When to Harvest Turnips
Quick answer:
Early turnips are ready about six weeks after sowing, from May to September. Pull them while they're small, at around 4–5 cm across for eating raw or up to about 7 cm for cooking. Maincrop turnips take about ten weeks and are lifted from October. Don't leave turnips to grow big, as larger roots turn tough and woody. The leaves can be picked too, while the roots are growing.
Turnips are one of the quickest crops to go from seed to kitchen, and one of the easiest to leave too long. A few days can make the difference between a crisp, sweet root and a fibrous one, so it pays to start pulling them early.
When turnips are ready
Early turnips: sown from March to June and ready in about six weeks. Harvest from May to September.
Maincrop turnips: sown from July to mid-August and ready in about ten weeks. Lift from October onwards.
For sowing times, see when to plant turnips in the UK
The right size to harvest
About 4–5 cm across: tender and mild, good sliced or grated raw.
Up to about 7 cm: the largest size for early turnips. Best roasted, boiled or added to stews.
Bigger than this: roots start to turn woody and hot-tasting, especially after a dry spell.
The top of the root usually shows above the soil as it swells, so you can check the size without digging. Start pulling as soon as the first ones are big enough, rather than waiting for the whole row.
How to harvest turnips
Hold the leaves close to the root.
Pull gently. Early turnips usually come up easily.
If the soil is dry or heavy, loosen it first with a hand fork.
Twist or cut off the leaves, leaving a short stub of stalk.
Harvest the largest roots first. This gives the smaller ones room to catch up, and spreads the crop over several weeks.
Harvesting turnip tops
You don't have to wait for the roots. Young turnip leaves can be picked for salads, where they have a peppery flavour, and larger leaves up to about 15 cm long can be cooked like spinach. Take a few leaves from each plant at a time so the roots keep growing.
Harvesting maincrop turnips
Lift maincrop turnips from October as you need them. Before hard frosts set in, lift the rest, twist off the leaves and store the roots in trays of damp sand or coir somewhere cool and frost-free, such as a shed or garage. They'll keep for several weeks this way.
Harvesting turnips in containers
Pot-grown turnips are usually grown as baby turnips and pulled small. Ease them out by the base of the leaves, and take the biggest first. Pots dry out quickly, which makes roots woody, so keep watering until the last ones are pulled.
For more detail, see growing turnips in containers
Turnips left too long
Turnips that grow too big, or that went short of water, often turn woody, split or develop a hot, bitter taste. Some may also bolt, sending up a flower stalk. If you have a glut, pull the whole row while the roots are still small, and store or cook them.
For more detail, see how often to water turnips
If your roots never swelled, see why turnips don't grow
For the whole growing season, see how to grow turnips in the UK
For other roots to lift this autumn, see when to harvest beetroot and when to harvest parsnips
Common questions
How big should turnips be when you harvest them?
Pull early turnips at about 4–5 cm across for eating raw, and no bigger than about 7 cm for cooking. Larger roots tend to turn woody.
How long after sowing can you harvest turnips?
Early turnips are ready in about six weeks. Maincrop turnips take about ten weeks and are lifted from October.
Can you eat turnip leaves?
Yes. Young leaves are good raw in salads, and larger leaves up to about 15 cm long can be cooked like spinach.
How do you store turnips?
Lift maincrop turnips before hard frosts, twist off the leaves and store the roots in trays of damp sand or coir somewhere cool and frost-free. They keep for several weeks.
Harvest times, sizes and storing method based on RHS guidance.