turnip seedlings

Plants are up and thinned to about 4 inches and have 4 to 6 leaves each. There's about 1 to 2 inches of stem from where the leaves start back to the soil. Should I add soil up to where the leaves start?

I'd wait until you got ready to plant them out. They'll be bigger then, and you can plant them deep as you need to at that time.

Or, are you transplanting them out now? If so, set them to within 1" of the new leaves, which is probably at the same depth they are now. My concern is always about stuff in the soil just waiting to jump on new seedlings...

I've always direct seeded them. Never transplanted before...

I'm assuming these are direct sown. Turnips have a tap root that can't be messed with and, like carrots, rutabagas or other root veggies don't transplant. The stems start off like that and then they bulk up. Not to worry. Just leave them. Direct sown brassicas, greens and roots have trailing stems.

I've transplanted roots crops (turnips, carrots, beets) successfully. You do have to be careful not to break or injure the tap root. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the tap root, place the seedling in the hole and draw the soil gently around it. Best done when seedlings have their first true leaves.

thanks for your help. they're direct sown and are growing well even in this heat. last years didn't bulb very good for me and thought this might be the reason. or could it be because i picked the leaves several times to eat? does it make a difference?

Noy unless you pick off too many leaves. Usually failure to bulb is the result of being too crowded. when harvesting greens take out plants until they are 2-3 inches apart.

well i guess leaving 2 or 3 leaves would be too many. thanks farmerdill. i'll plant another bed tommorrow so i'll have enough for greens w/o having to cut so much from 1 plant.

We seed thickly and then thin, thin, thin for greens. The really little ones are used in salads and the bigger ones are cooked. We don't take any leaves from the ones meant for roots until we pull them. You've got to thin them fast since they grow quickly.

My beets and turnips NEVER have grown fast for me. What's your secret?

I have no secrets. Not even about Vegas. :>) Beets and carrots are not fast for me but turnips are very fast. The closest thing to secrets about them is direct sowing, timing the planting to anticipate cooling temps and most of all they like to be *fed* and moist. Turnips were sown here a little over a week ago. They sprouted in three days and now need the first thinning. I aim for six to eight weeks before first frost to have plants starting to bulb. They are seeded around the time hardy seedlings of broccoli and cauliflower are ready to transplant. I seeded daikon and mustard at the same time as the turnips. I keep a large stainless basin, filled with water, at my side while thinning all fall greens. All the thinnings go in there and get swished. They usually need another swishing or two and then there is a beautiful bowl of baby greens for salad. As they grow and continue to get thinned I serve them as a wilted salad, dressed with a hot bacon and lemon dressing.

.
So, this means that by your first frost, your turnip seedlings will have started to bulb?


I sowed broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and mustard and collard greens on August 7th, and they are all waaaaaaaay ready to be outside, only it's so hot, I've kept them inside 'til the weather starts cooling off. They may end up outside tomorrow for hardening off all next week. Our first frost date is, on average, around December 7th, and anywhere from November 29 through March 1.

So, according to your quote, I should sow the turnip seeds 6-8 weeks before December 7th (MY avg. !st frost date pick), yes?



Please post the hot bacon and lemon dressing recipe...

HUGS!

Linda ^^_^^, who can finally feel a chill in the daytime temps, although the thermometer still reads 98 degrees, which is a far cry from the 100+ temps we had just last week, and who can see a light overcoat at the end of this summer tunnel...



This message was edited Sep 16, 2011 4:48 PM

1. Ideally by first frost the turnips will be ready to bulb. Earlier is not better but later is okay.
2.I would rather transplant too small seedlings than too big, aged ones regardless of apparent vigor. They may look great in the containers but will not be better because they look like ones from Bonnie. I just addressed this elsewhere where I mentioned one of the biggest problems with transplants is they are often too old when they go in the ground and are too pot bound. Vegetables in general do not appreciate anything even approaching a pot bound state for optimal production. I would get your plants in the ground as soon as possible and shade them. We have been very hot. I planted broccoli under the still producing eggplants.
3. The hot bacon dressing is this...slowly render bacon over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Set bacon aside. To remaining hot fat add honey and lemon juice to taste, making a sweet and sour note. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper. When ready to serve salad make sure dressing is hot and spoon over salad to wilt parts while other parts stay crunchy. This is good with your thinned greens with or without fresh spinach. Celery, apple, grated carrots, beets and their greens and toasted nuts (pecans are fantastic and so are walnuts). Crumble the bacon on top before serving.

Hope you and your garden cool off soon.
Laurel

6-8weeks to start to bulb? what is the 55 days on the package referring to then, the greens? Maybe I just didn't wait long enough. I,m growing purple top white globe and the plants do grow really fast and healthy. How long before they do make mature bulbs?

The way you count days to harvest with most seed sown crops starts at germination. Average germination is seven days (approximate). You can see seed coming up usually after just a few days but seed will continue to come up for the next two weeks. Then add forty five to fifty five days from that time until they bulb. In addition, most vegetables, including cool growing ones, usually require extra days to mature during the shorter day length of fall. Add one or more weeks for late season planting. Six weeks would be forty two days from germination and eight would be fifty six. That's about right. Mind you we're talking first picking. You should have slower turnips maturing over the next weeks and, if planted at the right time, holding in the cooler temperatures.

Thank you, Laurel!

update. i took y'alls advice and have left the plants alone. about half have radish to golf ball sized bulbs that are half out of the ground. they're well shaded by the leaves except for the ones on the south end of the bed. should i cover them with soil? also how big is too big and do they need to have cooler temps to develop flavor?

Tennis ball size is on the large end and golf ball is on the small side. If you are not growing a large garden full I'd say let them get to be racquetball size (that's slightly smaller than a tennis ball). Don't cover them with anything. The bulb part is the above ground portion of the root.

If you are from the North you are probably most interested in the roots but if you are from the South you may be more interested in the greens. The roots are good to eat whenever they reach a desirable size for harvest. The greens are sweeter after the weather chills. If you just can't wait to taste try pulling a few golf balls and slice them in your salad. Chop the greens and add to the lettuces or save them for soup. Tasty. The best way to make use of them is to keep harvesting along the progression of their growth, using them in a variety of ways. As they get a bit bigger try eating them raw as crudites. Then when they get big use them, with their greens, in soup.

MaypopLaurel, what's your fertilizing routine on these turnips? If you don't mind...
Thanks!

LiseP, for turnips I fertilize before planting with something equivalent to 5-10-15, then foliar feed with a higher nitrogen at about three or four weeks out of the ground. Cabbages and other cool weather crops that are not as fast growing require more serious side dressing once or even twice. I'd rather stay light on the fertilizer, and feed an extra time, assuming the plant metabolizes at a slower rate during cooler weather and shorter days. Good luck with your greens. I'm getting ready to go away for a bit. If there are any other questions it might take a while to get back.
Laurel

Thanks for the info, and for the comments on the cabbages (which I am trying to grow right now). Safe travels.

LiseP,
You can do it!

Here's what I was trying to send you!