They do best in soil borders. The tops are edible too, and taste a bit like cabbages or broccoli leaves.

Cultivation

DIFFICULTY Easy; low input.

SOW Thinly in rows 15-20cm (6-8in) apart. Once the seedlings appear, thin them to 2.5cm (lin) apart for baby veg, which is all you really want under cover. If you want bigger roots, space them a bit wider, 5cm (2in) apart.

CARE As with most under-cover crops, water is the most important ingredient. Keep the rows well weeded too. Plants

Probably the best greenhouse turnip, ‘Snowball’ has crisp, white flesh and tasty, green tops.

that struggle for water or against competition are likely to become fibrous and woody.

HARVEST While small and succulent, at about 2.5cm (lin) across.

STORAGE They keep for a week or so in the fridge.

Look out for…

Under cover the main brassica disease — clubroot — shouldn’t be a problem, but grow them in pots if it proves to be.

Flea beetle may attack the leaves, leaving tiny round holes. These should be less prevalent under glass. Tuck fleece or fine mesh around the plants if necessary.

Worth trying…

‘Atlantic’ — Pale purple roots that are ready to eat in six to eight weeks.

‘Primera’ — Bred to be a mini-root, this has white roots with red tops. Takes five weeks to mature.

‘Snowball’ — Round, white roots with sweet flesh. Takes six weeks to mature.

‘Tokyo Cross’ — White roots that are quick to mature (five or six weeks).

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