Hello Mid-Ohio Valley farmers and gardeners! The second week of September is still bringing us summer like temperatures with high heat and humidity. We are definitely on the dry side and could use a little rain. Crops still producing in the garden may need some irrigation until we receive some wet weather. Many gardeners will continue harvest of cucumbers, squash, melons and onions. Do not let cucumbers and zucchini squash over ripen and get too large before picking. The fruit is not as flavorful and they become seedy and bitter.

Gardening can be enjoyed almost year round, if you match the right vegetable with the season. Kale can be a great choice for the fall garden. This dark green, leafy vegetable thrives in cool weather and actually improves in flavor after a frost. It is easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop of leafy, antioxidant rich leafy greens to use in salads, soups and for juicing. Now is a great the time to direct seed kale in the garden or in containers.

This week we are discussing a favorite for fall with both gardener and livestock farmers. Turnips (Brassica rapa) are members of the Cruciferae or mustard family and are a great selection for the fall garden. They will yield a good crop, the seed is inexpensive, and they can tolerate some pretty cold temperatures. The greens and the root bulb can be eaten when harvested at two to three inches in diameter.

A little history note on turnips, historically considered a food source for the poor. No matter if you love or hate the flavor, they saved the day to feed the masses on several occasions. During World War I German folks survived the winter almost entirely on turnips due to a failed potato harvest and bread shortage. Food shortages during World War II also led British citizens to consume turnips to escape starvation.

Turnips have been grown for centuries for human food and are a popular crop for livestock feed. The tops and bulbs are consumed by sheep and cattle and are high in protein. A popular mix for livestock is planting oats and turnips together for fall grazing.

Turnip roots can be stored for a fairly long period of time in cold storage conditions. My grandmother would boil turnips and mix them in with mashed potatoes for a little extra zing. Most varieties have a white flesh and mustard like flavor while their relatives like the Rutabaga (Swedish turnips) tend to be somewhat larger, sweeter and less strongly flavored. However, rutabaga take much longer to mature (about four weeks).

Turnips are actually a biennial, native to the Scandinavian Peninsula, Russia and Siberia. Gardeners can plant them from mid-August until late September. Turnips are a cool-season crop and will make their best root growth during mild temperatures between 40 to 60°F. Typically, turnips mature in 35-55 days depending on variety and weather conditions. I recommend growing turnips for the fall garden because hot weather may result in tough and bitter tasting turnips. Keep in mind if you are growing turnips for root development to hold off on the nitrogen. Provide good compost, composted manure or a balance commercial fertilizer.

Turnips need well drained soils and work great in raised beds. The seeds are very small. Only one-half an ounce of turnips will plants a 100 foot row. The seeds should be sown 1/2 inch deep about one inch apart in the rows. Space rows about 12 to 15 inches apart for uniform growth and greater ease of handling at harvest.

Once plants are four to six inches high thin those for plenty space for root development. Crowded turnips will make very small roots. Most gardeners will tell you to aim for the size of a baseball. Overly large turnips will become tough. Thinned plants make excellent cooked greens, and may be tender enough for salads.

“Purple Top” is by far the most common grown variety in the United States, but there are many to choose from, including varieties grown just for greens. The varieties ‘Alltop’, ‘Seven Top’ and ‘Shogoin’ are grown primarily for their tops and usually fail to make large, high-quality roots.

Turnips can be afflicted by some of the same problems as other members of the cabbage group. Several species of leaf-feeding caterpillars can eat the foliage and cutworms can sever the seedling. Aphids and flea beetles may attack the foliage.

Turnip tops can be harvested from a very early stage for greens. Turnip roots can be harvested for bunching when they are about the size of a tennis ball or baseball, about two to three inches in diameter. Turnip leaves can be harvested as single leaves, picked one at a time, or by several cuttings of the tops, taking care to avoid growing points or by cutting all tops at one time. If there is going to be an extremely hard freeze, make sure to harvest bulbs or they may suffer damage.

Turnips will tolerate frost and even mild freezes. Hot weather may influence turnips flavor, making them bitter. Cooler and mild weather will sweeten flavor.

Don’t let the bulbs get too big or they will turn pithy. Turnips and turnip greens are a low-calorie, healthy source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber. Turnip greens can be sauteed or boiled and should be cooked until tender. Wash the bulbs and greens well prior to cooking.

Contact me at the Wood County WVU Extension office at 304-424-1960 with your questions. Good Luck and Happy Gardening!