Organic Turnip Seeds

Grow the best organic turnips for soups and salads

Turnips typically aren't synonymous with gourmet cuisine. Once thought of as a poor man's food, turnips are finally getting the attention that the humble superfood deserves.

Organic turnips are fast-growing, cool-season annuals. This root vegetable prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade, and is ready to harvest in as little as a month for small roots and baby greens, or two months for mature plants. Turnips prefer well-draining soil rich in organic matter and do best when direct-seeded. Multi-sow turnip seeds and cover lightly, and seeds will germinate in a week or two. Direct sow organic turnip seeds two to three weeks before the last frost, and sow another planting of turnips in late summer or early autumn for a fall harvest.

Where to grow organic turnips

Organic turnips are at home in the field or in a container garden! You should grow this low-maintenance vegetable near your other plants though—turnips deter aphids, which your other crops will thank you for. Organic turnips, because they grow strong taproots, are perfect for breaking up tough ground, and many farmers sow turnips as a cover crop for this reason.

There’s hardly a more versatile garden vegetable than the humble turnip—this root vegetable can be enjoyed in any way that you’d cook a potato or carrot—baked, boiled, mashed, even raw! Young roots taste sweet and are a perfect addition to salads and soups. Cook the greens how you’d prepare collards—turnip tops are delicious fried with grease.

Organic turnips are a member of the Brassica family, and boast as many nutritional qualities as broccoli and kale! Turnip roots (and greens) are rich in vitamins A, C, E, B-vitamins, and folate. Organic turnips are also rich in minerals like potassium, iron, and calcium. Like all brassicas, all parts of the turnip are edible—for this reason, turnips are an excellent choice for microgreens.

Grow organic turnips for microgreens

To grow organic turnips as microgreens, fill a seed tray with soil and multi-sow a pinch of turnip seeds in every cell. Water as needed until the seedlings are two inches tall, or have their first set of true leaves. Use a pair of scissors to cut sections of seedlings at the base. Enjoy these microgreens within the first few days of harvesting, and schedule weekly succession plantings for a continuous harvest.

Whether you are on the hunt for the perfect organic turnip root or an heirloom variety known specifically for turnip greens, Eden Brothers has the turnip for you!

For more information about planting, growing, and harvesting organic turnip seeds, see the Turnip Seeds Planting Guide.