Turnips - Oilseed turnips

Plant family

Crucifers (Brassicaceae)

Cultivation Break

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Medium

Dark germinator

Germination temperature

12 - 20 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

20 cm

Row spacing

40 cm

Seeding depth

1.5 cm

Instructions

Description

The oilseed rape (Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera) is an oilseed from the cruciferous family, similar to the closely related rapeseed (Brassica napus). Both the seeds and the whole plant are usually called turnip rape, turnip seed or turnip seed - names that are also used for the superordinate species Brassica rapa. On the mountain road, it is also called turnip rape. Important distinguishing features from rapeseed are the fresh green, only slightly frosted, hairy leaves (in contrast to the bluish frosted, only sparsely hairy leaves of rapeseed) and the smaller, reticulated seeds which, in addition to being used to produce rapeseed oil, are also used as an ingredient in bird food mixtures (for canaries, for example). It is rather unpopular in many countries as it produces poorer harvests than the very similar rapeseed.

Growing tips

Light requirement: Light Soil composition: loamy soil, sandy soil Soil moisture: fresh Soil nutrient content: alkaline, nutrient-rich Turnip rape or field mustard has a high tolerance to lower temperatures, which is significantly higher than that of rapeseed. It survives cold and snow-free winters well. Turnip rape seeds can be sown as a catch crop in winter or as the main crop in spring. When sown in September, it produces green fodder as early as mid-April. Turnip rape produces the richest harvests on fertile soils that are rich in humus and calcium. It should not be cultivated on acidic soils. It is sown after the chickens, but is sometimes used as a pre-crop for beet as it reduces the number of nematodes in the soil.