When Should You Plant Turnips?
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GardenSays
Direct-sow turnips outside Apr 14 – Apr 21 — they shrug off frost.
- Spring sowing
- Apr 14 – Apr 21
- Fall crop
- Jul 27 – Aug 10
- Last frost (typ.)
- May 5
In Minneapolis, MN, the typical last frost lands around May 5, and turnips are cold-hardy — so unlike tomatoes, you don't wait for frost to pass. Sow 14-21 days before the last frost: Apr 14 – Apr 21, as soon as soil is workable.
Do this this week
- 1.Spring sowing has passed — the fall window is next: Jul 27 – Aug 10
- 2.Nothing to sow until Jul 27
Calculated result · 3 verified sources · Checked 2026-07-18 · How we decide
Why
Cool-season crops get a second season: sow again Jul 27 – Aug 10 for a fall harvest — many gardeners find the fall crop sweeter and less bothered by pests.
- Turnips germinate in cold soil and tolerate frost that would kill warm-season crops — waiting until after the last frost wastes their best growing weather.
- The 50% frost date is a planning midpoint — for hardy crops an early start risks little.
When this doesn't apply
- UMN gives calendar dates for Minnesota (April 15 spring / Aug 1 fall); converted to a Minneapolis-relative estimate (last frost ~May 5, first frost ~Oct 5) consistent with how other cool-season crops on this site are modeled.
- Cold, waterlogged soil rots seed — 'workable' means it crumbles in your hand, not mud.
How this was calculated
- 1. Last spring frostMay 5Source guidance
Minneapolis, MN: typical (50% probability) last 32°F frost
- 2. Direct-sow windowApr 14 – Apr 21Calculated result
Turnip is cold-hardy: sow outside 14-21 days before the last frost, once soil is workable
- 3. Fall crop windowJul 27 – Aug 10Calculated result
Cool-season bonus round: sow again 56-70 days before the typical first fall frost (Oct 5)
Data sources
- University of Minnesota Extension — Growing turnips and rutabagas in home gardens — Plant turnips beginning April 15 for a spring crop, and again August 1 for a fall crop. Plant seeds 1-2 inches apart in rows 18-30 inches apart; thin to 3-6 inches. Needs 1 inch of water per week. Harvest at 2-3 inches wide. (checked 2026-07-18)
- NOAA NCEI — 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals (freeze date probabilities) (checked 2026-07-15)
- National Gardening Association — frost date lookup (checked 2026-07-15)
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