Growing Turnip Greens

Varieties of turnips usually grown for the roots are also planted for the greens. However, there are some varieties that do not produce roots and are grown for their tops only. Rutabagas are a cross between a cabbage and a turnip.

Turnip greens are a very healthy food containing large quantities of iron and Vitamin A. The bulbs are a rich source of VitaminC. The leaves are also an important source of the cancer fighting phytochemical sulforaphane, shown to be effective against breast cancer.

Turnips will tolerate a wide variety of soil types. They prefer deep, friable, and sandy loam. You should avoid heavy clay like soils as these will not allow for proper root development. Keep your plants free from weeds. A mulch of grass clippings will help to keep the weeds under control and will also add some nitrogen to your soil as they decompose.

Turnips are easy to grow if sown in the proper season. They mature in two months and may be planted either in the spring, late summer or fall for roots or greens. The spring crop is planted for early summer use. The fall crop, which is usually larger and of higher quality, is often stored for winter use.

You can sow the seeds directly into your garden when the soils enough to allow germination. You can get a head start by germinating your seed indoors a few weeks before transplanting into your garden.

As a rule, sow turnips to be used for greens thickly and then thin them, leaving all but the greens to develop as a root crop. Turnip greens are especially adapted to winter and early-spring culture in the South. The cultural methods employed are the same as those for turnip and rutabaga.

In a few weeks you will be enjoying fresh greens, and when the bulbs develop you can peel them and add to potatoes, soups, and stews. They need to cook slightly longer than potatoes.

In more mild climates you may be able to harvest tturnip greens and bulbs through the entire winter. You may need to cover them during frosty periods...but this is when they are their sweetest.