Parts or organs of turnip used. Turnips: what it is, what it looks like, where it grows - growing and using fodder turnips. Application areas of fodder turnips

Product Description

Round, slightly flattened, purple-white root vegetables are increasingly appearing on Russian shelves. For some reason, the price tag says “turnip,” although this is the most natural turnip. Not feed, but table - tender, bittersweet, goes well with fatty meat.

Turnips are indeed the closest relative of turnips, and from a biological point of view they are generally the same plant, in Latin - Brassica rapa v. rapa. In English, the names of turnips and turnips are also the same - tunips. However, the taste of Russian turnips, yellow and flattened, and Western table turnips are very different. Therefore, biology is biology, but gastronomy still has its own laws.

Those root vegetables that have been grown for a long time in Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, the USA, Canada, and Australia are actually better called turnips. The shape of these root vegetables is most often oblong or flattened, the flesh is white, the skin on top is purple, gradually turning into beige or white, although it can also be simply white or even red. The history of turnip cultivation in the West has a long tradition, and cultivated varieties of this root crop were developed a long time ago.

It should be added that there is also fodder turnip, which is grown for livestock. In terms of quantity, more fodder turnip is grown than table turnip. In the 19th century, Western forage turnips began to be imported and introduced into Russia; hence the long-standing Russian belief that turnips are just a fodder turnip.

In Japanese cooking, white and red table turnips are actively used; they are called kabu (kabu).

Due to its beneficial properties, turnips are highly valued in dietary nutrition. It is recommended to be used as a general tonic, appetite enhancer and multivitamin. The benefits are due to the high content of mustard oil and phytoncides, which give the vegetable bactericidal properties. Turnips are included in the menu of low-calorie diets, which I prepare for patients suffering from obesity and diabetes. It has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing, antiseptic and analgesic effects. There are also contraindications: turnips are not recommended for use in acute inflammation of the digestive system.

Types and varieties

First of all, turnip honeycombs are divided into fodder and table - it is the latter that are of interest to chefs: these are root vegetables with a delicate, very interesting, bittersweet taste. Externally, root vegetables of different varieties can differ from each other: there are white-meat and yellow-meat varieties (depending on the color of the pulp), in shape - round, long and intermediate, in the color of the peel - purple-white or simply white.

From a biological point of view, turnips and turnips are the same plant, but their taste is quite different. Western table turnips in Russia are often called turnips, and Russian turnips in the West are called turnips.

How to cook

Before use, turnip root vegetables are doused with boiling water, thus removing the bitterness.

Turnip root vegetables are suitable for preparing side dishes for cutlets, lamb and pork, and salads. They are stewed and baked.

In Arab countries (for example, Lebanon), pickled turnips are very popular.

Young turnip tops are used in cooking in the same way as turnip and beet tops: they are suitable for soups, salads and pies.

Spring sowing of turnips ripens by the end of June.

Summer crops are harvested in late September - early October.

How to select and store

Young turnips are tastier and healthier than older ones.

Give preference to hard, undamaged roots and fresh green tops.

Don't confuse turnips with radishes: they have white-purple or perfect white skin. And it’s not surprising to confuse it with a turnip, considering that these are, in fact, forms of the same plant; however, as a rule, Russian turnips are not white, but yellow.

Turnip root vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator. At a temperature of 0.5-2°C in a non-humid environment, they are stored for several weeks and even months. Unwashed turnips must be washed and dried before storage. Paper and fabric bags are preferable to polyethylene.

Most gardeners grow turnips as a table vegetable, which tastes like turnips; the root vegetable is a biennial plant in the cabbage family. Being one of the varieties of rutabaga, turnips are grown as an agricultural crop and as fodder for livestock. As a result of the painstaking work of breeders, turnips acquired a quite tolerable taste and quite large sizes.

Turnip, plant description

Turnip is an unpretentious plant, in the first years of growth it forms a root crop and an above-ground part in the form of a rosette of foliage. Flowering begins in the second year of life, after which you can get seeds.

Forage varieties of turnips have broad foliage with a fleecy part, while salad varieties have smooth and succulent foliage.

Turnips are similar in appearance to turnips; they are also called fodder turnips. The root crop has a cylindrical-round shape, different colors, from yellow to pink, depending on the variety and purpose.

Turnip flowering begins in the second year, in the summer months, the plant blooms with yellow flowers collected in racemes. After flowering, the plant forms an oblong pod with seeds - the fruit. Turnip seeds are small, burgundy or black in color.

Turnips are directly related to turnips, rutabaga, radishes, radishes and all types of cabbage. The culture is very useful and today, through selective work, many different varieties for table use have been developed. Planting turnips in open ground is carried out with seedlings or seeds; the plant is not capricious and grows well in different soils.

Growing turnips for feed needs, as a rule, gives good yields, about 150 centners per hectare. All farm animals do not disdain root crops; in addition, the above-ground part of the plant, which is mowed earlier, is used as feed for cattle, and after harvesting, the root crops are fed to pigs. Countries such as the USA, Denmark and Canada have the most extensive areas under turnips.

Turnip prefers turfy and loamy enriched soils and sunny areas. Many gardeners and gardeners grow turnips for personal needs, in particular for their table. Salads are made from the root vegetable and added to vegetable dishes.

Storing turnips involves keeping them in vegetable stores and special trenches and herds.

Types and varieties of turnips

Turnips come in two varieties, yellow-fleshed and white-fleshed. The difference between them is in shelf life, yield and dry matter content in root crops.

The most popular yellow varieties are:

purple turnip, This includes a round root vegetable, slightly flattened, purple in color and yellow flesh, not difficult to grow. The taste is quite suitable for consumption, the variety does not stand out for its juiciness. The tops of the plant are poorly developed, the foliage is located on purple petioles.

Finsk-bortfeldsky, the plant has tall green tops and almost erect petiolate leaves. The root vegetables of this variety are dark in color with yellow flesh. With proper care it gives a good harvest.

Bortfeld long turnip, a plant of this varietal has bright green foliage, slightly raised.

The size is large. With proper care, the fruits are weighty and strong. The inside is yellow, juicy with good taste, the variety is intended for table use.

Tankard yellow, turnips with developed, lush, erect tops.

The elongated shape of the root crop in the ripe phase shows up from the soil and does not interfere with extraction. The pulp is yellow in color, quite juicy, suitable for use for table purposes.

Greyston, variety with large, erect foliage, green and yellow. The tops are juicy. Root vegetables are round in shape, slightly flattened, with a scaly shell. The lack of a developed root system makes it possible to extract root crops without much effort. The pulp is yellowish, not juicy. Used for feed purposes.

The white type of turnip is represented by the following various varieties:

Ostersundom turnip, It is distinguished by an underdeveloped root system, not lush, bright green tops, on bluish petioles.

The fruits are easy to pull out, have an elongated shape, are moderately juicy, whitish inside, and have a bitter taste. The variety is grown for livestock feed and for the preparation of fodder, for the winter; the vegetable is subject to long-term storage.

Six week old turnip, the tops are strong, located on thick petioles. The roots are flattened, white, and when fully ripe they “jump” out of the soil. The color of the fruit is light, white inside.

The pulpy part is juicy and suitable for table use. The variety goes well with vegetables in salads.

Turnip white ball, The name justifies its shape; such a round root vegetable is rarely seen. The pulp of the vegetable is whitish and juicy. The outside of the fruit is purple. It sits tightly in the ground, but pulls out with a bang.

Bred by breeders relatively recently, the variety has gained great popularity for its large size and excellent taste.

Norfolk or white round turnip. The plant is unpretentious and produces good yields with minimal care. The tops are thick and strong, the foliage is on thick petioles and stands upright. The root vegetables are large, round in shape, the underground part of the vegetable is colored blue-violet, and when ripe the above-ground part of the root vegetable becomes lighter.

It is pulled out without effort, the flesh part is white, juicy, tastes without bitterness, suitable for salads and vegetable dishes.

red-headed turnip, round in shape and medium in size, the root crop is named because of its color. The shape is slightly flattened, has a dark purple color around the tops, otherwise a light shade. It is removed from the soil with enviable ease, the taste is without bitterness, but the pulp is a bit dry for salads; the variety is more suitable for preparing vegetable dishes.

Growing turnips: planting and care

Growing turnips with proper care is not difficult. The culture responds to moderate humidity and fertilizing and does not tolerate heat and drought.

The best conditions for growing turnips are soil rich in humus, an area with variable solar activity, abundant moisture and moderate temperature. The plant feels great in cool summers and produces abundant harvests in central Russia.

Stagnation of moisture can have a detrimental effect on the plant and give rise to root and tuberous rot. Therefore, excessive waterlogging should not be allowed. Take care of the drainage capacity of the soil in advance, and correct the situation in advance (if there is a problem with the soil) by adding a bucket of sand to each square meter of soil.

Due to the fact that turnip grows on almost all soils except salt marsh, its planting is possible in any place and climatic latitude, however, if you plan to get a rich harvest, you should allocate “richer” soils for planting turnips.

Planting turnips is possible both with seeds and already purchased or grown seedlings. Before proceeding with one method or another, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. From the beginning of autumn, the plot is dug up, organic fertilizers are applied (a bucket of rotted manure per square meter of plot) and harrowed. After a week, the soil can be saturated with mineral fertilizers by adding superphosphate or nitroammophosphate (0.5 kg for every 2 sq.m.).

Before planting, the soil is dug up and harrowed again, horizontal depressions are made, about 2-2.5 cm deep, leaving a half-meter “step” between them. Turnip seeds are quite small, so gardeners recommend mixing them with sand. You will need about 3 kg. per hectare of sown area. Crops will appear at the proper temperature and humidity within one and a half to two weeks.

Planting turnips with seedlings grown at home or purchased is not much different from sowing seeds. The seedlings are planted in the prepared soil in a square-cluster or linear manner, preventing the plants from becoming crowded, and then watered with water from a sprinkler so as not to erode the soil.

Caring for turnips is not complicated, and requires regular watering, protection of the crop from weeds, and a couple of fertilizing will not be superfluous. At first, turnips will need a lot of moisture to allow the root crop to develop; a day after watering, loosen it. It is important to prevent drought and “clogged” soil.

If the turnip tuber is left without watering during the formation of the tuber, it will dry out, and if you do not provide enough moisture during the development of the root crop, then with a 100% probability the vegetable will taste bitter.

With average precipitation in your region, you should water at least 2-3 times a week.

During the period of intensive growth, two to three weeks after planting, turnips will need feeding; use compost diluted 2:10 l. It is not forbidden to use mineral fertilizers during the development phase of the root crop, but without unnecessary zeal, otherwise there is a risk that the vegetable will be filled with “chemistry”.

Protective measures against weeds have long been known to you, and this is, of course, the “good old” hoe. Therefore, as necessary, weed the rows in the evening or early in the morning.

Benefits of turnip

Probably, many of us don’t even know what turnips are, and what they are needed for in general. However, if you're interested in this nutritious vegetable, you've probably heard of it. So, turnip is one of the plant products essential for our body, which helps us maintain our health and even cope with some diseases.

Turnips can combat constipation and excess weight; its use is indicated for diabetics and obese people.

Turnip primarily contains vitamins and minerals. Just 75 grams of turnip vegetable pulp will saturate the body with essential substances.

The composition of the product is varied and includes such important substances as proteins, carbohydrates, organic acids, flavonoids and vitamins. Turnip seeds are enriched with linolenic acid, vegetable fats, oils and vitamin C. In addition, the vegetable contains large quantities of vitamins B, A, E, potassium, magnesium and iron.

If you eat turnips every day, you can normalize digestion and also replenish your body’s reserves of vitamins and minerals.

Turnips, thanks to the large amount of vitamin C in its composition, helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels. As for the taste of the vegetable, due to the absence of bitter oils, the root vegetable is not bitter and fits well into vegetable dishes.

Turnips are suitable for dietary nutrition and are used by overweight people as a mono product, because 100 g. Turnip pulp contains only 32 calories.

The influence of turnips on the body’s immune system, like any other vegetable, is invaluable. Thanks to fiber, vitamins and minerals, turnip fights gastrointestinal diseases.

With long-term use, turnip is capable of normalizing blood pressure, influencing blood thinning, preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques, preventing thrombophilia and strokes.

In addition to the above, turnip strengthens blood vessels, reduces the risk of developing infectious diseases, by increasing immunity.

Relieves swelling and inflammation locally, for superficial burns and bruises.

Daily consumption of turnips reduces psychological stress, improves memory and helps restore concentration.

Cleaning and storing turnips

With proper care and the availability of high-quality seed material, you can get a fairly rich harvest of turnips. As for harvesting turnips, in small areas and personal plots, harvesting is carried out manually, but industrial-scale areas are harvested using combines and agricultural machinery.

For feed needs, the tops are first cut, fed to livestock, and then the root crops are dug up. Before storage, the vegetable is dried, removing clods of earth. Root crops are stored in a cellar or herds at a temperature of no more than +3 degrees.

This fodder crop has been known to people since ancient times.

Description of turnip

Turnip or turnip belongs to the cruciferous family and to the genus Cabbage. The lifespan of this herbaceous plant is 2 years. It is not found in nature; it is grown only in culture (mainly as feed for livestock). Breeders have also developed varieties of turnip that can be used for human consumption.

In the first year of life, turnips form a rosette of leaves and form a large root, and in the second year they form flowers and produce seeds (in the south, flowering often occurs in the first year of the plant’s life). Forage turnip roots can have different shapes (cylinder, ball, oval). The color of root vegetables also varies - the skin can be yellow, purple, white (the flesh is either white or yellowish). The plant is in dire need of nutrients and moisture - without them, root vegetables become very bitter.

Turnip leaves also have differences - in some varieties they are covered with hairs (pubescent), while in salad forms there is no such pubescence. The height of the testes is 0.5-1.5 m. Yellow turnip flowers are collected in a raceme. The fruits (pods) have an elongated shape. Ripe pods contain dark red or black seeds.

Forage varieties of turnips are characterized by high productivity (up to 1000 centners of root crops are harvested per hectare). Sometimes the plant is fed as it stands, giving livestock the opportunity to “harvest” on their own (cattle prefer the leaves, while pigs eat the roots). Turnips are used as a forage crop in many countries around the world, including Russia.

Chemical composition of turnip

All parts of turnip contain a wide range of minerals (among them potassium and phosphorus are the leaders). The vegetable is rich in vitamins (primarily group B in all its diversity, as well as ascorbic acid and carotene).

The chemical composition includes anthocyanins, essential oil (responsible for the taste and aroma of the plant), organic acids, carbohydrates, proteins, phytoncides and sterols. The seeds are rich in fatty oil.

Useful properties of turnip

Turnip varieties used for human food are of great benefit. They have a laxative, diuretic, restorative, immunostimulating, juice-boosting, and bactericidal effect. The plant helps cope with vitamin deficiency and stress.

In folk medicine, turnip has long been used as an anthelmintic and cough medicine. It is prescribed for gout, asthma, laryngitis, and toothache. In the old days, turnips saved people from scurvy. Turnips are recommended for diabetes and obesity. The plant also has analgesic and wound healing effects.

Root juice dissolves kidney stones, stimulates cardiac activity, and has a positive effect on joints. It is effective for colds, arrhythmia, dysentery, gastritis, whooping cough, and intestinal atony. A mixture of turnip pulp and goose fat helps with frostbite, bedsores, and purulent wounds that are difficult to treat. For eczema, it is recommended to make lotions with water infusion.

Uses of turnip

In Russia, turnips served as an analogue of potatoes (before their appearance in our region). You can prepare salads from the leaves and roots of turnips, combining them with other vegetables, boiled eggs and herbs. It is also recommended to stew and bake root vegetables. Turnip leaves have a mustard taste. To remove the bitterness, turnips are scalded with boiling water. Turnip side dishes go well with meat.

Contraindications

Turnips cannot be used for treatment or as food for inflammation of the stomach and intestines that are in the acute phase. The vegetable is contraindicated for thyroid diseases. It should not be eaten if you have a peptic ulcer.

Turnip is a valuable fodder and vegetable crop that continues to enjoy high popularity in many countries around the world. A separate article will be devoted to the rules.

Turnips– one of the varieties of rutabaga, a plant of the Brassica family. Root vegetables have a round shape, sometimes oblong (see photo). Under the thin white-purple skin there is dense and juicy pulp. Its color can vary from white to yellow.

Turnip rutabaga first appeared in Southern Europe and Afghanistan. Today this vegetable grows on almost all continents.

Initially, turnips were used exclusively as animal feed, but later varieties were developed that could and even should be eaten.

Types and varieties

There are a large number of types and varieties of turnip rutabaga. Species are divided according to the color of their flesh into white-fleshed and yellow-fleshed. These varieties differ not only in the color of the pulp, but also in other factors. For example, yellow-meat turnip contains more useful microelements than white-meat turnip, but at the same time it is significantly inferior to it in terms of the amount of yield obtained. Also, these types of rutabaga differ slightly in the size of the root crops. In addition, yellow-fleshed turnip can be preserved much longer than its white-fleshed relative.

Each type of turnip rutabaga includes several varieties, which we will tell you about right now.

Yellow meat varieties include the following varieties:

« Bortfelskaya long" is a variety of rutabaga, which is characterized by underdeveloped tops and rich green leaves. The root vegetable has a yellow skin and is half buried in the ground. The root system is well developed, there are a lot of roots, so extracting a vegetable from the ground can be quite problematic.
« Yellow Violethead"is a rutabaga with green leaves that have purple petioles, and the root vegetable itself is purple on top, gradually turning yellow below. There are few roots, making it easy to remove rutabaga from the ground. The pulp of the vegetable is juicy, soft and tasty.
Rutabaga " grayson"is distinguished by its green root crop, which turns yellow in the underground part. This variety is usually used as feed for livestock or birds, since the pulp of this rutabaga is dry and not very tasty.
« Yello-tankard" is a variety of yellow-fleshed rutabaga that resembles Grayson in appearance, as the upper part of the fruit is green in color, which turns yellow in the underground part of the vegetable. It has a large number of roots, which makes it difficult to remove from the ground. The flesh is dark, juicy and sweet.

White-fleshed turnips are also divided into several different varieties, of which the following are the most popular:

“Östersundom” rutabaga has a purple tint on top and white below, a slightly elongated rounded shape and a large number of roots, which makes the vegetable difficult to remove from the soil. The pulp is white, slightly bitter in taste.
"Norfolk" is a completely purple root vegetable that has a round and slightly flattened shape, as well as white and juicy flesh. Due to the fact that this variety of rutabaga is only one-fourth immersed in the ground and has a small number of roots, it is very convenient to remove it from the soil.
The turnip turnip “white ball” variety was developed relatively recently. The root crop is purple-white in color and is impressive in size. The pulp is white, soft and sweet in taste. The vegetable has a small number of roots and is easily removed from the ground.
“Six-week-old turnip” is a completely white root vegetable with light and sweet flesh. The tops have a light green color. The shape of the vegetable is round, slightly flattened.

Any of the varieties of turnip rutabaga has underdeveloped tops, which makes it different from other relatives. The number of roots may vary depending on the variety.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of turnip rutabaga are very diverse, and all because this root vegetable has a rich composition of useful substances. For example, it contains more ascorbic acid than citrus fruits. You can learn more about the vitamin and mineral composition of the root vegetable in the table at the very end of the article.

This vegetable has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect on the body. In addition, it can be used as an antiseptic and wound healing agent. Turnips can also be an excellent pain reliever.

The juice of this vegetable can be used as a sedative and expectorant. The bactericidal effect of rutabaga is ensured by the presence of mustard oils and phytoncides.

Use in cooking

The useful root vegetable has found wide application in cooking. Most often, turnip rutabaga is used to prepare salads that go perfectly with meat dishes and various side dishes. In addition, root vegetables are added to stews, soups, side dishes, and they are also used to make very tasty and original sauces.

Turnips can be subjected to any type of cooking: frying, boiling, baking and stewing.

Young leaves of the plant, which taste similar to mustard, are also used for food. They are mainly added to salads, but sometimes also to stews to add flavor.

The benefits of rutabaga turnips and treatment

The benefits of turnip have been appreciated by traditional healers and scientists. For example, some doctors recommend including this root vegetable in their menu for people with obesity and diabetes. It is useful to use this vegetable as a means to improve intestinal health. This turnip is recommended to be used for polyneuritis, gout and salt deposits.

In folk medicine, there are many different recipes that include turnips. For example, a decoction of this vegetable is recommended for people with bronchitis and asthma. In addition, it helps normalize sleep and acts as a sedative for the heartbeat. This decoction also has a mild laxative effect.

A decoction of turnips is prepared in this way: the root vegetables are peeled and crushed, poured with boiling water (1 glass of water per 2 tablespoons of pulp), simmered over low heat for 20 minutes, filtered and cooled. Drink the decoction, dividing it either into 4 doses during the day, or drink it at once before bed.

If you rinse your mouth with a decoction of these root vegetables, you can get rid of toothache.

An ointment prepared from fresh root vegetables can be used to treat frostbite. And it’s very simple to make: approximately 60 grams of grated pulp are mixed with 4 tbsp. goose fat. This product is applied to the affected areas.

Turnip rutabaga is used as an anthelmintic and antitussive.

Boiled and crushed rutabaga turnips can be used as compresses for gout.

Damage to rutabaga turnips and contraindications

Turnips may cause harm to people with stomach and duodenal ulcers. Consumption of vegetables can cause bloating and increased gas formation, characteristic pain in the intestines. People with severe gastritis should avoid eating this root vegetable. In general, turnip is contraindicated for varicose veins, gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice, hypertensive crisis, hypothyroidism, and nephritis.

Growing: planting and care

Growing, planting and caring for turnip rutabaga requires some knowledge if you want to get a quality harvest. We invite you to read the useful information from our article to grow this healthy and tasty vegetable.

First of all, I would like to mention that turnip rutabaga is a frost-resistant vegetable, which distinguishes it from its relatives. Root seeds are able to germinate at temperatures as low as one degree of heat, and young seedlings are able to continue growing in frosts up to five degrees below zero. However, if root vegetables have appeared, with frosts of three degrees below zero, the vegetables may deteriorate and stop growing. Most often, the plant does not tolerate high temperatures well, preferring coolness, so turnip rutabaga grows best in September and October, especially if autumn is rainy.

As for the type of soil, turnip rutabaga grows best on turf and peat soils, the acidity of which is not too high.

Now let's look at how to properly sow rutabaga and care for the harvest at home:

Before sowing, it is necessary to collect the seeds and subject them to air-heat treatment for five days.
When sowing, there should be a distance of at least sixty centimeters between the rows.
The sowing time for rutabaga turnips is from the end of May to the end of August.
Before planting seeds in the ground, you must first fertilize the soil with vegetable humus.
The sowing holes should be two centimeters deep.
After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to plant them in such a way that the distance between them is about fifteen centimeters.

After sowing rutabaga seeds, you just have to wait for the shoots to appear. After you plant them, you need to provide the plants with proper care. Be sure to remove all weeds and loosen the soil between the sprouts. Rutabaga also needs regular watering. Do not overwater the vegetables so that the water does not drain away for a long time; it will be enough to moisten the soil so that the moisture penetrates to the roots. After the root crops appear, the amount of water for irrigation should be reduced by half.

To harvest rutabaga in the fields, a tractor with special attachments is used, and when harvesting by hand, you will need a small shovel. It does not need to be used if the rutabaga variety allows you to extract the root crop without effort. If the vegetable has a large number of roots, you need to carefully dig, freeing the rutabaga from the ground, and freely pull it out of the garden bed.

Turnip vegetable (lat. Brassica rapa subsp. rapifera), or fodder turnip- a biennial from the Cruciferous or Brassica family, a variety of rutabaga, distributed exclusively in cultivation. The largest areas are sown with turnips in Denmark, Germany, Canada, the USA and Australia. On an industrial scale, the turnip plant is grown to feed livestock. The turnip root crop has been used by Scandinavian tribes since the Bronze Age as a food product, the value of which was equal to the value of bread, and only with the advent of potatoes did this type of turnip become more of a fodder crop than a food crop. Turnip turnips or rutabaga-turnips were grown in the Ancient world - Egypt, Rome and Greece, as well as in the territory of modern Afghanistan and Southern Europe.

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Planting and caring for turnips (in brief)

Landing: Turnips for food in the summer are sown at the end of April, and for storage - in the first ten days of July. Turnip seeds are sown for seedlings in early April, and seedlings are planted in open ground from mid to late May.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
The soil: soddy-podzolic peatlands or loams with a pH of 5.0-6.5.
Watering: abundant, at the rate of 5-6 liters of water per 1 m², 1-2 times a week.
Feeding: on poor soils - 2 times per season with a solution of bird droppings (1:20) or mullein (1:10). In June or July, superphosphate is added to the solution, which increases the sugar content of root vegetables.
Reproduction: seed.
Pests: spring cabbage and sprout flies, wavy and cruciferous flea beetles, cabbage moths, aphids, rapeseed bugs and flower beetles.
Diseases: clubroot, white, mosaic, black leg and vascular bacteriosis.

Turnip vegetable - description

In the first year of life, turnips form a root crop and a rosette of leaves, and in the second year - flowers and seeds. The leaves of the plant of forage varieties may be pubescent, while salad varieties have smooth leaves. The shape of the root crop can be cylindrical, spherical, round or rounded-elongated. The color of the turnip rhizome, depending on the plant variety, can be yellowish, white, purple, or a combination of any of these colors in one root crop. Yellow turnip flowers, blooming in the second year, are collected in a brush. The fruit is an elongated pod with black or dark red seeds. Turnips are related to crops such as turnips, rutabaga, radishes, radishes, daikon, mustard, horseradish and all types of cabbage. Currently, many table varieties of this tasty and healthy crop have been developed. We will tell you when to sow turnips for seedlings and when to plant turnips in open ground so that they do not die from return frosts, how to grow turnips in the garden, what varieties of turnips exist, how and when to collect them, where and how to store them, as well as what This valuable food and feed crop has beneficial properties.

Sowing turnip seeds

Planting and caring for turnips is simple and easy. Spring sowing of turnips in the ground is carried out in late April or early May, and summer sowing in the first ten days of July. Growing turnips through seedlings begins in early April. Small seeds are mixed with coarse sand in a ratio of 1:10 and sown in peat pots, then sprinkled with a layer of sand 1-1.5 cm thick, carefully sprayed with a fine spray and, covering the crops with glass or film, placed in a warm place.

Growing turnip seedlings

After the emergence of seedlings, the strongest seedling is left in the pot, the rest are pinched off so as not to damage the root of the developed seedling by pulling it out. Caring for turnip seedlings follows the same principle as caring for turnip, rutabaga or radish seedlings.

Turnip pick

Like all cruciferous root vegetables, turnips do not tolerate transplantation very well, which is why they are sown not in boxes or containers, but in separate pots so that they do not have to be picked.

Planting turnips in open ground

When to plant turnips in the ground

Transplantation of seedlings into open ground is carried out when spring return frosts have passed - from mid to late May. To the question "When to plant turnips in Siberia?" We answer: when stable warm weather arrives. Since turnips really need moisture, they choose a sunny or slightly shaded place in a low-lying area. The best predecessors for turnips are beets, strawberries, winter and spring grain crops and annual grasses, and after cruciferous crops, turnips can be grown on a plot no earlier than 4 years later.

Soil for turnips

Loams and soddy-podzolic peatlands with a pH value of 5.0-6.5 pH are most suitable for the plant. The soil in the garden bed needs to be prepared in the fall: when digging to a depth of 20-25 cm, add rotted manure in the amount of one bucket per 3 m² and one glass of wood ash or one and a half glasses of Nitrophoska per 1 m². Do not use fresh manure for fertilizer - it can cause the pulp of the root crop to darken and lose its taste, and the peel may crack.

How to plant turnips in open ground

Dig holes at a distance of 20-30 cm, keeping row spacing 40-60 cm wide. Carefully remove the pre-watered seedlings from the cups along with a lump of earth, place them in the hole, cover with soil, compact it around the seedlings and water. Seedlings grown in peat pots do not need to be removed from them, but placed in the hole directly with the dishes. When the water is absorbed, mulch the bed with a layer of peat.

Planting turnips before winter

Turnip seedlings are not planted before winter, although winter sowing of turnip seeds in the ground is becoming increasingly popular.

Turnip care

How to grow turnips

Planting and caring for turnips in open ground follows the same rules as growing turnips or rutabaga - you will have to water the bed, loosen the soil on it, remove weeds in a timely manner and apply fertilizer. Loosening to a depth of 8 cm and weeding is carried out after watering or rain. Before the first loosening, it is advisable to sprinkle the bed with ash or mustard to repel cruciferous flea beetles. If you sow turnip seeds directly into the ground, then as soon as the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, you need to thin them out.

Watering turnips

Growing and caring for turnips involves, first of all, timely watering of the plant, since the root crops become bitter due to lack of moisture. At the same time, excessive moisture makes them watery. Turnips need abundant watering, but the water should not erode the soil from the top of the root crop, as this will cause it to turn green and lose its nutritional value. Water consumption at the initial stage of growth is 5-6 liters per m² of bed, and from the moment the fruits form, the rate should be reduced to 3-4 liters per unit area. The frequency of watering is 1-2 times a week, although the weather may make adjustments to the schedule.

Feeding turnips

On poor soils, turnips are fed twice a season with organic matter - a solution of chicken manure (1:20) or slurry (1:10), adding superphosphate to the organic solution in June or July to increase the sugar content of root crops. Turnips respond well to additional fertilizing with manganese, copper and boron. Fertilizers are applied to the moist soil, and after the solution is absorbed, the soil in the garden bed should be loosened. If you grow turnips in fertile and well-fertilized soil, then you do not need to fertilize.

Pests and diseases of turnip

Like all other cruciferous crops, turnips can suffer from diseases such as clubroot, white, mosaic, blackleg and vascular bacteriosis. Of the pests, the most dangerous for turnips can be considered flies - spring cabbage and sprout flies, as well as wavy and cruciferous flea beetles, cabbage moths, aphids and bugs, rapeseed bugs and flower beetles. You can find detailed information about these diseases and pests in articles devoted to growing turnips, daikon, rutabaga and other plants of the Brassica family, which are already posted on our website.

Turnip processing

Fungal diseases of turnip can be controlled by treating the area with fungicides - Fundazol, Quadris, Fitosporin and other drugs of similar action. There is no cure for diseases such as mosaic, so diseased specimens should be immediately removed and burned. As for pest control, dusting plants with wood ash is effective against fleas, while other insects must be destroyed with insecticides - Actellik, Aktara and similar preparations. But the most reliable protection of turnips from diseases and pests is strict adherence to crop rotation, cultural practices and timely care.

Cleaning and storing turnips

On average, turnips take 24 weeks from sowing to mature. When technical ripeness is reached, the lower leaves of the turnip turn yellow, wither and dry out. Turnips sown in spring are harvested from the end of June as they ripen. These root vegetables do not last long. And root crops for winter storage, depending on the variety, are harvested in September or October. Do not allow root vegetables to freeze - at a temperature of -6 ºC they become flabby and lose their keeping quality.

When harvesting, the root crops are pulled out or dug up, removed, cleared of soil, the tops are cut off, leaving only about 2 cm, and placed under a canopy to dry. Only whole, healthy and dry root vegetables without signs of mechanical damage, disease or pest damage are suitable for storage. Keep turnips in storage at a temperature of 0 to 2 ºC and air humidity within 85-90%, laying the root crops on a flooring made of boards. You can dig a trench up to 1 m deep in the garden in the direction from south to north, put turnip roots in it, sprinkle them with dry soil or peat and cover the top with moisture-proof material.

Turnip varieties are divided into yellow-meat and white-meat. The difference is that root vegetables with yellow flesh contain more dry matter than root vegetables with white flesh, and they are stored better, but white-fleshed varieties are more productive. The best varieties of turnips with yellow flesh are:

Long Bortfeld– a variety with underdeveloped tops. The leaves are bright green, raised. The elongated yellow root crop is immersed in the soil half its length and is difficult to pull out because it has branched roots. The pulp is yellow, medium juicy and excellent taste;
Finnish-Bortfeldsky– a variety with strong green tops and raised petiolate leaves. The root crop is dark in color, half immersed in the soil, has many roots and is difficult to remove from the ground. The pulp of this variety is yellow, juicy and tasty;
Greystone– a variety with a medium amount of tops and raised green and yellow leaves on yellow petioles. The root, round and flattened on top, is deepened by a quarter; in the part protruding from the ground it is greenish, scaly, and yellow in the lower part. It has few roots, so it is easily removed from the soil. The pulp is yellow, weakly juicy and unpalatable – typical forage turnip;
Yellow purple-headed- a variety with underdeveloped tops and raised bright green leaves on purple petioles. The rounded, flattened root, dark purple on top and yellow on the bottom, can be pulled out without much effort. The pulp is yellow, tasty, but weakly juicy;
Yellow Tankard– a variety with highly developed tops and semi-raised green leaves on green petioles. The root crop is elongated, green at the top, yellow at the bottom, overgrown with roots, immersed in the ground half its length, so it is difficult to remove. The pulp is juicy, dark, of good taste.

The best varieties of turnips with white flesh:

turnip Osterzundomskiy (Esterzundomskiy)– a variety with underdeveloped tops and semi-raised green leaves on purple petioles. The elongated root crop is purple on top, white at the bottom, deepened by half its length and overgrown with roots, so it is removed with effort. The pulp is white, medium taste with bitterness;
Turnip Six Week– a variety with underdeveloped tops and raised bright green leaves with light green petioles. Greenish at the top and white at the bottom, the round, slightly flattened root crop is buried a quarter of the volume into the ground, has a small number of roots, so it is easily removed. The pulp is white, juicy and has excellent taste;
Norfolk white round– a variety with highly developed tops and green semi-raised leaves on purple petioles. The root crop is round, flattened both above and below, purple, and the color intensity is stronger in the underground part. The root crop is immersed in the ground only a fifth of its length, so it is easily pulled out. The pulp is white, juicy, good taste;
Round redhead– turnip with developed tops and raised leaves on purple petioles. A rounded, flattened root crop, dark purple at the top and white at the bottom, immersed in the soil a third of its length, so it is easily removed. The pulp is medium juicy and has good taste;
White ball- a new variety, with a rounded root crop that sits in the ground up to the middle of its length. The above-ground part of the root crop is purple, the underground part is white. The pulp is white and juicy.

Properties of turnip - harm and benefit

Useful properties of turnip

Another feature of turnip is its ability to lower blood sugar levels, preventing wear and tear and loss of elasticity of blood vessels and promoting weight loss. And the potassium compounds contained in the plant remove excess fluid and sodium salts from the body, which has a positive effect on the condition of the genitourinary system, bones and heart.