Editor's Note: This is part 5 of our weekly gardening series, in which Ian will share tips and his experiences throughout the growing season. 
Turnips are a root vegetable. Although the entire plant may be eaten, their bulb grows underground in loose soil, similar to potatoes or radishes. I planted my turnips on March 17th and according to the seed pack, they would be ready to be harvested 52 days after germination. I knew they were almost ready to harvest when their greens were about a foot high and their waxy tops were beginning to break the soil surface and stain purple in the sunlight. I began pulling my turnips and the first few, planted in the brightest section of the planting area, were healthy and mature. As I continued to harvest the area of the garden bed that is shaded by my house for six hours each day, the turnips were smaller and may have benefited from additional time in the ground. I also noticed, about the shaded turnips, that the small individual bulbs were planted in the same spot. This is hard to tell initially, since the seeds are so tiny. Little turnips sometimes grow together to become one big turnip if they are planted close enough, but the group in the shade did not have enough energy to grow large into a single turnip. I ended up with a variety of turnip sizes. What to do with all my turnips? Turnips contain vitamins C, A, and K, folate and calcium. I sautéed the greens and shallots, and I boiled and mashed the bulbs into two very different and nutritious side dishes for a Memorial Day barbecue. The greens tasted peppery like mustard and the bulbs tasted like slightly bitter potatoes, so I cooked and mashed and added a pear for sweetness. What have I learned about growing turnips? More light and more space will yield a healthier bulb. This may not be realistic in my garden, but turnips were a worthy experiment. Did you know? Macomber turnips are renowned for their flavor and were developed in 1876 in Westport, Massachusetts. One of very few historic markers for a vegetable is located on Main Road in Westport and is dedicated to the “Legend of the Turnips”. Photos: 
Turnips are a root vegetable. Although the entire plant may be eaten, their bulb grows underground in loose soil, similar to potatoes or radishes. I planted my turnips on March 17th and according to the seed pack, they would be ready to be harvested 52 days after germination. I knew they were almost ready to harvest when their greens were about a foot high and their waxy tops were beginning to break the soil surface and stain purple in the sunlight. I began pulling my turnips and the first few, planted in the brightest section of the planting area, were healthy and mature. As I continued to harvest the area of the garden bed that is shaded by my house for six hours each day, the turnips were smaller and may have benefited from additional time in the ground. I also noticed, about the shaded turnips, that the small individual bulbs were planted in the same spot. This is hard to tell initially, since the seeds are so tiny. Little turnips sometimes grow together to become one big turnip if they are planted close enough, but the group in the shade did not have enough energy to grow large into a single turnip. I ended up with a variety of turnip sizes. What to do with all my turnips? Turnips contain vitamins C, A, and K, folate and calcium. I sautéed the greens and shallots, and I boiled and mashed the bulbs into two very different and nutritious side dishes for a Memorial Day barbecue. The greens tasted peppery like mustard and the bulbs tasted like slightly bitter potatoes, so I cooked and mashed and added a pear for sweetness. What have I learned about growing turnips? More light and more space will yield a healthier bulb. This may not be realistic in my garden, but turnips were a worthy experiment. Did you know? Macomber turnips are renowned for their flavor and were developed in 1876 in Westport, Massachusetts. One of very few historic markers for a vegetable is located on Main Road in Westport and is dedicated to the “Legend of the Turnips”. Photos: 
