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Vegetable Crop Calendars (A–C)Turnip Planting Calendar
Turnips are fast and forgiving, but they dislike heat. They fit best in the cool shoulders of the year, and the best date is set by your frost dates, not a calendar page.
Key points
- Sow early in spring and count back from frost in fall.
- Fall roots are often sweeter than spring roots.
- Thin early and use thinnings as greens.
- Harvest on time and protect against cabbage-family pests.
When should you plant turnips?
I could not retrieve a state-specific turnip window for this guide, so use the method. In spring, sow as early as soil can be worked, since turnips tolerate cool weather. In fall, count back from your first fall frost so roots and greens mature in cooling weather.
For example, if your first fall frost usually comes in late October, you would plan a late summer sowing, but check your state extension planting guide for the range for your area.
If your area has hot summers, choose a variety suited to quick maturity and seek local advice on the best windows. Many extension offices publish county vegetable planting guides that list turnips.
Are turnips better in spring or fall?
Fall crops are often sweeter and less troubled by heat, since roots mature as the weather cools. Spring sowings must finish before summer heat makes roots woody and strong-flavored.
In mild climates, turnips can grow through winter. In cold climates, use mulch or a cold frame to extend harvest.
Soil moisture is critical for fall germination in warm soil. Water the bed before sowing and keep the surface damp, shading it if needed until seedlings emerge.
How do you sow and thin turnips?
Sow seed shallow in loose, moist soil. Seeds sprout quickly in suitable conditions. Thin seedlings to the spacing on the packet so roots have room to swell.
Thinnings make good greens. If you want mainly greens, closer spacing is fine. If you want roots, thin firmly.
Sow a little seed at a time rather than one big planting if you want a steady supply of greens through the cool season. For spring, suppose soil in your garden becomes workable in late March. You could sow then and again two to three weeks later, finishing before heat arrives. Again, replace the example dates with your own. Mistakes to avoid include sowing too late for fall roots to size up, letting soil crust before germination and leaving roots in the ground too long. Pull a sample root now and then to check size and texture instead of guessing. Greens and roots can be grown together in the same row. Cut a few outer leaves while the root swells, but do not strip a plant bare, since the root needs leaves to grow.
When should you harvest turnip roots and greens?
Roots are best while small to medium, since large roots may become woody. Greens can be picked young and tender. Check the packet for days to harvest for your variety.
Pick on time. Leaving roots in the ground too long in warm weather lowers quality. In fall, light frosts often sweeten roots, but deep freezes can damage exposed shoulders.
Store harvested roots cool and use greens quickly, since leaves wilt fast. For freezing or canning, use tested procedures from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
What problems affect turnips?
Flea beetles, root maggots and aphids can bother turnips, as they do other cabbage-family crops. Floating row cover at sowing is a physical barrier, and rotation helps.
Ask your county extension office for current identification and options. Follow labels, observe pre-harvest intervals and protect pollinators.
Keep weeds down while plants are small. Turnips are quick but young seedlings compete poorly.
What does a simple turnip schedule look like?
Spring: sow when soil is workable and repeat after a few weeks while the weather stays cool. Summer: rest the bed. Fall: sow in late summer by counting back from first frost.
Record sowing and harvest dates so you refine the window year by year. Rotate to a bed that has not held cabbage-family crops recently.
Here is a worked example for fall. Suppose a variety needs about 50 days and your first fall frost usually arrives in late October. Counting back and adding two weeks of margin points to sowing in late August. This is an example only, so use your packet days and your own frost date.
What checklist helps you plan turnips?
A short list makes the timing concrete without a fixed date.
Try this:
- Look up your average last spring frost and first fall frost.
- Pick a spring sowing date when soil is workable.
- Count back from first fall frost for the fall sowing using packet days.
- Water the fall seedbed well and shade it until seedlings emerge.
- Thin early and use thinnings as greens.
- Rotate away from cabbage-family beds.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.