Turnips are very easy to grow and because they produce a crop so quickly, they are an ideal candidate for late summer sowing. Note that we are talking about turnips here (with the white flesh) as opposed to swedes (yellow flesh) which take longer to mature (it's too late now to sow swedes this year).
Sow turnips thinly in shallow drills around 2cm deep. Thin as soon as possible to prevent roots from getting tangled in each other. Allow 15cm between plants and 25cm between rows. Baby turnips can be harvested when the roots are 5cm wide. It’s a good idea to do a sowing of turnips in late summer, perhaps in a bed freed up from another crop (eg. Onions or garlic). The turnips will be ready to eat (and much appreciated) in early October, before the weather turns bad.
The green leaves that grow on top of the turnip can also be eaten. Water well in dry spells to prevent cracking.
