Turnips provide you with 2 vegetables in the same growing space – above soil green leaves and below-soil tuberous bulb to eat. This easy-to-grow vegetable is full of nutrients like vitamins A and C, the green leaves taste fabulous in salads or added to pasta dishes and the turnip bulb can be used in place of potatoes. Dice the bulb and roast or boil it for best flavor. Use these tips for growing turnips in containers.
Select a container for turnip greens that is 12 inches deep and large enough to hold approximately one gallon of soil for each plant. The container may be glazed ceramic, plastic or terra cotta, but it must have drainage holes or your greens will suffer root rot.
Place a coffee filter in bottom of container to prevent soil from leaching out of the drainage holes during watering, then fill with potting soil. The soil does not have to be specifically intended for vegetables or seed starting, but should contain a mix of organic matter such as compost and mineral matter like perlite to provide the plants nutrients and good drainage.
Plant turnip seeds 1/2-inch deep in soil-filled containers. Place containers outside in a sunny spot or near a sunny window when growing them indoors. Keep soil moist but not wet and the seeds will sprout within 10 to 14 days. Thin seedlings once they reach 3 to 4 inches high. Turnips should be thinned to one plant for every 8 inches of space.
Water containers whenever the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. Never let the soil dry out or the greens will develop a bitter taste. When using porous terra cotta containers, the soil will dry out fast during dry and windy weather, so check the soil daily.
Harvest turnip leaves when they reach 4 to 6 inches tall. Use sharp garden or kitchen scissors and cut the leaf near the base of the plant. To keep plants productive throughout the season, trim off no more than one-third of the leaves from a single plant. Bulbs can be harvested anytime they reach 1-2 inches in diameter. To harvest, wet soil thoroughly, grasp plant at base, then rock gently back and forth until turnip lifts up out of the soil.