Turnips and Rutabagas: Classic Garden Staples

by: Liz Roberts

Turnips and their cousins, the rutabagas, have always received a bad rap. Think of them and you’ll instantly remember that phrase “Did you fall off a turnip truck?” They may be associated with hicks and Dogpatch, but in reality, these root vegetables are nutritious additions that can be cooked a variety of ways. They’re not only a chef’s delight but also a gardener’s. They are easy to grow, maintain and harvest. Even the brownest thumb can plant them and have great success.

Turnips and rutabagas are relatively easy to grow if you sow them in the right season. They can mature in a rapid two months and can be planted either in the spring, late summer or fall. If you plant during May, you’ll have your harvest by July. However, fall crops will yield bigger turnips. There are different varieties depending upon your tastes. If you want a versatile turnip, then consider growing the Just Right. You can cook both greens and roots. It only takes 28 days for the greens to be harvested while the turnips themselves mature in 60 days. The Just Right turnips are mild tasting and should be grown in the fall. For a larger breed, try growing the Gilfeather. It is a large, creamy white root, egg shaped with a smooth texture and delicate flavor. The Golden Ball turnip has a rich yellow flesh. If you’re solely interested in just cooking the greens, then try the Alltop. This grows in only 35 days and is high yielding. The Seven Top will produce dark, healthy leaves that are chock full of antioxidants. The hybrid turnip, the Topper, has both edible leaves and roots and gives a large harvest. For rutabagas, ( crosses between turnips and cabbages), try planting the Altasweet. It grows in 92 days and has a mild, sweet flavor. You can also plant the American Purple Top. It has a large globe shaped root that is purple on the top and yellow on the bottom. Other rutabaga varieties include the Improved Long Island, the Laurentian and the Pike. All take about 90 days to mature.

Again, there are several different planting seasons for turnips and rutabagas. For a summer harvest, plant as early as possible in the spring. For fall harvesting, plant rutabagas about one hundred days before the first frost and turnips three to four weeks after it.Fall turnips may also be planted after planting early potatoes, cabbage, beets and/or peas.

When planting either root, plant seeds ½ inch deep (3 to 20 seeds per foot of row). Allow 12 to 24 inches between the rows. Your soil should have a pH factor of 6.0 to 6.5. A soil test should be taken and lime should be added to get the right pH. Water if necessary to allow germinating the seed and to establish the seedlings (especially for the summer sowings). Thin turnip seedlings to 2 to 4 inches apart when they reach a height of 4 inches. For rutabaga seedlings, thin 6 inches apart when they grow 6 inches. You can use the removed greens for cooking if you’d like(or mulch, depending on the type you've planted). If you have solely planted your turnips for greens, harvest the tops as needed when they are 4 to 6 inches tall. If the growing points are not removed, tops will continue to regrow. Successive plantings at ten day intervals provide later as well as continual harvests of quality roots and greens. Remember that old turnips tend to be tough and woody. Rutabagas are not usually sown in succession due to their longer time requirement before harvesting. Larger rutabagas may last well into the winter in milder climates.

When the plants are small, cultivate 2 to 3 inches deep between rows. As the turnips and rutabagas become longer, cultivate more shallowly to prevent injury to the tender feeder roots. Pull out any weeds that appear in the row. Do this before they grow too big.

Like any plant, both turnips and rutabagas are susceptible to insects and diseases. Be on the lookout for root maggots and wireworms which can attack the roots. Root maggots can even bore into sprouting seeds as well as tunnel into roots and stems. They can cause plants to rot. Also be on guard for aphids and flea beetles which attack the tops. You can either use pesticide or in the case or the root maggots, their natural enemy , the rove beetle. Diseases range from clubroot, a devastating fungus, to root knot(a type of parasite) along with white rust, a leaf spot disease that can destroy the turnip tops. Other diseases are anthracnose, a downy mildew that destroys leaves and alternaria, a spore problem that can lead to plant cell destruction. Any of these can be chemically controlled. Your local nursery can help in selecting sprays to eliminate these plagues.

Harvesting turnips and rutabagas can occur through out the year. Spring turnips should be pulled or cut when the roots or tops reach usable size. Harvest fall turnips starting in early autumn or as needed. Remember that both turnips and rutabagas are at their best when they reach a medium size. Turnips should be 2 to 3 inches in diameter while rutabagas should be 3 to 5 inches wide. They should have grown quickly and without any interruption. Both types are hardy to fall frosts and can even be sweetened by the cool weather. Use a heavy straw mulch to extend your harvest through the coldest part of winter. Turnips and rutabagas can be dipped in warm (but not hot) wax to prevent moisture loss.

Turnips and their cousin , the rutabaga, may be considered rustic but they prove to be a nutritious addition to your garden and diet. You can use both their roots and tops as healthy side dishes to any meal. Not only that, you can grow them for ¾ of the year and always have a bountiful harvest.

Italian Style Fried Turnips

by: Liz Roberts

• 4-5 purple turnips
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• Oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Peel and boil turnips until tender,(test flesh with fork)Drain and slice. In a skillet , fry Italian sausage in a small amount of oil. Add turnips along with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until done.