Turnips: Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates
Plant count & yield calculator
Pre-filled for this crop — adjust bed size or pick a different vegetable.
Enter bed size to count plants.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
Seed starting dates
Pre-filled last frost — change the date to rebuild the full crop schedule. For Turnips with this frost date : start indoors ~Mar 18, direct sow ~Mar 25 .
Pick a last frost date for the schedule.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
About turnips
Turnips are a fast, cool-season dual-purpose crop providing peppery roots for roasting and tender greens for sauteing in as few as 55 days.
Spacing & yield
Turnips wants 4×12 inches and about 0.4 lb per plant at ~55 days to maturity.
Growing tips
- Direct sow 3 weeks before last frost in spring, or in late summer for fall harvest.
- Thin to 4 inches apart when seedlings have 4 true leaves for well-formed roots.
- Harvest greens progressively without pulling the root for a bonus yield.
- Choose hakurei-type varieties for sweet, salad-ready raw turnips.
Common mistakes
- Growing in summer heat, which makes roots woody and pungent.
- Leaving roots in the ground past 3-inch diameter, turning them fibrous.
- Forgetting to thin — unthinned turnips produce only greens with no root development.
Harvest & storage
Pull roots at 2-3 inches diameter for tender texture, about 55 days from sowing.
Twist off greens and refrigerate roots for 2-3 weeks; greens should be used within days.
Companion planting
Good neighbors for turnips: peas, beans, onions, vetch. Avoid planting beside: potatoes, mustard family crops in close rotation.
Planting calendar
Start indoors about 4 weeks before last frost. Direct sow is also an option around 3 weeks before frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).
Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.
Frequently asked questions
- What spacing do turnips need?
- Thin to 4 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart for properly sized roots.
- How much does a turnip plant produce?
- Each plant yields about 0.4 lb of root, plus a bonus of edible greens harvested earlier.
- How fast do turnips mature?
- Fast-maturing types are ready in about 55 days from sowing — ideal for filling spring or fall gaps.