Turnip - one of the oldest plant crops. This useful vegetable can be steamed, baked, stewed, stuffed, mashed, in order to get a rich portion of vitamins. Of course, many people do not want to pay for a root vegetable in a store or on the market, but they want to grow it at home.
But in the cultivation of turnips from seeds there are nuances, which are written in this article. And we will tell you why it is extremely important to plant a turnip on time, on what the timing of planting depends and whether there is a difference in the timing of planting in open ground and at home or in the greenhouse.
The importance of timely landing
Turnip is a cold-resistant culture, and therefore it can be planted immediately after the snow melts, usually in mid-April or early May. Seeds begin to grow even at a temperature of one to three degrees. However, turnips can be planted in late June - early July for the sake of harvesting vegetables for the winter. There is also the option of planting in September and harvesting in November: this method is called winter planting. The fruits of this planting are collected early. If there are no conditions for the usual planting of turnips in the ground, it is necessary to sow it in a greenhouse or in a container at home, covered with foil.
Turnips can be planted at home and, in addition to the leaves, which are used for medicinal purposes and as salad greens, even get small fruits!
Much better "predecessors" are:
- cucumbers;
- tomatoes;
- potatoes;
- carrot.
The consequences of choosing the wrong period
It is necessary to pay attention to the planting time of turnip, as too early or late terms can lead to a large number of cruciferous flea on the plant or to the so-called “color flowering” - the process when instead of turnips, turnips begin to bloom in the first year of vegetation. Due to the flowering color and the size of the roots is suffering, and sometimes they do not exist at all. The causes of this phenomenon are:
- adverse weather conditions (cold, excessively rainy summer, lack of sunshine in cloudy weather);
- malnutrition, which retards plant growth.
Phosphorus deficiency can be recognized by purple and purple rims on the leaves. Often this problem occurs if the plant is forced to live in cold weather or in acidic soil with a high content of compounds such as manganese, iron or aluminum.
What determines the time of sowing?
If tasty, rich in vitamins, root crops want to get in the summer, then it is better to plant turnips in April or May. But you can prepare a vegetable and for the winter: then you should plant the seeds in June and July. Rarely, but still, the method is used when the turnip is planted in mid-September, and is harvested in November, which allows you to be content with the fruits even in the cold season.
Turnip harvest can be obtained twice a year. You should not lose time, because it is very pleasant to get tasty and juicy fruits!
Seeding time in open ground
It is known that the dates of planting of any plants differ with the change of location. Here are the terms in which the turnip seeds should be planted in different parts of Russia, starting from warmer and ending in cold places:
- In central Russia (Moscow region).
In the spring in the suburbs they begin to sow a root crop in open ground since the end of April, in the summer - at the beginning of July or at the end of June. The climate here is quite warm and perfect for growing fruit.
- In the Urals.
In the Urals, they sow a vegetable in spring, start sowing in the first decade of May, and in the summer they sow turnips in early to mid-June. It is a bit colder here, and therefore planting and harvesting change the dates a little.
- In Siberia.
In Siberia, as a rule, they begin to plant turnips in the second decade of May, either in the middle of July or in the fall. You also need to take into account that the dates differ in the direction from the south of Siberia to the north.
Attention! It is important to understand that turnip loves moisture, and therefore the climate with rains (not excessive!) Or high humidity of the air will come in handy.
Is there a difference between the time of planting in the open land, in the greenhouse and at home?
Because of the good conditions and the temperature of the house, you can plant a turnip in February-March, exactly as in the greenhouse, this is also influenced by the absence of sharp changes in the weather or raging elements like long rain.
Hothouse and domestic plants live in pots or containers, and since there is little space for root crops, it is better to collect turnip leaves, which are also very useful.
Popular and so-called “baby” roots are small, young fruits that are harvested from home-grown turnips. Important and the distance between the seeds: in a greenhouse or at home it should be equal to 2.5 - 5 cm, in the ground - 8 - 10 cm, the size of future fruits depends on it. Do not forget about the care - thinning of the seedlings, this procedure will leave in the ground large and healthy plants for a good harvest.
No wonder our ancestors loved and respected turnips. She found a place in folklore, it suffices to recall only the Russian fairy tale "Turnip". To this day, housewives prepare it in many ways, delighting themselves and their loved ones with delicious turnip dishes. Now you know the terms of planting turnips and with unhindered care you can get vitamins rich in fruits on your own!
