Purple Top Globe Turnip Seeds - (Brassica rapa)

Purple Top Globe Turnip

Purple Top turnips grow larger than many other varieties, making them an excellent choice for a home gardener with limited space. The tops develop their characteristic reddish-purple color as they mature and push out of the soil, while the bottoms remain a pure porcelain white. The young greens are tender and delicious, adding a pleasant mild mustard flavor to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes.

Bulbs can grow 4” to 6“ across but are sweetest and most tender when picked young. Peeled and sliced, their bright white color accents their crisp, pleasantly peppery flavors adding a crunchy and tasty addition to raw vegetable plates. Add them to hearty soups and stews in the fall to soak up the rich flavors while adding a unique, earthy essence of their own. Roasting them with olive oil and rosemary transforms the classic roasted root vegetable dish from ordinary to memorable.  

Traditionally grown as a spring vegetable, it excels as a fall and winter crop in almost all areas, and especially where cool spring weather isn’t dependable or transitions into heat too soon.

History

One of the oldest root crops, described by Theophrastus (400 BC) and Pliny (about 100 AD). Turnips are still one of the most popular root vegetables in Europe. 

Uses

Turnips have a wide range of culinary uses and are an essential ingredient of soups and stews.

Growing Tip

A few light frosts may improve the flavor of both the tops and roots, but do not let them freeze solid.

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