Turnips Purple Top White Globe and Turnips Greens ( How To Grow )

              Welcome back here today, this is Ken and Marilou with you on Garden The Easy Way.    

              Today Marilou and I would like to talk about another vegetable, that sometime is forgotten. And I can remember back as a small boy, my Mom and Dad love them and planted them every year.  

               Turnips, my Mom and Dad just love turnip greens and the roots are rich in flavor too. So many people so called back in the good old days will tell you there is nothing better to eat than a big mass of Turnips and Turnips Greens. My Mom and Dad told my little brother and I, turnips greens and turnips are very healthy for us to eat, and just like most kids today we did not want to eat turnips, because they were vegetables. I do understand now what Mom and Dad was trying to do, we all should eat our vegetables they are Very Healthy In Vitamins and we all need to be Healthy.

               To make the Turnips Greens, you will just take a knife and cut off the green tops about 1 inch from the Turnip, more leaves will grow back. Later you can dig up the root and eat it too.

               You may love eating turnips, and Turnips Greens or you may not like them, but if you would like to try eating them they are easy to grow, but just like we always say there are some things you need to know about planting and growing before you get your planting on the way.

1. Your soil is always important, Turnips like a good rich well drained soil. You can plant your Turnips in rows or you can plant them in the Turnip bed, you will need to work up the soil well down to the depth of 18 to 24 inches, because Turnips have big roots.You will need to pick up all the rocks, roots, grass, break up all the dirt clods.

2. Turnips like full sun. You can plant Turnips seeds early, as early as 2 weeks before the last frost. Before you plant add 2 inches of compost or 2 inches of aged cow or horse manure and mix well with your garden tiller or shovel, making sure you dig down to 18-24 inches.

3. Take your garden rake and level the soil. Now you are ready to plant. Sow your seeds 2 inches apart and only 1/2 inch deep. Rows should be 24-30 inches apart. Plant using your hands only, the seeds are so small you will have to be very careful not to plant too many seeds in one spot, and not to plant too deep. Water well after planting, water with a light shower gently, so you will not uncover the seeds. Keep soil moist, not soaking in water, you may have to water with a light shower gently 2 times a day until seeds germinate, especially during hot weather. Even after your turnips come up never let your soil dry out, in hot weather you may have to water once a day or at least every other day.

4. If you like a lot of greens, the turnips has a tasty tops so do not thin too much after your turnips come up, only thin 4-6 inches apart. If you like bigger turnips and less tops thin to 10-12 inches apart.

5. You can plant a second crop of turnips, for a winter crops sow your seeds in late July or early August.

6. Maturity in  Days: 60-85 days.  

                                         ( ENJOY YOUR TURNIPS and TURNIPS GREENS )  

               Well that's it for today, we hope to talk here again tomorrow on Garden The Easy Way. Until then, this is Ken & Marilou wishing you all Happy Gardening Always.