How to Grow Turnips from Scraps – Complete Guide?

Before throwing that kitchen leftovers, check out whether the wastage has any useful thing?

May be the organic waste can be used as composting or mulching or you can start a vegetable garden.

It isn’t surprising anymore; many gardeners already started growing from kitchen scraps. Apart from reducing waste, you’re saving your pocket to grow free vegetables.

Turnips are no exception.

Is it? Can you grow a turnip from a turnip?

Yes, with simple gardening tips you can actually regrow turnips from kitchen scraps.

University of Nevada Extension, Reno states root vegetables like turnips can be easily grown from the saved top.

Though it sounds damn easy, without knowing about the growing conditions of this root vegetable, you can’t successfully regrow turnips.

Below mentioned are much detailed way to provide essential elements and also common things that fledgling gardeners must avoid.

How to Grow Turnips from Scraps- Step-by-Step Guide?

Turnips are very healthy and are loved by many people. You can follow the below steps anywhere, and rest assured to have healthy turnips in your mealtime.

The caution you will have to see is that always cut the rotten end and then plant your turnip.

Below are the following steps that you must follow to produce healthy turnips.

Also Read: How to: Growing Green Onions from Scraps?

Soil spacing and preparation – Must be loose well-drained and fertile

Soil preparation is a very necessary part of growing Turnips. You must cultivate 4 or 3 inches of organic compost into the soil. The soil must be 7 to 8 inches in depth.

You can also choose to replace the organic compost fertilizer if you don’t have any other at your disposal.

Try to root the topmost part of turnip scrap and keep pointy tips down with the green leaves of the scrap rooted above the soil. 

This is a good way of soil preparation and rooting.

After that, do check that the spacing is three inches apart in width, and the row must be six to eight inches apart. The spacing is very important as this will give you robust produce in a very less amount of time.

Sunlight & Water – consistent moisture and 6-8 hours of sun exposure

The sunlight and water are the key necessities of any plant, vegetable, or fruit to grow. Turnip also needs similar nutrients.

These are popularly the sun-loving plants. They need six to eight hours of sunlight that too on an everyday basis.

Watering these plants at regular intervals is also very important. One inch of water that too every week is the Turnip’s requirement at large.

In very dry areas you will have to give more water than the usual, so you must take care of this as well. You can use a soil moisture meter as well for measuring the water requirement for the plant and to check that over watering does not happen.

Also Read: How to Grow Cabbage from Scraps?

Temperature

Turnip plant prefers cool season to grow.

It does well when the temperature is between 40F to 75F.

Increase watering frequency to counter the rising temperature in your region.

Also Read this: How to increase tomato fruit size?

Growing Turnip Scraps – where to start

The fleshy root is eaten, whereas the top part and the leaves are often dumped in the waste.

So you can use these parts instead of dumping them and can get healthy produce.

You can prepare various side dishes and also fresh salad as well. 

1. All root plants and vegetables are very easy to grow. Leftover turnip scraps are not a part of the exemption. All you need to do is to retain the turnip tops and place them in a container full of water.
2. New tips will be seen sprouting out in very few days. You can then check after a week, or so that roots will become long enough to be grown under the ground.
3. You can harvest these greens. This method is good for other root vegetables also.

Growing like this can help you to have good produce very easily in a limited amount of time.

Various Other Growing Tips for the Turnip

• Add a layer of compost to the soil before planting. It has a bunch of benefits, apart from acting like mulch; compost can enrich the soil and increase the yield.
• Overwatering or underwatering, both ruin your plant growth. Avoid them, an easy hack is to insert your finger up-to 1 inch and check the moisture. Water only when the soil is dry by 70-80 percent.
• Mulching with hay grass around the plant will lock moisture and you may reduce watering frequency.

Mulching is basically covering of the top layer with some material. Mulching can be done with a straw, or you can mulch with hay, and planting can take place in a well-drained area.

It is advised to use a thick mulch layer to basically protect the plant from any frost damage.

Frost damage is very harmful and can destroy your plant to a great extend. A thick layer of mulch can protect water-logging and is an essential element to grow any plant of your choice and not just Turnip.

It also keeps away the weeds and various other components as well.

So mulching is the most recommended thing if you want to grow turnips and other plants and vegetables.

Check this out: Why Are My Cauliflower Leaves Turning Yellow?

Why is Growing Turnips from Scraps a Very Good Option?

The plant is of very excellent quality and includes the nutrients not found in many plants.

It is very much known for its low-calorie density and also consists of a high nutrient count.

It also consists of various vitamins like K, A, C, E, B1, B3, B5, B6, B2. They are rich in fiber and also consist of various other nutrients.

It consists of energy-giving nutrients and is rich in many energy-boosting nutrients. They also consist of 

• Calcium magnesium
• Manganese
• Iron
• Potassium
• Copper

So you can think now growing them may make your life rich in health. Growing Turnip from scrap can make your Turnip much tastier than they actually are.

They also consist of omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, protein, and hence it is a perfect addition to your family’s eating habits. This plant is a part of the cruciferous family and is made out of wonders. The various benefits include:

Reduce food wastage

Food waste can be reduced when you will grow turnips from the scrap. With low food waste, you can save the environment very well and can hence show your love for the food you eat.

Hence try to grow turnips or any other food and vegetables this way, and rest assured that you will have an environment having low waste.

Also Read: How to grow Zucchini from scraps?

Saving money

People will tell you many tips to save money, but growing turnips can give you good produce and surely save your wealth. This way, you harvest the produce only when you need them; hence you will be on low wastage and high benefit.

Regrowing saves your wealth and energy, and you will have to spend less on buying fresh fruits whenever you go out for your grocery shopping venture next time. This way you save money and can buy any other necessity for yourself. 

Also Read: How to Grow Zucchini from Scraps?

Teach the young generation

If you have children and grandchildren or any small siblings, tell them to assist you in the Turnip growing process in this way, they will know the various methods as well.

Hence next or your younger generation will be able to grow the turnips or any fruits and vegetables with this method and can stay healthy in the future.

The children will grow to learn the sustainability of the nature and will grow to love nature in their own way as well.

Eat more healthy food

Eating turnips produced out of this method can make you stay healthy and happy. This makes your food more authentic for you.

Enjoyable experience 

Growing a turnip this way is a very happy experience you can ever have. DIY planting is very much fun and an enjoyable experience. In general, planting helps you relieve stress and anxiety and is a good experience for the people.

History of Turnips 

People were using turnips back in Roman times. They were a well-established and internal part of the human diet.

They had a long history dating back to West Asia or Europe. These vegetables saved people from the problem of starvation and many other things.

Turnips are related to a long history and are also related to the festivals in the Spain and various other countries.

So turnips have a long and important history behind them. 

Also Read: How to Grow Radish Microgreens at Home?

Conclusion

Can you grow turnip from scraps?

Yes, you can regrow turnips.

What do you need?

Leftover turnip tips, a glass of water to develop roots, potting soil mix, container and will to take care of this root vegetable.

Well-drained soil, consistent watering, sufficient amount of sunlight and balanced fertilizers will be enough to regrow turnip from scraps.

I hope this article helped you in knowing the procedure of turnip growth from the scrap. Do try it yourself, and rest assured to have healthy turnips in your meal or as a part of your food.