Turnip as a valuable and nutritious vegetable, popular in ancient times, today is undeservedly forgotten. And in vain, because the vegetable has a lot of key advantages, distinguished by its unpretentiousness in care, ease of cultivation, excellent keeping quality, rich in vitamin and mineral composition. What are the other benefits of turnip, what color it is, and which varieties are most popular for growing, let's figure it out.

Turnip History

Turnip is an early ripening vegetable with an unusual taste, which is expressed by sweetness, astringency or slight spiciness. Until the 19th century, culture was very popular and was a staple food. Later, it was almost replaced by potatoes.

The history of culture began 40 centuries ago, when it began to cultivate the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Gradually, the vegetable spread throughout the territory of modern Europe and reached Russia, where it turned into a major food product. With the advent of potatoes in the state, at the end of the 16th century, the popularity of turnips significantly decreased.

Did you know? In Russia, only women were allowed to sow turnips. There was even a profession - a “spit-spit repin”. An older woman who had been pre-trained was picking up turnip seeds in her mouth and shooting them into the prepared soil with well-aimed spits.

Turnip Features

Turnip is a grassy, ​​one- or two-year-old culture of the Cabbage genus, the Cabbage family. Feed varieties of vegetables have a biological name - turnip. The plant belongs to early ripe species in which the fruits ripen 40-60 days after sowing. There are varieties with a later growing season, 80–90 or more days.

In the territory of the Russian Federation, in most cases, cultivars of the European subspecies are cultivated. The fruits of such plants can be oval, oblong, flat or elongated, possess, in addition, the traditional yellow or white, also pink, green, purple and red peel. The weight of one root crop reaches 10 kg. The pulp is juicy, dense, fleshy, white or yellow.

The root crop has a rich vitamin and mineral composition, which is represented by:

• a group of vitamins B;
• ascorbic acid;
• vitamin P;
• vitamins A and E;
• micro and macro elements: sulfur, iodine, magnesium, iron, zinc;
• acids: folic, linoleic, oleic.

Important! Turnip contains a rare element - glucoraphanin, which prevents the formation of cancer cells in the human body and kills already formed ones.

The similar chemical composition of the vegetable makes it indispensable for maintaining human life.

• It has a cleansing, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, restorative, tonic effect, due to which it is widely used for:
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• cleansing the body of toxins and harmful substances;
• normalization of the digestive tract;
• purification and renewal of blood;
• prevention of diseases of the genitourinary system;
• relieve asthma attacks;
• prevention of colds, in particular, flu, SARS.

The root crop is used in pharmacology and traditional medicine (for the production of medicines, tinctures), in cosmetology - it has a rejuvenating effect, tones the skin, improves cell regeneration, has a beneficial effect on the hair.

In addition, white turnip is a low-calorie, but highly nutritious product that quickly saturates the body, satisfies hunger, reduces appetite, thereby contributing to weight loss.

Varieties of varieties

What are the varieties of turnip, can be qualified by:

• ripening period;
• productivity;
• the presence of sugar in the composition.

Consider the most popular.

Sweet

Often mistakenly believe that turnip has a sharp, tart, slightly bitter taste.

To some extent they are right, however there are cultivars whose flesh has a sugar taste, for example:

1. Snow White. Refers to early ripe, characterized by the presence of small (weighing up to 80 g) fruits, milky white color. Root crops have a dense, but at the same time soft and sweet flesh. The main advantages of the variety include: resistance to ailments, excellent adaptation to cold, the ability to bear fruit in areas with a small amount of sunlight.
2. Golden ball. One of the most sought after varieties. It has an early ripening period in which the crop can be harvested 50 days after sowing the material. The root crop is round in shape, with a smooth surface and a golden yellow skin. The flesh is crisp, juicy, yellow. The mass of fruits, depending on the growing conditions, varies from 60 to 150 g.
3. White ball. The representative of a mid-ripening variety with stable crops and unpretentiousness in leaving. Root crops have a dazzling white color and a tender, bitterness-free pulp enriched with a high content of ascorbic acid. Suitable for a therapeutic diet, as well as for use in the diet of children and people who want to lose weight.

Harvest

For those who grow turnips in order to obtain a stable harvest, experts advise to opt for the following species, which are able to please 4 kg of fruits per 1 m²:

1. Petrovskaya-1. Variety with growing periods of 60–85 days. The fruits are distinguished by a flattened-rounded shape and a light yellow peel color. The weight of root crops rarely exceeds 200 g. Peter's turnip is considered the most suitable option for cultivation in the middle regions of the Russian Federation.
2. Tokyo. A representative of the salad variety, the distinguishing features of which are oval, medium-sized white root crops ripening 30 days after sowing. One of the disadvantages of the variety is its whimsicality to moisture. For good yield, the plant should be watered abundantly throughout the season.

Also productive varieties include Snow White, the description of which is presented above.

Large fruited

In addition to turnip Russian size, a leader among plants in fruit size, large root crops can please:

1. White Night. The representative of the selection of Czech scientists, the average growing season is from 65 to 75 days. Fruits weighing 600 g or more. Root crops are palatable, juicy, which makes them an excellent raw material for salads.
2. Milan. Early ripe, root crop ripens in 50-60 days. It attracts by the large size of the fruits, round, slightly flattened shape. The pulp of the vegetable is endowed with a large amount of juice, crispy, has no astringency. The downside of the variety is considered to be poor storing of root crops.

Early ripening

One of the important factors for choosing turnips is considered the growing season. Early ripening plants are the maturation period of which is 45-60 days.

These types include:

1. Geisha. Early ripe salad culture, which in the process of ripening forms a round-shaped root crop weighing 60-200 g, with a smooth skin of white color. The pulp is distinguished by tenderness, juiciness, lack of a specific turnip aroma. Geisha tolerates low temperatures, is characterized by high resistance to flowering, but is unsuitable for long-term storage. Ideal for the suburbs.
2. Granddaughter. High-yielding species, the growing season is 55 days. It is distinguished by the presence of small, neat fruits weighing 50-60 g. The root pulp is yellow, juicy, soft, tastes good without bitterness.
3. Glasha. An early ripening culture, the fruits are ready for collection 40 days after planting the seed material. During the ripening period of the plant, a flat root is formed, a small root crop weighing up to 100 g. The taste is good, suitable not only for the preparation of salads, but also for vegetable dishes, winter preparations, and preservation. Glasha’s advantage is excellent keeping quality and a long storage period, during which the vegetable retains its taste and aesthetic qualities.
4. Grandfather. Another popular species with early vegetation (no more than 45 days). The fruits are easily recognizable by their regular round shape, violet-white color and smooth, shiny surface. Root crops have a universal purpose, they are used for use in raw, salted or boiled form.

Mid-season

Varieties of turnips, which have an average growing season (60–90 days), are in demand among gardeners.

Among the representatives of mid-season turnips, in addition to Petrovskaya-1, one can distinguish:

1. Gribovsky. 65–75 days after sowing, it forms large root crops of flattened shape and light purple color. The inside of the fruit is tender, fragile, crunches and chews easily. Good for winter storage, as it is characterized by excellent keeping quality and resistance to cold.
2. Snowball. The variety was named, due to the snow-white color of the fruits of the correct round shape. The fruits of the plant are small, up to 300 g, but differ in excellent taste, low sugar content, pleasant astringency and increased juiciness. Root crops contain valuable substances, so they are often used in diet food.

Later

Among turnip species with late ripening (90 or more days), farmers note the following:

1. Moon. A late-ripening plant, it forms an average size (about 250 g) oval root crops, traditional for turnips, yellow in color with soft, juicy, golden flesh. It has excellent taste, is well transported and stored. It is characterized by resistance to low temperatures and to many ailments, in particular, stem and bacteriosis.
2. Orbit. A variety with a late vegetative period, gives abundant crops three months after planting seeds. Fruits in a round, white color, root crops, the mass of which in some cases is 500 g. The pulp of fruits of a soft structure is endowed with a sufficient amount of juice, white in color. Orbit is ideal for winter storage.
3. Pull Pull. Gives crops after 90 days. The plant forms rounded fruits, the mass of which rarely exceeds 200 g. Root crops are characterized by soft, sweet pulp with a low content of bitterness. In addition, they contain a huge amount of active biological substances and mineral components that have a beneficial effect on human health.

Did you know? Traditionally, Jack's lanterns for All Saints Day (Halloween) in Ireland and the UK were made from turnips. The custom was invented by Americans to cut lamps from pumpkins.

The best varieties for open ground

Before deciding on growing turnips, you need to find out what are the varieties that are most suitable for cultivation on open ground:

1. Comet. The fruits of the variety are easy to distinguish from others, due to their unusual cylindrical shape with a slight thickening at the base. The weight of root crops is 100-120 g, the taste is pleasant, without the presence of a bitter substance, tender. The plant belongs to crops with an average ripening period, in which harvesting can be carried out after 70-80 days.
2. May yellow. Is a representative of canteens, mid-season crops with a vegetation period of up to 2.5 months. Fruits are characterized by a flat-round shape, average size and weight of about 250 g. Root crops reach 1.2 kg subject to the rules of agricultural technology. Among other varieties, Maiskaya is distinguished by a high glucose content in the pulp - about 7%.
3. Russian size. It is characterized by large sizes of fruits, which are able to grow up to 2 kg. At the same time, the peel of root vegetables is smooth, yellow in color, the flesh is high in juice, tender, of a dense structure, sweetish. Russian size has a flat round shape. It is used for eating fresh, stewing, baking, frying.
4. Golden Ball (Golden Ball). Despite the overseas name, it takes root in the Russian climate. It belongs to mid-season species and ripens 2.5 months after sowing. It has quite large, up to 400 g, root crops, of a regular round shape, bright yellow color, the flesh of which is characterized by juiciness, density, pleasant taste. The variety tolerates low temperatures well, gives high yields, ideal for winter storage.
5. Nurse. One of the most beloved types of late ripe turnip, the fruits of which ripen in 2–2.5 months. It is easy to recognize the nurse by the flat-round, fleshy root crops of white color, weighing up to 250 g. The internal structure of turnip is juicy, without the presence of coarse fibers, it tastes pleasant, without astringency. The vegetable is suitable for raw consumption, baking and frying.

Important! The fruits of the Nurse are well preserved until spring, but for this the seeds should be sown in mid-summer.

The best varieties of turnips for the greenhouse

Species of turnips, which have low resistance to atmospheric phenomena, experts recommend growing in a greenhouse.

Among them are:

1. Snowball. The view is recognized as the most delicious of all greenhouses. The plant belongs to early ripening, with a vegetation period of 6 weeks. Fruits are white, round-shaped root vegetables with a soft, juicy, sweet and crispy inner part. In food, you can use not only root crops, but also leaves of the culture, which contain a storehouse of substances valuable to human health.
2. Atlantic. Variety with an average ripening period, the fruits of which are ready for harvesting in 6-8 weeks. A characteristic feature of root crops is their pale purple color. The pulp of the fruit is crispy, but juicy and tender, without astringency and pungency.
3. Tokyo Cross. The growing season of the variety is 35–45 days. Fruits - white, small rounded shape. They are often included in various salads, and also used as a standalone product. The plant is resistant to stem and some ailments characteristic of the crops of the family.
4. Primer. Salad variety, which forms full-fledged fruits 30–35 days after planting. The root crops of the crop are small in size, with a smooth skin, the color of which changes upward from white to red. The pulp is sweet, high in juice, and has no bitterness.

Features planting and growing turnips

Turnip is a simple, unpretentious plant that does not need special growing conditions, however, if the purpose of the gardener is to obtain a high yield, you should adhere to the rules of cultivating a vegetable:

1. The soil. It should be nutritious, light, with a neutral level of acidity. The best option is peat, loamy and sandy loamy soil.
2. Landing place. For a vegetable, you should choose a flat, well-lit area, without the presence of drafts and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. It is not recommended to plant turnips in the area where cabbage used to grow.
3. Landing. Planted seeds in late April - early May, when the earth warms up well. If the fruits are grown for winter storage, planting should be carried out in July. Before planting seeds, the soil is thoroughly loosened, dug, made small grooves up to 2 cm deep, with an interval of 20 cm. Seeds are sown in the prepared furrows, 2 pieces per 1 cm. After sowing, it is recommended to cover the soil with a thin layer of mulch, and after 2–4 days - sprinkle with wood ash.
4. Top dressing - optional. But to fertilize the plant, you can pour manure mixed in water under it or add ash to it.
5. Seedling care. The bed should be watered, focusing on the condition of the soil, on average 1-2 times a week, using 20-30 liters of water per 1 m². At the stage of formation of the first leaves, seedlings should be thinned out, otherwise, the crop will be numerous, but small. After 2-3 weeks, the thinning procedure must be repeated.

Important! Older plants are allowed to water from a hose, and for irrigation of young shoots use a watering can, adding water under the root.

How to choose the right variety?

Today it is rare to see turnips on a personal plot, although the variety of cultivars allows you to choose the most suitable option, taking into account climatic conditions for cultivation, soil conditions, gastronomic preferences.

To choose the right type of turnip, experts advise to be guided by several factors:

1. Ripening period. Pay attention to the growing season of the culture. There are early-ripening species with a ripening time of 45-60 days, mid-ripening - 60-90 days and late - 90 or more days. The best option may be mid-season plants, which are able to please plentiful and stable crops. Early ripe crops will be able to give tasty, healthy fruits in a month.
2. Climate. There are varieties adapted for Siberia and the Urals - Milanese white or pink, or May yellow, or varieties that perfectly take root in central Russia - Geisha, White Night, May. There are universal varieties - Petrovskaya 1 and Namaganskaya, which successfully take root even in regions with adverse climatic conditions.
3. Taste preferences. Fans of spicy foods can experiment with growing turnips, which can be tart, bitter and spicy. For connoisseurs of sweets, dessert types of root vegetables are suitable, which differ in a pleasant, delicate and sweet taste.
4. View. For those who prefer to grow exotic cultures, for growing should choose turnips that form the fruits of an unusual color: pink, green, purple, purple, black. In addition to the original color of the fruit, such plants are able to surprise with the color of tops - it happens golden yellow, bronze, purple.

Did you know? Today, the largest areas of turnip crops are located in Germany, Great Britain, the USA and Australia. It is here that the vegetable, as before, enjoys great love among local culinary specialists.

It is a pity that today turnip has lost its former popularity and relevance, because this root crop has an impressive range of useful substances necessary to maintain the functioning of all body systems. In addition, the culture is easy to grow, undemanding to care for and yields excellent yields even under difficult climatic conditions.