Turnip greens are a fast-growing, cool-season crop well-suited to Mississippi’s climate, which allows for two distinct planting seasons. Successful cultivation depends primarily on timing the planting to align with the cool weather they require.
Optimal Planting Windows in Mississippi
The key to growing high-quality turnip greens is avoiding the intense summer heat. Turnips thrive in cooler temperatures; exposure to prolonged warmth causes bitterness and encourages the plant to bolt, or prematurely produce a seed stalk. The state’s gardening calendar offers two primary opportunities to sow seeds: a short spring window and a preferred, extended fall season.
Spring planting should occur approximately two to four weeks before the average last frost date. Gardeners generally aim to sow seeds from mid-March to early April to ensure the greens mature before the summer heat arrives. This early start gives the plants enough cool weather for leaf development, but the narrow window means the quick transition to higher temperatures can trigger bolting, ending the harvest early.
The fall season is widely considered the optimal time for planting turnip greens across Mississippi. Planting should begin in late August and continue through early October, timing the seed drop so that the plants mature as temperatures begin to drop. This schedule allows the greens to develop during the mild days and cool nights of autumn, which significantly enhances their flavor profile. A light frost, where temperatures dip into the 40s Fahrenheit, causes the plants to convert starches into sugars, resulting in sweeter and more tender leaves.
Mississippi’s geography creates regional variations that affect the planting schedule. Gardeners in Northern Mississippi have a shorter fall window and must plant earlier to ensure maturity before a hard freeze. Conversely, those in the warmer, coastal regions of Southern Mississippi can often plant and harvest well into the winter months due to the milder climate. To maximize the harvest, succession planting—sowing a new batch of seeds every two weeks during the fall window—helps ensure a steady supply of young, tender leaves.
Preparing the Planting Site and Selecting Seeds
Selecting and preparing the planting location is crucial for a successful crop. Turnips require a site that receives full sun, meaning at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily, to support rapid leaf development. The soil must be well-drained to prevent waterlogging, which can stunt root development and lead to disease.
The preferred soil type is a sandy loam, but any garden soil can be amended. Turnip greens grow best in a slightly acidic to neutral soil, with a target pH range between 6.0 and 7.0. To prepare the bed, the area should be tilled to a depth of six to eight inches. Several inches of organic matter, such as aged compost or well-rotted manure, should be incorporated to improve soil texture and provide initial nutrients for vigorous growth.
Selecting the appropriate seed variety determines the quality and quantity of the harvest. Varieties like ‘Purple Top White Globe’ are dual-purpose, producing both substantial greens and a harvestable root. For gardeners focused primarily on the leaves, varieties such as ‘Seven Top’ are a better choice. These are virtually rootless and developed specifically for high-yield, flavorful top growth, and are known for their tolerance to warmer temperatures often experienced during Mississippi’s shoulder seasons.
Ongoing Care and Harvesting Turnip Greens
Active management ensures the plants grow quickly to produce tender greens. Thinning is important to prevent overcrowding; seedlings should be thinned when they are a few inches tall, leaving four to six inches between each plant. This spacing allows each plant sufficient room to develop a robust canopy of leaves without competing for light and nutrients.
Turnip greens require consistent moisture to keep the leaves tender and prevent bitterness. Plants need about one inch of water per week, and a soaker hose or drip irrigation system is an effective way to deliver water directly to the root zone. A light application of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer can support the continuous production of new leaves, especially if the soil was not heavily amended.
Flea beetles are a common Mississippi pest that damages turnip greens by chewing small “shotholes” into the leaves, particularly on young seedlings. The best non-chemical management involves using floating row covers over newly planted seeds to physically exclude the beetles. The greens are typically ready for harvest about 40 to 50 days after planting, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Harvesting can be done using the “cut-and-come-again” method, which involves picking the larger, outer leaves individually. This allows the smaller inner leaves to continue growing for a sustained yield. Alternatively, the entire plant can be harvested at once by cutting it off just above the soil line. If a root-producing variety was planted, the turnip roots will be ready when they reach about two to three inches in diameter.