Back to growing guides 
VegetablesHardyBiennial
Turnip
Turnip is a quick versatile root crop that can be harvested young for salads or left slightly larger for autumn cooking. It is useful for filling short gaps in rotations because it grows quickly and can be ready in only a few weeks.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Biennial
Hardiness
Hardy
Planting partners
2 companions · 0 crops to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
60 days
Germination window
3–10 days
Germination temperature
10–24 °C
Plant spacing
15 cm
Row spacing
30 cm
Sowing depth
1.5 cm
Height
45 cm
Spread
15 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Care tips
Keep turnips growing quickly in moisture-retentive soil so roots stay mild and tender rather than hot and woody. Thin promptly, protect young seedlings from flea beetle if necessary, and harvest before roots become oversized.
Common pests
Flea beetles, cabbage root fly, slugs, club root.
Don’t grow with
No crops to avoid have been added yet.