Tokinashi Turnip

Planted these last spring for the first time growing turnips. The peas I planted them with grew so fast the turnips were smothered. Won't do that again. Even then a few turnip seeds would sprout here and there through the summer after the peas were done and then did well with the next crop - cucumber. It was fun watching them just keep growing. They did get pithy and bitter in the real summer heat but they never did bolt. This late summer I planted a small bed of them and covered with row cover. There was a promise of cooler weather but that didn't happen - it was horribly hot for several weeks. So we watered thoroughly every day until the plants were able to hold their own. We have eaten 2 pounds of greens from a 3 ft X 3 ft raised bed in the last week alone. The turnips are about 1 - 1 1/2 inches for the most part. Planning on getting more in the ground asap. Very happy with these as greens and as turnips.

Tried winter-sowing this turnip and also Hida Beni - planted groups of five or six seeds in clear plastic jugs, cut and hinged, and left them outside to germinate when the seeds decided it was time. Moved the seedlings to a garden bed in early to mid-May (Zone 4, endless winter, everything was late), kept them in clumps but gave each clump good space, and protected them with lightweight row cover until harvest. Both varieties grew terrific greens, but the Tokinashi roots were superb, too. Fine-textured, buttery even before adding butter, lovely mild taste. The plants put up with a few days in the 70s without immediately bolting, which we appreciated. Excellent turnip! Looking forward to trying it as a fall crop next.

We like this turnip. Grew in 2 parts compost and 1 part supper-soil. Picked first ones at 4 weeks. Fried them in olive oil and grape juice, wonderful. Tops are bright green and soft, looking to get a mess of them to try soon.

I received this in my CSA box several times in the early spring. You really can eat the turnips raw & like them. No bitterness at any time but did seem to get a bit pithy at the end of the season. Only needs 1 minute in the Insta pot with bacon grease & some salt. At 2 minutes the turnips tend to explode in the pot. I ate the first batch in 1 sitting.

It did really well in our dry climate. It did not bolt. And was the tastiest turnip we ever ate. We plan to grow it every year!