Turn up flavor, nutrition by planting turnips

By My Courier-Tribune

“Turnip is an underappreciated and underused fall vegetable crop,” said David Trinklein, horticulture state specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

To help home gardeners learn to love the vegetable, the expert offers the following tips.

Plant turnip seed

in late summer

It’s best to plant this versatile vegetable in the late summer so plants will mature during the cool fall weather, Trinklein said. It takes about two months for turnips to mature, depending on the variety. Fall turnips are usually sweeter and more tender than those planted in the spring.

Choose a site that gets full sun and has well-drained soil, Trinklein said. Use a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil down 12 to 15 inches. Broadcast turnip seed over the well-tilled bed and rake lightly to cover the seeds.

“Give turnips about an inch of water a week to keep the roots from becoming tough and bitter. Mulch heavily. Turnips don’t like to share space, so keep the weeds away,” reads a University of Missouri Extension release about the vegetable.

Both the root and the leaves are edible. Trinklein said some people grow turnip varieties specifically for their leaves, but it’s possible to enjoy both the leaves and the root.

“Just take some of the outer leaves off while it’s growing,” he said. “It might result in a root that’s a little smaller, but you’re still going to have a root at harvest.”

If you grow turnips just for their greens, you don’t need to thin out the seedlings.

“If you want the root, thin the seedlings 2 to 4 inches apart after they’ve grown 4 inches high,” Trinklein said.

Harvest and store

after light frost

Turnips will taste sweeter if you harvest them after a light frost, said the expert.

“You can harvest turnips until the ground freezes,” Trinklein said. “The later you wait, and the cooler the temperature surrounding them, the milder and more flavorful they’ll be.”

Turnips can be stored for three or four months in the refrigerator.

Root, leaves

are nutritious

Both the root and the leaves are a nutritious addition to any diet.

“Turnip greens are an excellent source of calcium, folic acid and vitamins A, C, E and B6,” said Tammy Roberts, nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “The root is only 34 calories and a great source of dietary fiber.”