[shokkyy]

Having been shocked at the price of turnips in Sainsburys yesterday, I'm toying with the idea of growing some next year, and I've never grown them before. I'm not really interested in using them raw for salads, or for greens, but purely as a winter veg in stews and casseroles and stuff.

When I look at the list of recommended varieties on this site, it looks like Armand, Rubin, Aramis, maybe Golden Ball might be best for winter use. Any feedback on this, or other varieties anyone can recommend?

And how much soil depth do they need? I've got a bunch of raised beds which are only 6" deep, but limited bed space with better depth. Would they cope with 6" or not?

And any tips on storage? Is it best to leave them in the ground until needed, or to pick and store? If the latter, what's the best way to store them and how long will they stay good?

[peterjf]

compacted soil , no feeding , just plenty of watering

golden ball we grow

[mumofstig]

Milan purple top grown here....I just sow them wherever there's a space and let them get on with it......but I do pull them at golf ball size 

[Aidy]

I have golden balls too  :blink: well the last time I looked they were.

Just chuck seed in, thin as required. Far too easy to grow, bit like radish.

[Kleftiwallah]

Here's my pennyworth,  I don't think turnips are suitable for winter storing,  but give it a go and prove me wrong !    Cheers,   Tony.

[solway cropper]

Like Aidy says, dead easy and quick to grow. I've got Milan and Purple Top growing at the moment and the PT are my favourite. I tend to sow them after an earlier crop has been lifted so they've gone in after onions and early spuds. I also grow small blocks of them in succession and have been lifting them since late July.

For winter use you really want swedes but they are a nuisance as they need a long growing season. Farmers grow stubble turnips as fodder and they are winter hardy though I'm not sure how palatable they are to humans.

[shokkyy]

On the advice section of this website, it seems to be saying you can get early turnips or maincrop, with the latter being sown Jul and Aug for harvesting Nov and Dec, and that was the type I was thinking about.

But what about the soil depth? Would they be ok in 6" depth, or is that too shallow for them?

[DD.]

I'd have thought you'd get away with that depth, most of the plant is above ground and the tap root won't be that long if you pull them up smallish & tender.

I've one word to say to those who say they are easy to grow.

Club root.

That's two, but you get my drift!

[kevinp]

Good to know they are easy to grow as I planted three rows in August one whole packet of seeds, out of that I have around 15 plants, I thought I had done something wrong but I must have had a bad batch of seed.

[veggirl]

I grew purple top last year and reckoned every one germinated - fantastic flavour. Tried them this year, and got about ten per cent germination, and nothing much as a crop. Ah well, try again next year. JAne

[shokkyy]

I'd have thought you'd get away with that depth, most of the plant is above ground and the tap root won't be that long if you pull them up smallish & tender.

I've one word to say to those who say they are easy to grow.

Club root.

That's two, but you get my drift!

Thanks, DD. Hopefully I should be safe from club root, as I don't grow any brassicas at all. It would be nice to grow some caulis and calabrese, but the last time I tried I got heartily sick of picking off caterpillars, everything bolted and I don't think they liked being in 6" soil depth either.

[TheSpartacat]

I think turnip might need slightly deeper than 6" depth. Whilst most of it is near the soil surface, they do tend to have a rather long spindly tap root? (or at least mine do)

I found this article... it doesn't give soil depth for turnip, but it does suggest 9 to 12 inches for things like beets and radishes, and I would imagine they would have similar requirements?

http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/pdf/container-growing-vegetables.pdf
http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/pdf/container-growing-vegetables.pdf

Is your raised bed sitting on a completely solid surface?

[shokkyy]

I think turnip might need slightly deeper than 6" depth. Whilst most of it is near the soil surface, they do tend to have a rather long spindly tap root? (or at least mine do)

I found this article... it doesn't give soil depth for turnip, but it does suggest 9 to 12 inches for things like beets and radishes, and I would imagine they would have similar requirements?

http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/pdf/container-growing-vegetables.pdf
http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/garden/articles/pdf/container-growing-vegetables.pdf

Is your raised bed sitting on a completely solid surface?

Yes, it's on broken up old concrete covered by a weed membrane. I do grow carrots in these beds, but I use the little carrot types rather than maincrop.

[Paul Plots]

I'd have thought you'd get away with that depth, most of the plant is above ground and the tap root won't be that long if you pull them up smallish & tender.

I've one word to say to those who say they are easy to grow.

Club root.

That's two, but you get my drift!

My one word is "rhubarb".... but that's probably an old wives tale.....and not a solution to clubroot (which just might be one word  )

[TheSpartacat]

Yes, it's on broken up old concrete covered by a weed membrane. I do grow carrots in these beds, but I use the little carrot types rather than maincrop.

If you've managed to grow the shorter carrot varieties.... well it's definitely worth a shot isn't it? After i wrote this, i was kinda thinking that the tap root would probably just start growing sideways once it hit the bottom anyway...?

Let us know how you get on if you do give it a go?
I usually stick to growing salads in my low containers- would be delighted if I could get a more substantial crop growing in them!