Turnips Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group)
- Phonetic Spelling
- BRAS-ih-ka RAY-puh
- Description
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Turnips are in the mustard family and are grown as an edible food crop for both their green tops and the root. They can be grown in spring or fall but are the best tasting as a fall crop. Seeds can be sown mid-summer for a fall crop. The root itself comes in various colors from yellow to white with or without red or purple at the top. They can also be round or flattish in shape. Young leaves are great in a salad or older leaves can be sauteed.
Grow this plant in fertile, moist well-drained soil in full sun and water as needed to keeps the soil lightly moist. They germinate quickly and mature in about 8 weeks. Turnip roots taste best if grown in moist conditions and are picked young. They are also sweeter after a light fall frost.
Problems, Pests and Diseases: aphids, whiteflies, flea beetles, and caterpillars such as cabbage loopers, cutworms, and beet armyworms. Slugs and snails may also be a problem. Diseases include club root, white rust, leaf spot, and rots such as damping off and bacterial soft rot.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Just Right’
- ‘Purple Top White Globe’
- ‘Yellow Globe’
Golden roots
- ‘Just Right’
- ‘Just Right’, ‘Purple Top White Globe’, ‘Yellow Globe’
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Just Right’
- ‘Purple Top White Globe’
- ‘Yellow Globe’
Golden roots
- ‘Just Right’
- ‘Just Right’, ‘Purple Top White Globe’, ‘Yellow Globe’
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Brassica
- Species:
- rapa
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Biennial
- Edibility:
- Root and leaves are edible raw or cooked
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small yellow 4-petaled flowers
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are generally light green and slightly hairy. They are an elongated oval, with toothed or wavy edges.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Problems:
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Problem for Horses