Turnip Seeds

A member of the brassica family turnips are a versatile root vegetable with modern varieties in white red yellow and purple/white to name a few. They provide colour to side dishes and winter salads. Turnips can be cooked in any way a potato can - and even used raw as julienne strips with dips.

It’s worth noting that swedes (the larger orange/purple root veg) are also called turnips in Northern England the Midlands the South West and Ireland so it’s best to be really clear about what you want to use them for. These turnips are smaller smoother with white or brightly coloured skin.

Modern F1 varieties are sweet and juicy with none of the bitterness or fibrous quality previously associated with turnips. Turnips are widely grown on the continent for their leaves (turnip tops) providing an easy supply of greens for the kitchen in early spring when other crops are hard to come by.

Growing Turnips

Turnips are easy-to-grow vegetable seeds that pose little problems. They also grow very quickly, with them commonly maturing between five and ten weeks. Not only are they grown for their roots, but they’re widely grown on the continent for their leaves (turnip tops) too, providing an easy supply of greens for the kitchen in early spring when other crops are hard to come by.

They grow best in a sunny spot with moist but well-drained soil. They should be grown in early spring or late summer, as they do best under cooler growing conditions. During their growth, you should keep them well watered, taking care to do so in dry spells. Otherwise, your turnips may become small and woody.

You should harvest turnips when they are small and young, as turnips that are older become tougher and more bitter. To avoid the risk of this altogether, you can choose to sow modern F1 varieties. These are sweet and juicy, with none of the bitterness or fibrous quality previously associated with turnips.

If you’re looking for more information, our guide on how to grow turnip from seed features additional tips on each stage of the growing process to help you out.

Order Your Turnip Seeds Today

At D.T. Brown, we have been selling vegetable garden seeds and plants to UK home gardeners for over a century. From chard seeds to pepper seeds, all of our vegetable seeds are stringently tested for the highest germination rates – 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Order your turnip seeds today from D.T. Brown. Shop now and enjoy fast UK delivery, with P&P from just £2.45 on seed-only orders.

We aim to dispatch all UK seed orders within 3-5 working days, and anything else within 5-7 working days. Live products will be dispatched at their optimum time for planting.