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Purple Top White Globe turnip seeds are from an old heirloom turnip dating back prior to 1880. The roots are smooth and nearly round. Bright purple on top and creamy white in the portion below the soil line. They are mild flavoured and sweet, and can reach 13cm (5") in diameter but are better for eating when picked at 5-8cm (2-3"). The young leaves of this variety can be cooked for traditional "southern greens." Both the roots and greens are an excellent source of vitamin C. Remember that turnips belong to the Brassica family, so plant them in your garden with crop rotation in mind.
Matures in 55 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)
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Latin
Latin
Brassica rapa var. rapa
Family: Brassicaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
Season
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun
Timing
Timing
Direct sow short rows starting just after the last frost date, through summer, and into the fall. Where winters are mild they can be started right into October. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 18-21°C (66-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
Starting
Starting
Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in rows spaced 60cm (24″) apart, and thin to 15-20cm (6-8″) apart in the row.
Growing
Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Humus-rich, deeply cultivated soil is key. Add plenty of well rotted compost or manure to the beds and cultivate to a depth of 20cm (8″). Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. The real secret to success with turnips is speed. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks, thin them quickly, keep them watered, harvest, and then sow some more.
Harvest
Harvest
Gather greens and roots throughout summer as needed. Their immature seed pods are also tasty.
Seed Info
Seed Info
At least 80% of seeds will germinate in optimal conditions. Usual seed life: 4 years. Per 100′ row: 300 seeds, per acre: 87M seeds.
Diseases & Pests
Diseases & Pests
Remember that turnips are members of the Brassica family, so they should not be planted where other Brassicas have been grown in the past 4 years. This simple crop rotation will prevent nearly all diseases from occurring in the first place. Floating row cover will protect plants from cabbage moth and flea beetles.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting
Turnips are easy going, but benefit from mint and pea companions.
More on Companion Planting.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Direct sow short rows starting just after the last frost date, through summer, and into the fall. Where winters are mild they can be started right into October. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 18-21°C (66-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in rows spaced 60cm (24″) apart, and thin to 15-20cm (6-8″) apart in the row.
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.
Humus-rich, deeply cultivated soil is key. Add plenty of well rotted compost or manure to the beds and cultivate to a depth of 20cm (8″). Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. The real secret to success with turnips is speed. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks, thin them quickly, keep them watered, harvest, and then sow some more.
At least 80% of seeds will germinate in optimal conditions. Usual seed life: 4 years. Per 100′ row: 300 seeds, per acre: 87M seeds.
Gather greens and roots throughout summer as needed. Their immature seed pods are also tasty.
