Content
- 1 What is turnip and what does it look like
- 2 Useful properties of turnips
- 3 Turnip flavor
- 4 Turnip varieties
- 5 Planting turnips for seedlings
- 6 How to plant turnips outdoors
- 7 Growing and caring for turnips outdoors
- 8 Turnip yield
- 9 Turnip harvesting and storage
- 10 Reproduction of forage turnip
- 11 Conclusion
- 12 Turnip reviews
Turnip is a herb that grows only in culture and does not occur in the wild. The culture is cultivated almost all over the world. On the territory of Russia, for a long time, turnips were grown for livestock feed. In the course of selection, table varieties with excellent gastronomic taste appeared. Moreover, the culture has a rich nutritional composition.
What is turnip and what does it look like
Turnip is a vegetable crop from the Cruciferous family, a close relative of turnip and turnip, has another name - forage turnip. Biennial plant. The root crop is formed mainly at the expense of the hypocotal knee, rather than at the expense of the root. Has a round or conical shape.
As you can see from the photo, the color of the vegetable, turnips can be different. The upper part of the root crop, located above the soil surface, is green or purple, the underground part is white or yellow, depending on the color of the pulp.
Turnip leaves are light green, simple, elongated-oval, dissected, whole or serrated edges. A characteristic feature of the culture is leaf pubescence. In table varieties, leaves with a smooth surface are found. The turnip root goes into the soil to a depth of 80 to 150 cm, and 50 cm wide.
The growing season is 35-90 days, depending on the variety. It is a plant with long daylight hours. The culture is cold-resistant, the seedlings can withstand frosts down to -5 ° C. Seeds are able to germinate at a temperature of + 2 ° C. The optimum temperature for the development of root crops is + 15 ° C.
To grow a vegetable crop, a sum of active temperatures in the range of 1800-2000 ° C is required.
Useful properties of turnips
Turnip contains a large amount of vitamin C. The daily requirement is met by consuming two medium-sized root vegetables per day. Also, turnip contains various minerals, trace elements and amino acids. The vegetable is a dietary product. It is included in the menu of low-calorie diets, which are used in the treatment of obesity, diabetes and gout.
Other beneficial properties of turnips:
- increases appetite;
- possesses bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties;
- thins the blood;
- strengthens blood vessels;
- calms the nervous system;
- boosts immunity.
Contraindications for use are gastrointestinal diseases. Eating turnips in large quantities is not recommended for everyone because it causes bloating and general weakness.
Decoctions of different parts of turnips are used in folk medicine. In cosmetology, it is used as a component of toning masks.
Turnip flavor
The taste of the vegetable is juicy, sweet, with a characteristic pungency reminiscent of a radish. In turnip, both root vegetables and tops are edible, which are eaten fresh, as well as after various culinary processing. The leaves have a mustard flavor. Small roots are tastier than large forage turnips
Excessive bitterness is removed from the root crop by immersing it in boiling water. In different countries, turnips are used in salads, baked, and soups are prepared. Marinated in the Middle East and Italy. Fermented in Korea for the preparation of a spicy kimchi dish. In Japan, it is fried with salt and also used as an ingredient in misosiru.
Turnip varieties
Turnip varieties are divided according to the color of the pulp of the root vegetables. The pulp is white meat or yellow meat.
Below are the turnip varieties that can be found on sale in Russia.
Moskovsky - early ripening variety, ripening time from germination to ripeness - 50-60 days. Root crops are rounded with a smooth surface. The underground part is white, the upper part is purple. The pulp is white, juicy, dense. Weight - 300-400 g. Suitable for private and industrial cultivation.
Ostersundomsky - a variety with elongated cone-shaped roots. The color of the peel is purple at the top and white at the bottom.
Different types of turnips are more suitable for growing in regions with temperate and cold climates. In the southern regions, pests are more likely to damage the crop.
There are other well-known varieties.
Purple turnip.
Golden Ball.
Snow ball.
Green ball.
Japanese.
White.
Amber ball.
About 30 varieties of forage turnips are grown in different parts of the world.
Planting turnips for seedlings
For an earlier harvest, turnips can be planted with pre-grown seedlings. But the plant does not tolerate picking well. Therefore, the seedling method is applicable only for small planting volumes. The method of growing turnips through seedlings is more laborious, but it makes it possible to protect seedlings from cruciferous flea beetles.
When to sow turnips for seedlings
For seedlings, seeds begin to be sown 1.5 months before planting in open ground. The sowing time is calculated from the date after which frost-free weather is established in the growing region, including at night.
Soil and seed preparation
Seeds are examined before sowing, spoiled ones are removed, for the rest, pre-sowing preparation is carried out.
Seed preparation for sowing:
- The seeds are checked for weight. To do this, they are immersed in water, hollow seeds float, they are collected and thrown away.
- To eliminate the pathogenic microflora, the seeds are washed in a fungicide solution.
- For faster germination, the seeds are kept in water at room temperature for some time.
The soil for cultivation is fertile, loose and with neutral acidity. For the convenience of further transplantation, seeds are grown in peat cups or tablets. Peat tablets contain a ready-made substrate for planting.
Sowing
Turnips, due to poor transplant tolerance, are sown immediately in separate containers. It is convenient to grow seedlings in peat cups or tablets and then transplant them into open ground without removing the container shell. So, the root system of a vegetable crop will not be disturbed, and the shell of peat cups or tablets will decompose in the soil on its own.
When sowing, several seeds are dipped into one container. Close up to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. For better contact of the seeds with the ground, the soil is lightly pressed after planting.
Seedling care
Planting containers are placed on the windowsill. If the window is cold, then a warm layer is placed under the containers. You can grow seedlings in a heated greenhouse at a temperature of + 5 ... + 15 ° С. Care consists in regular watering.
After thinning
After the appearance of several true leaves in the sprouts, the crops must be thinned out. Only the strongest seedling is left in one planting container, the rest are cut with disinfected scissors at soil level. It is impossible to pull out seedlings, so as not to damage the remaining specimen.
How to plant turnips outdoors
Most often, a vegetable crop is planted by direct sowing into the ground in early spring. Podwinter sowing is not used.Given the early sowing, the ridge must be prepared in the fall. Depending on the initial fertility of the soil, fertilizers are introduced into it, dug up.
Strongly acidified soils are lime. For growing turnips, a ridge is suitable after growing beans, cucumbers or onions. It is completely freed from plant debris and weeds. The bed should be loose and light, therefore, in preparation for winter, it is covered with mulch or protective non-woven material.
Landing dates
Turnip is one of the most cold-resistant root crops. By direct sowing in open ground, the crop is planted in late April - early May, depending on the climate of the region. Despite the fact that adult plants can withstand temperatures as low as -6 ° C, a prolonged cold spring can cause flowering in the first year of cultivation.
Landing site preparation
Turnip is one of the most moisture-loving root crops. Therefore, it is suitable for planting in lowlands, more abundant in moisture. Turnip is a plant of long daylight hours. For quality development, he needs 12 hours of lighting per day.
It is most favorable to grow a crop on light soils, heavy soils are of little use. The acidity of the soil is preferable weak - pH 6.0 ... 6.5, but plants can withstand more acidification. Areas with strong wireworm propagation are not suitable.
Loams are suitable for growing turnips, soils are rich in organic matter, sandy soils are least suitable. Before planting, the bed is well loosened and leveled.
Landing rules
The technology of cultivation of turnips is simple, similar to the cultivation of closely related crops - turnip and turnip. When growing turnips, crop rotation is observed.
In particular, it is necessary to take into account the previous seeding of the ridges with siderates belonging to the same family - oil radish and rapeseed, which have common diseases and pests. After turnips (forage turnips), it is favorable to grow crops from other families.
Seeds
For even sowing, granular superphosphate can be added to the seeds. Seeds are sown in a two-line way, observing a distance of 50 cm between rows. Dense sprouts are thinned out until the phase of formation of 3 true leaves. After thinning, gaps of 20 cm are left between the plants, counting the distance from the center of the tops.
Seedlings
Seedlings in open ground are transplanted in the second half of May. But after the threat of recurrent frosts has passed. Before transplanting to a permanent place of cultivation, the plants are hardened, gradually increasing the time spent in outdoor conditions.
A hole for planting turnip seedlings is dug up to a depth of 5-6 cm. The roots are dipped in a clay mash. The plant is lowered into the hole, lightly pressed. Water and shade for the first time.
Growing and caring for turnips outdoors
Turnips are planted twice in the spring and summer. In early spring after thawing of the soil and in August. Adequate feeding area is required to grow turnips.
Seed germination is high. Growing and caring for turnips consists in:
- weeding;
- thinning seedlings;
- loosening row spacings;
- feeding and watering.
Watering and feeding
Water the turnips regularly so that the soil under the roots does not dry out and crack. The culture especially needs moisture during the period of root crop formation. Due to the lack of moisture, the taste of turnip becomes bitter, and the flesh becomes tough. With an excess of watering, the internal structure becomes watery. Drip irrigation works well.
Organic fertilizing is used in the form of infusions of slurry or chicken droppings. Closer to the middle of summer, superphosphate is added, which increases the sweetness of the fruit.Good nutrition for the culture is provided by the infusion of wood ash.
Weeding and loosening
The ridge with a vegetable crop should be free of weeds that take nutrients and moisture. Weeding is necessary on average 4-5 times per season. Simultaneously with weeding, the row spacings are loosened.
Mulching
The plantings are mulched with cut grass, spreading a layer of about 1 cm. Mulch allows you to reduce the temperature of the soil, retains moisture in it. Under the layer of mulch, the soil remains loose and weeds are less formed.
Thanks to mulching, the top layer of the soil is not washed out, and the upper part of the root crop remains covered. With a strong exposure of the top of the root crop, useful substances are partially lost.
Protection against diseases and pests
The cruciferous turnip is susceptible to attack by the cruciferous flea, especially in dry and hot weather. Insects eat the leaves. Spraying with insecticide solutions is used against pests.
White rot and peronosporosis are common diseases. White rot often occurs on heavy soils, affecting the root collar and lower leaves. It is determined by the appearance of a cotton-like white mycelium on the affected areas.
Peronosporosis or downy mildew occurs with sudden changes in day and night temperatures, prolonged rains. When infected, vague spots of various shades appear on young leaves, with a grayish bloom on their underside.
Fungal lesions often occur on acidified soils, so the soil for growing turnip must be limed. For prevention and treatment, spraying is carried out with a solution of "Fitosporin", as well as preparations containing copper.
Turnip yield
Turnip is a crop suitable for growing in temperate climates. Shows higher yields in cool and rainy summers than in hot and dry summers. The yield is also affected by the presence of nutrients in the soil.
Turnip varieties with elongated root crops are more productive than rounded ones, as well as with white pulp they are more productive than with yellow ones. Depending on the growing conditions and variety, the yield ranges from 4 to 8 kg per sq. m.
Turnip harvesting and storage
The ripening period of turnips is from 1.5 to 3 months, depending on the variety. The harvesting time of the root crop can be determined by the yellowing of the lower leaves. Turnip planted in spring is harvested at the end of June. Vegetables from this period are more suitable for summer consumption.
To obtain root crops, for winter storage, they are sown in the second half of summer. In the fall, fodder turnips from the garden begin to be harvested before frost. Frozen root vegetables cannot be stored for a long time.
Vegetables are taken out of the soil by hand without digging, cleaned from the ground. Root crops must be dried before harvesting. In good weather, after digging, they are left in the garden or removed under a ventilated canopy. The tops are cut off, leaving a stump of a few centimeters. The leaves are used for animal feed or compost.
Healthy specimens are laid for storage without damage. It is best to store turnips in a rigid container, but not together with other types of root vegetables. Store vegetables in cool rooms, refrigerators or balconies at a temperature of 0 ... + 2 ° C. Root crops are suitable for laying in piles and trenches with a layer of sand or soil. When stored properly, turnip stays unchanged until the next harvest.
Reproduction of forage turnip
Turnip or forage turnip is a biennial plant. In the first year, it forms roots, and the seeds appear in the second year. For reproduction in the first year of cultivation, the uterine root crop is selected, stored in the same way as vegetables for consumption, but separately.
The next year, the mother plant is planted in open ground. For cultivation, choose fertile, loose soils. The uterine root crop is planted as soon as the soil is ready, when it warms up and the lumps stop sticking together.After 3 months, the plant throws out peduncles, on which yellow four-petalled flowers, characteristic of the Cruciferous family, appear. The seeds ripen in fruits - long pods. The collection of testes is carried out as it ripens, which is uneven in the plant.
The seeds of the culture are small, oval-rounded, brown-red or black in color. The testes are cut to shedding and dried, spreading out in a thin layer in a well-ventilated place. The collected seeds are stored in cloth bags or in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
Conclusion
Turnip is a healthy, dietary vegetable. The root vegetable is suitable for those who monitor health and prefer healthy foods. The increased content of vitamin C and phytoncides allows the vegetable to be used to maintain immunity. Simple planting of turnips and care in the open field allow even a novice gardener to grow it.
