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Turnips – direct sowing or transplant modules?

Asked by Rhys 6 August 2015 3 replies in Vegetables

Charles answered Charles replied 2 times in this thread. Jump to his answer ↓

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  1. Rhys #31615

    Charles

    I sowed a row of turnips direct and germination has been very rapid and efficient, already requiring thinning. I was wondering whether sowing clumps in modules works for turnips as well as it does for beetroot and leek?

  2. Charles Dowding #31617

    Yes module sowing works well for turnips though perhaps is less necessary because, as you have found, germination in August’s warm soil is so fast. There is time to sow them until around 20th in the south, asap in northern areas.

  3. Rhys #31684

    Well, I sowed five rows direct into the ground and all germinated beautifully, but all are, to some extent or another, getting eaten a bit. Still got plenty left, but the rows will not be beautifully spaced for aesthetics.

    Even worse, I got up this morning to find something, which left a ladies size 4 shoe behind, had trampled all over my spinach/pak choi/turnip growings, all over the Bleu de Solaise leeks and had severed one of my corn plants.

    Parents are inclined to think it was a cat, I’m less sure: the only two times plants have been damaged in our garden is when strange foreigners have knocked on the door and either asked dumb questions or demanded I pay them to do things on sight. Both times, within 24hrs the damage was done.,

    Perhaps the birds observe such interactions and out of devilry do their worst under the cover of blaming humans?!

  4. Charles Dowding #31685

    Bad luck, it is sobering to realise how much damage pests can do, out of the blue. I had a badger dig holes in one of my beds two nights ago so wonder what I shall find each morning. They are too big and strong to fence out though a net over the top can deter them, and you may need to consider that, holes smaller than size 4!

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