How do I know when my turnips are ready for harvest?

[Francis Barnswallow]

*topic*

[jal_ut]

If they are big as a walnut go for it. They will get huge on good soil. Suit yourself.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/big_turnip.jpg[/img]

[jal_ut]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/turnips.jpg[/img]
This is a lot better size for eating. If you planted plenty you can start eating them when small like walnuts or golf balls and enjoy them as they grow up.
If you are going for weight, then let them get big.

[garden5]

Now that's a turnip!

OK, this is a little off topic, but what do turnips taste like? I've never had one .

[Francis Barnswallow]

I'll let it keep growing.

[applestar]

I've only had them in soups and stews. Great with Irish corned beef dinner, but found the flavor a little intense in heavier stews.

In Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who...." series, which I keep thinking must be set in Michigan or Wisconsin border to Canada, they are called 'neeps and put in giant meat pies, with controversial pro and anti adherents for the addition. I have the feeling I would be in the anti camp. I like them in clear soups and stews.

In Japan, there is Kyoto-style sweet pickles called "Thousand sheet pickles" because the turnips are sliced very thinly. And they make dinner plate sized sweet pickles from the giant Sakurajima variety, but looking it up I think that might be a daikon radish variety... Not sure if [url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&biw=981&bih=632&site=search&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=桜島大根&aq=4r&aqi=g2g-r8&aql=&oq=さくらじま]this link[/url] will work for you.

[jal_ut]

What does a turnip taste like? Do you eat cabbage? Cut the core out of a head of cabbage and slice it thin. Taste it, now you know what a turnip tastes like.

[bwhite829]

all of the turnips here get plethy, hollow, and nasty after they get really big we grow purple tops...don't know if thats why

and don't know if thats the scientific names, but here in the south thats what we call it

I used turnips to make boxties instead of potatoes since they are less starchy and they turned out really really well

[garden5]

Thanks, Jal. So....turnip coleslaw anyone? .