Turnip

Turnips were the potatoes of Europe up until 250 years ago. As a root vegetable that was easy to store and affordable, they were primarily food for poorer people in autumn and winter. As a spring vegetable, spring turnips have a history that goes back to European antiquity and is still very popular today due to its delicate taste. All turnips are members of the cruciferous family of plants (Brassicaceae).

When it comes to turnips, Sativa is keen to breed uniform, large, round or high-round beets with little foliage, good yield and health. Another important selection feature is taste, which should be harmonious and contain as few hints of cabbage and mustard flavors as possible. Our breeding team also supports the genetic revitalization of rare varieties to prevent them from dying out due to in-breeding.

Turnips, which had been largely forgotten in recent decades as a vegetable, are once again growing in popularity. In the kitchen, yellow varieties are more suitable because of their good taste than violet ones, which are more commonly used for turnip lanterns. Pickled with herbs and spices, the almost neutral-tasting turnip turns into a spicy side dish. May turnips are more tender and juicy and also taste great raw. However, they can only be stored for a short time.

Turnips are undemanding and relatively easy to cultivate. In damp weather, keep an eye out for Alternaria, a fungal disease. That aside, other cabbage diseases and pests such as clubroot or cabbage fly may occur. Spring turnips, in contrast to other turnips, are sown and harvested in spring.