Turnip: cultivation and care in the open field, how to plant, how much it grows and ripens

This nutritious vegetable is rich in vitamin C and other micronutrients. It is so unpretentious that even a beginner can grow and care for turnips in the open field. Of course, if he listens to the advice of experienced vegetable growers.

Characteristics and features of turnips

Turnip - a native of Western Asia. The age of the root crop, according to experts, is at least four millennia. In any case, the ancient Romans, who belonged to the estates of the poor, were well aware of the existence of turnips. Simple agricultural technology ensured good root crop yields.It was baked, boiled, steamed, stewed, stuffed…

The turnip rhizome is used as food - a fleshy root crop. There is a lot of foliage on the high stem of the plant: at the root, stiff-haired, long-petiolate and pinnately incised, and above - jagged and slightly pubescent (or bare).

In the first year of a turnip life, only its rhizome and basal foliage are actively developing. Flowers with golden yellow petals appear only in the second year. The flowers develop into short pods, inside which dark red seeds ripen, shaped like irregular balls.

Forage varieties of turnips are called "turnips".

Useful properties of the plant

Folk healers of antiquity used turnips as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Today, the plant is widely used for preventive purposes and to cure colds. No less famous are the expectorant and soothing properties of turnips.

Important! The main we alth of this root crop is glucoraphanin. This antioxidant is able to prevent the formation of malignant tumors.

Turnip is a source of mineral s alts, acids, vitamins and other trace elements. Especially a lot of potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, carotene and magnesium in its roots.

Which turnip will we plant?

All varieties of turnips are divided into table and fodder. A special place in the list of the first is occupied by a group of salad vegetables. If the edible part of the table species is only the rhizome, then the salad species are used as a whole - both tops and roots are suitable for food.

According to the ripening period, turnip varieties are divided into early (they become suitable for eating in one and a half to two months), mid-ripening (ripen in two to three months) and late (ripe for more than 90 days). Each species has its own taste.

The following is a list of the most popular varieties:

1. White night. The so-called white turnip (it got its name due to the corresponding color of the pulp), bred by Czech breeders. The average weight is 0.5 kilograms.
2. Petrovskaya-1. Fruits are yellow, slightly flattened, sweetish. Suitable for long term storage. Medium grade.
3. Snow Maiden. Early lettuce thin-skinned root crop (its average weight is 60 grams or less). The distinctive characteristics of this variety are juicy pulp and tender leaves.
4. Geisha. Early ripe and cold-resistant lettuce turnip. The average weight of a rounded rhizome can reach 200 grams. The root and foliage of this variety are devoid of bitterness, characteristic of the Russian turnip.
5. Sapphire. Salad root vegetable with tender leaves.
6. May yellow greenhead. Not used for storage, "precocious". Popular for its juicy pulp.
7. Golden ball. Average weight - 150 grams. The root crop is yellow, round, smooth. Early variety. Under the delicate skin - juicy pulp.
8. Snow White. Can grow and mature in shady areas. Leaves can be used for salads. The root crop is white, juicy. The average weight can reach 80 grams. Early variety.
9. Purple early ripening. The weight of the root crop at the time of full ripening can reach 65-90 grams. The diameter of a mature specimen is 8-12 centimeters. You can distinguish this variety from the rest by the purple tip. The juicy flesh of the root crop is white.

When to plant a crop?

The term for planting turnips and its ripening depends not only on climatic characteristics, but also on the purpose for which the planting is undertaken.

For example, in the Moscow region, seedlings are planted in the ground in the last days of April or early May to enjoy turnips in the summer.Landing specimens, which should serve as supplies for the winter, is carried out in open ground from late June to mid-summer. In Siberia and the Urals, the planting deadline is the first week of July.

Experienced farmers know that seeds of early varieties will germinate 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule if sown before the onset of winter cold. With the advent of spring, young shoots will appear from the ground, even if the thermometer does not rise above 5 ° C.

If the soil temperature warms up to 18 degrees, the first shoots will appear in just a couple of days.

It has been observed that when planting fresh seeds, turnip care can be kept to a minimum. The vegetable will show properties such as excellent germination, provided that the seeds were soaked in warm water (or a weak solution of potassium permanganate) before planting, and then completely dried.

Growing turnips in the open field

Some gardeners, taking into account the small size of turnip seeds, consider it necessary to mix them with sand before sowing in a country cottage. As a result, seedlings do not germinate in close proximity to each other. A teaspoon of seeds requires half a glass of sand. The seeds prepared in this way are sown in two thin paths, keeping a distance of 20 centimeters between them.

The traditional seeding method is slightly different from the method mentioned above. To grow a root crop, before planting the seeds, the soil is first loosened, rammed, and then two parallel grooves 1 or 2 centimeters deep are already drawn. Grains are sown in such a way that two seeds are planted per centimeter. The distance between the grooves is 20 centimeters.

Important! Some gardeners, given the small size of the seeds, glue them with a paste to paper tape.

Sowing seeds

Sown seeds before winter, produce it before the onset of cold weather. The depth of the grooves is slightly increased, and the crops are covered with sand or pre-prepared peat. Covering the seeds with frozen ground is strongly discouraged. During the winter months, they will be subjected to a kind of natural selection, and the most resistant of them will sprout with the onset of spring.

The sowing lines are marked with sticks, and as soon as the ground is covered with snow, it is evenly thrown onto the "paths" with seeds.

Growing seedlings

Seeds for seedlings are germinated in peat tablets or containers filled with soil mixture purchased at a specialized store.

Pills before planting the grains must be prepared - soak in water and wait until the peat mixture swells.One tablet can germinate up to 4 seeds. This kind of "incubator" is wrapped in polyethylene and left out of direct sunlight. The recommended room temperature is 10-15°C.

From time to time, the film is lifted, providing ventilation to the crops, and moisture to the soil.

After the cotyledons open, the seedlings are thinned out, removing weak and unviable seedlings. Further care of the sprouts comes down to watering, fertilizing and loosening the soil.

Two weeks before planting, the seedlings are hardened: they are systematically taken out into the air, gradually increasing the length of stay. If the temperature allows, the seedlings are left outside to spend the night.

Soil preparation

Turnip "prefers" light clay neutral soil. In this regard, the soil, characterized by high acidity, is mixed with lime.

The root crop will take root well in the beds where cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes previously ripened. Household plots where horseradish, daikon, watercress, radish, radish, all types of cabbage and … turnips were grown are categorically not suitable for planting turnips. The ban is explained by the fact that these cultures have common enemies and their susceptibility to the same diseases.

The terrain on which this moisture-loving root crop will feel great should be flat or low.

Picking a turnip

Seedlings are so tender that picking after planting in the open field can become a painful procedure for them. Therefore, the best option for germinating seeds is to use peat tablets.

In the second half of May, tablets are buried in the garden along with seedlings, keeping a distance of 30 centimeters between plants.

Neighborhood with other plants

Turnips are not recommended to be planted in close proximity to "related" crops belonging to the cruciferous family. Absolutely all members of this huge "family" are annoyed by the same pests - flies, bedbugs, cabbage fleas, aphids, moths, weevils, scoops and so on.

Regarding the compatibility of crops in the garden, experienced gardeners advise planting turnips with peas, lettuce, marjoram, parsley, celery.

Proper crop care

This vegetable is undemanding and undemanding. It's easy to take care of him. The process involves the usual thinning, watering, loosening and fertilizing. By following all the recommendations below, the gardener will receive a fairly generous harvest - about four kilograms of turnips per square meter of land.

Feeding

You can fertilize turnips with both mineral and organic compounds. Top dressing is carried out a maximum of twice during the entire growing season.

From among the organic fertilizers suitable for top dressing, compost, wood ash and bulk manure should be distinguished.

If the soil in which the root crop is planted is fertile enough, you can refrain from additional top dressing.

Irrigation

Turnip is a moisture-loving plant, so it must be watered regularly and plentifully, especially when it comes to a young root crop. For seedlings that appear on one square meter of land, you will need 8-10 liters of water.

During the period when the plant is in the stage of root formation, water consumption is increased to 10-12 liters.

As the root crops mature, the water consumption is gradually reduced to prevent cracking of the root crops. Turnips are watered twice a week, and even less often if there is regular rainfall.

The best time is early morning and late evening. Irrigation of young shoots is carried out using a watering can with a fine sieve. Grown up and strengthened root crops are processed with a hose. Water intended for irrigation should not be too cold.

Irregular irrigation affects the taste of the pulp and the general condition of the root crops: they noticeably coarsen and bitter. Excess plants rot and lose their ability to withstand attacks from harmful microbes.

Thinning and weeding

The soil in which turnip grows must be regularly loosened, simultaneously removing weeds. Otherwise, a crust forms around the plant, making it difficult for the natural ventilation of the soil. To save themselves from the need to loosen the soil after the next watering, some landowners mulch the aisles with straw.

On the eve of the first loosening, experienced gardeners recommend sprinkling mustard or ash on the bed to protect newly hatched seedlings from the attacks of cabbage fleas.

Soil care

The soil in which the turnip ripens is fed with slurry and a weak solution (0.1%) of boric acid. Wood ash can be added after watering.

If the land in the garden is fertile, you can do without additional care.

Pest and disease control

The cruciferous flea and cabbage fly are especially dangerous for turnips (especially at an early stage of development). To scare away these insects, after each watering, the bed is treated with mustard, ash and tobacco dust, and then the aisles are loosened. In especially critical cases, the beds are sprayed with insecticides, for example, Karbofos.

Among the diseases that turnips are susceptible to, a special place is occupied by keel, phomosis, bacteriosis, black leg and rot.Plants affected by the disease are removed, and the surviving root crops are treated with decoctions of tomato and potato tops or soapy water. If the disease does not recede, more aggressive agents are used, for example, Fundazol or Topsin.

Cleaning and storage

The main task of a gardener who has grown a large crop is to harvest it correctly and keep it as long as possible. Harvest time depends on the variety and climatic features of the region. To save for the winter, choose root crops whose diameter is equal to or greater than 6 centimeters.

Carefully digging or pulling out the roots (the fruit must remain intact), shake them off the ground and dry them in a cool, but not damp room. Dried root crops are laid out in boxes, sprinkled with sand. The tops are cut off, leaving a centimeter "tail".

If the storage temperature of turnips does not exceed 3°C, the root crops will not deteriorate for at least three months. You can store turnips in the refrigerator, after wrapping it with polyethylene. Under such conditions, it will not deteriorate for a month.

If the turnip is stored in a room that maintains room temperature, it must be eaten within two weeks. After this period, ripe root crops will begin to lose their taste and fade.

Turnip frozen as a result of a significant drop in temperature (for example, during unexpected frosts) cannot be stored.

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