<p>30 days. For growing turnip greens in home gardens. Mature roots are 8-10cm (3-4 in.) in diameter and flattened on top with white skin. The tops are 45cm (18 in.) tall, tender and mild tasting.</p><p>Make sowings May through August. Their culture is similar to radishes or rutabagas. Sow 2 seeds/cm in furrows 1cm (1/2 in.) deep, the rows at least 30cm (12 in.) apart. Thin to 5cm (2 in.). If you like greens, leave them crowded and pick the greens when young and tender. <br>CULTURE: Like other plants in the brassica family, these fast-growing plants need fairly rich, well-limed soil. Sow thinly, 1cm (1/2 in.) deep, in rows 60cm (24 in.) apart. Covering the seed with fine manure or compost insures good germination. Thin when well-established. <br>DISEASE: No common problems in our climate. <br>INSECTS: Susceptible to cole crop pests. A floating row cover, especially over a newly seeded area, is very helpful. <br>HARVEST: Greens can be picked when young and tender. Roots are best if eaten when they are the size of a tennis ball size. <br>SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to emergence: 3-14. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 20-30 deg. C (68-85 deg. F). Days to maturity: from date of direct seeding. One gram contains approximately 200 seeds. Usual seed life: 3 years.</p><p>Brassica rapa is the plant from which turnips, oil-seed turnip rape and many varieties of Chinese cabbage have been developed. it is related to ordinary cabbage and Chinese mustard and radishes. Brassica rapa is divided into subspecies: ssp. sylvestris is the wild type, still found commonly all over Europe and much of Asia, generally growing as a weed in open ground or by streams. It is either annual or biennial forming a leafy rosette the first autumn and flowering the following spring. Its native range is uncertain, but central Europe has been suggested as a likely area. It is also a common weed in North America. Subspecies rapa is the cultivated turnip. The fleshy taproot is usually almost round in present-day European varieties, but the Japanese also have long narrow carrot-shaped varieties. Today's types have white and yellow flesh, and their skins may be yellow, white, green or purple-topped. Turnip greens are used for spring greens in Europe, either by sowing late and overwintering or by sowing very early and harvesting when the plnats are about 15cm high.</p>
