If you were going to make a list of the most underrated vegetables, turnips might be at the very top. Often overlooked in favour of carrots and potatoes, the humble turnip works beautifully in many different dishes, and more than deserves to be a kitchen staple.
Turn it up – How to grow Turnips
Turnips are root vegetables belonging to the brassica family, along with cauliflower and broccoli. Round in shape and typically white (although they will feature a purple top if the root has been exposed to sunlight in its final stages of growth), turnips have a crunchy flesh that has a slightly peppery bite when eaten raw. When cooked, however, turnips turn sweet and nutty, with a velvety texture.
Like other cruciferous vegetables, turnips have an excellent nutritional profile. They are low in calories but filled with plenty of vitamins and minerals – just one cup of turnip contains 30 per cent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. They also contain folate, calcium and plenty of dietary fibre.
When you’re at the store, look for small turnips. These will be the youngest, and they will therefore have the sweetest flavour and best texture. They should be heavy for their size and firm, without any nicks or cuts.
If you wish to grow your own, turnips need a sunny vegetable patch with lots of compost-enriched soil. The bulbous roots like to sit just on top of the soil, so no need for deep trenches or piled up mounds. They will do best in cooler, temperate climates and can be sown from early spring until late autumn.
Sow directly into the vegetable patch in rows about 15 centimetres apart and in shallow trenches. Cover with a little soil and then water in thoroughly. The seeds will sprout after only about one week. Thin out at a stage when the tops are 10 centimetres high, leaving a space of about seven centimetres apart. Water well, as the bulbous roots don’t like dry soil, and mulch with organic mulch.
Your turnips should be ready to harvest about six weeks after planting, though this will depend on the variety. Small roots are the most tender, so pull them out of the ground when they’re less than 10 centimetres in diameter.
Turnips need to be dug up regularly as they will get more fibrous and stringy the longer they are left in the soil. Turnips won’t store as well as other root crops like swedes or kohlrabi, but their quick growth rate means with planning you can have a good supply all year round.
Quick Tips to grow Turnips
Go for green
You can also eat the turnip greens. With a slightly spicy bite, they make a great addition to stir-fries.
Chill out
Turnips will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Peel them and trim the tops just before cooking.
Prime planting
Plant turnips at 10-day intervals – this will allow you to harvest the veggies every couple of weeks throughout the growing season.
Super Soil
Turnips prefer a slightly acidic soil pH, in the range of 6.0 to 6.5. Make sure the soil is well-draining so the roots don’t rot.
Try this recipe using turnips Beetroot and White Turnips salad with Miso and Ginger Dressing Recipe
