When to Pick Purple Top White Globe Turnips

Planting Times

• For turnips harvested in summer, purple top white globe turnips are planted in early spring. Many gardeners like to plant a second crop in midsummer for harvest in late summer and early autumn. This second crop is often planted between rows of corn or after early crops of vegetables such as peas, beets, potatoes and cabbage have been harvested. A third crop, planted in autumn and harvested throughout the winter, produces flavorful, high-quality turnips.

Harvesting Greens

• Turnip greens are best harvested when the greens are 4 to 6 inches tall and nighttime temperatures are 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. You can harvest turnip greens one leaf at a time for use in salads, or you can cut the greens down to about 2 inches above the soil for a large batch. In two to three weeks, a new crop of tender greens grow from the roots. When the weather turns hot, the greens develop a strong, bitter flavor. Wash turnips greens by swishing the greens gently in a bucket or bowl of clean, cool water; then, place them in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. Use the greens as soon as possible.

Harvesting Roots

• Purple top white globe turnips are ready to harvest approximately 55 days after planting seeds. Turnips are at their best when they are mid-sized, measuring 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Don't allow the turnips to become too large, as the texture becomes tough and pithy. Turnips harvested after the arrival of hot summer weather are bitter and unpleasant. When placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator, turnips retain their quality for two to three weeks.

Winter Harvest

• If you live in a climate without hard winter freezes, you can leave turnip roots in the ground and harvest them throughout the winter, as frost and light freezes sweeten and improve the flavor of turnips. Several inches of straw placed over the garden insulate the roots and extend the harvest. However, a hard freeze destroys the turnips.