Turnips are versatile, nutritious, cool-season vegetables grown for their tender roots or their leafy greens. Planting turnips in containers offers a number of advantages, especially for urban gardeners without sufficient sunny garden space. Vegetables in containers are easy to care for, requiring little digging, bending and stooping. Plant turnip seeds in early spring for use in early summer or in late summer or autumn for use during the winter.
Fill a container with a lightweight commercial potting soil containing ingredients such as compost, vermiculite and peat moss. Use a container with a soil capacity of at least 2 gallons and a depth of at least 12 inches. Be sure the container has a drainage hole in the bottom.
Mix a balanced, slow-release fertilizer into the potting mixture at planting time. Use a dry fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 at a rate of 1/2-tablespoon of fertilizer for every 1 gallon of potting mixture.
Plant turnip seeds 4 to 6 inches apart if you intend to use the turnips roots. If you plan to use the greens, sprinkle seeds lightly on the soil at a rate of approximately 15 to 20 seeds in a container with a 12-inch diameter. Cover the seeds with 1/2-inch of potting mixture.
Place the container in a sunny location.
Check the container daily, as vegetables grown in containers require water more frequently than vegetable grown in the ground. Water turnips whenever the top of the soil feels dry when you poke your finger into the top 1/2 to 1 inch. Water deeply until water begins to trickle through the drainage hole.
Thin the plants when the turnips seedlings are 4 inches tall, allowing 2 to 4 inches of space between each plant. Use the tender greens in salads or other dishes.
Fertilize the plants a second time about one month after planting, using a balanced, water-soluble vegetable fertilizer with a ratio such as 20-20-20.
Harvest turnip greens as needed, beginning when the plants are 4 to 6 inches tall. Cut the greens and leave the root intact so the plant can continue to produce.
Harvest turnips when the roots are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Larger, more mature turnips become tough and woody.
Things You Will Need
- Container with drainage hole
- Lightweight commercial potting mixture
- Balanced, slow-release fertilizer
- Balanced, water-soluble vegetable fertilizer
- Never allow the soil to dry completely between waterings, as dry soil creates dry, woody turnips. Similarly, don't overwater, as soggy soil suffocates the roots, which may result in death of the plant.
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