Because of their small size, turnip seed can be shallowly planted and can even be spread into an existing plot with little or no tillage. If broadcast seeded, it is always best to drag and or cultipack after planting to ensure good seed to soil contact and germination. Turnips are moderate to heavy feeders.
How many turnips do you plant per acre?
Plant only 2 to 3 pounds of turnip seed per acre. The seed is very small, so barely cover it. Simply broadcasting seed onto tilled soils works well for many growers, especially on rough seedbeds where rainfall or irrigation washes soil onto the seeds for soil coverage.
What is the best turnip to plant for deer?
Purple Top Turnip a brassica family plant that deer love to consume. This nutritious turnip has the characteristic of growing with the globe exposed so deer have easy access to the entire plant in food plots. The plant and roots are nutritious and protein filled, readily consumed by deer.
Can you drill turnips?
Oats and turnip can be planted at the same time using a grain drill with a second, small seed box for turnip seed. If a small seed box isn’t available, the turnips can be broadcast ahead of oat drilling. The soil disturbance from the drill is generally enough to get the turnip started after a rain.
What month do you plant turnips?
Set out turnip green plants 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost in spring and from late August to October for a fall crop in most areas.
Can you plant turnips too thick?
Once seedlings are 4 inches high, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. Crowding can result in small or malformed roots. If you grow them any closer than 4 inches, they’re not going to grow.
Can you plant clover and turnips together?
As the wheat begins to mature next spring the clover should come on strong and dominate the stand. Turnips can shade out the clover and make it difficult to control weeds next year.
Are turnips good for deer?
Purple Top Turnips in your food plots will not disappoint. They are easy to grow and mange, and provide a great crop for deer to browse throughout the fall hunting season and winter months.
Do turnips come back every year?
Now Answered. Dill, radishes, arugula, cilantro, broccoli raab, turnips, and any form of mustard will yield mature seeds in time for fall reseeding in most regions if allowed to flower and set seed.
What do deer love to eat the most?
Deer will primarily eat browse (woody portion of leaves and stems), forbs (broad-leaved plants), mast (acorns, apples, etc), and grass. Although these are the main foods deer like to eat, the quantity of these different foods differ throughout the year and the region you are hunting.
Do deer like radishes or turnips better?
The deer will eventually eat the turnip greens but the radishes are preferred. This has been my observation from the years we’ve been doing this. If I had only one to choose, it would be radish.
What time of year do deer eat turnips?
The key factor to remember with turnips — while deer will begin eating them as early as germination, don’t expect peak consumption during the early season. In areas with quality food sources, deer typically don’t hit them very hard until mid-October to early November.
Can you frost seed turnips?
No. wrong time of year for that particular crop. They should be planted in July or August. Typically deer won’t touch then as they need frost to bring the sugar up in them and make them “sweet”.
Do turnips like lime?
Turnips grow best in mildly acidic soils, with an ideal pH between 6.0 and 6.5. If necessary, you can raise the pH of your soil by incorporating lime into the soil. Ground agricultural limestone is a common liming material, but dolomite and a number of alternative liming materials can also be effective.
Can you drill brassicas?
Brassicas can be no-till drilled at half the broadcast rate into a sod by applying 2 quarts/acre glyphosate at least three days prior to seeding. The seed should never be covered more than one-half inch deep.
Why are my turnips all tops?
Bolting is generally caused by stress which can take the form of too little watering or poor soil. Bolting of turnips is common when the soil is void of nutrients, a problem that can be easily prevented with a little work prior to planning.
What grows well with turnips?
Best Companion Plants For Turnip. Brassicas: Brassicas like broccoli, kale, and cabbage are a great companion plant for turnips, more for the other veggies than the turnips! The turnips attract aphids, slugs and other hungry munchers away from the cabbage and kale.
Are turnips easy to grow?
Turnips are quick and easy to grow from seed, ready to harvest in as little as six to ten weeks. They like cool, moisture-retentive soil, in an open, sunny location. You can also sow in large containers outdoors, for harvesting when small, as baby veg.
How many turnips can you plant per square foot?
9 turnips
For square foot gardening, plant 9 turnips per square foot. To grow turnips in containers, plant turnips in containers that are at least 8 inches deep.
Should turnips be thinned?
When turnips are grown strictly for the greens, no thinning is necessary, as they are naturally thinned as the tender greens are harvested. If you think the greens are too dense, you can thin them to a spacing of 1 to 4 inches when the greens are about 2 inches tall.
How much space do you need between turnips?
Plant seeds one to two inches apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart. Thin turnip seedlings leaving three to six inches between plants. Thin rutabagas to an eight-inch spacing. Drought stress can make turnips and rutabagas bitter or woody.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.