Purple Top White Globe Turnip
Seed Count: Approx. 300 seeds
Days to Maturity: 55 Days
Description: Purple Top White Globe turnips are the most widely grown turnip variety! The tops of this versatile vegetable can be cooked as greens, and its edible roots are good for storing, canning, and freezing! Slightly tapered, globe shaped roots, purple above ground and white below the ground. Flesh is sweet, mild, and fine-grained. Matures in 45 to 65 days. Young leaves make the classic cooked 'southern greens'.
How To Grow
Sowing: A cool weather crop, turnips thrive when planted three weeks, after the hottest part of the summer, for a fall crop. Direct sow Purple Top White Globe turnip seeds in rich, deeply worked soil and full sun, 1/2" deep in rows 12-18" apart. Seedlings will emerge in 7-14 days. As the seedlings grow, thin them to 4-6" apart.
Growing: Grow turnips as you would radishes, carrots, and beets. Apply mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds. Watch out for pests such as the red and black harlequin bug, which must be removed to prevent damage.
Harvesting: Harvest greens as soon as they reach a good size for eating; if using both the greens and the root, harvest only 2-3 leaves per root. Since small
turnips have the most tenderness and flavor, pull them when they reach a size of 1-3". To store them for extended periods, cut the top down to 1/2" and store in a cool, dark place without washing off the dirt. Gardeners with warmer winters will be able to apply a layer of mulch and leave the crop in the ground all winter. Purple Top White Globe turnips store very well. This vegetable must overwinter before producing seed. In warmer climates, a layer of mulch will be sufficient for protection. In colder climates, dig up the turnips; cut the tops to 1" and store them in damp sand at 33-40 degrees F until replanting in spring. The roots will send up flowering stalks. When the seed pods begin to turn brown, remove them before they shatter or dig up the entire plant and hang it upside down in a protected location to dry. Thresh the seed from the dry pods by crushing them. Store the seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 4 years.
