Crop fact sheet · Cool season
Turnips
Plant now Window open in Houston until Wed, Nov 25.
Your dates in Houston
| Window | Order seed by | Start indoors | Plant | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Aug 26 | — | Sep 16 – Nov 25 | from Oct 16 |
| Spring 2027 | Dec 14 | — | Jan 4 – Feb 1 | from Feb 3 |
| Fall 2027 | Aug 26 | — | Sep 16 – Nov 25 | from Oct 16 |
Worked out from AgriLife planting windows (days before/after average frost) and Houston's average frost dates. "Order seed by" is our own 3-week heads-up, not an AgriLife date.
The numbers
- How to plant
- Sow seed directly 0.5" deep, 4" apart, rows 18" apart.
- Days to harvest
- 30–60 days
- Yield per 10 ft of row
- 5-10 lb
- Replant every
- 10 days for a steady harvest
- Keeps producing
- about 4.3 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Family
- Brassicaceae (for rotation)
Water
Without rain, soak rows weekly, watering deeply to encourage good roots; keep moisture even through the season.
Feeding
- At planting: 2-3 lb complete garden fertilizer (e.g., 15-5-10) per 100 sq ft, or about 1 cup per 10 ft for a single row. Phosphorus is especially important for good roots.
- Plants 4-5 inches tall: Side-dress about 1/2 cup per 10 ft of row, work in and water; add more later on sandy soil in wet seasons.
Not sure what your soil needs? Get a soil test first.
Texas heat
Heat makes greens tough and strong-flavored, and plants bolt quickly in long, hot days. Prolonged temperatures above 75°F in the 3-4 weeks before harvest cut yield and quality; near-freezing weather improves quality.
Pests to watch
- flea beetles
- cabbage loopers
- aphids
- root maggots
Diseases
- downy mildew
- leaf spots
What to do about them: pest sheet · what's wrong with my plant?
When it's ready
Greens: when leaves are 4-6 inches long (about 40 days). Roots: 2-2 1/2 inches across (about 50-60 days), before heavy frost; larger roots get tough and stringy.
Storing it
Greens: several days in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Roots: topped, several weeks in a cool, humid place such as the bottom of the refrigerator.
Texas tips
- Fall: start 8-10 weeks before the first expected frost; South Texas and coastal areas plant for winter growing.
- Cover fall-sown seed with sand or light mulch to keep the row cool; seedlings emerge in 3-7 days.
- Plant 2-3 times about 10 days apart; thin to 3-4 inches (crowding stunts roots).
- Root varieties can also be harvested for greens, but greens varieties may not form good roots.
Varieties that do well in Texas
All Top, Seven Top, Alamo, Purple Top White Globe, Royal Globe, Tokyo Cross, White Lady, Just Right, Hakurei, Shogoin