How to Grow Purple Top
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Purple Top
Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
vegetablePurple Top is a dual-purpose turnip variety prized for both its globe-shaped purple and white roots and its tender, nutritious greens. It's a cool-season crop that matures quickly, making it ideal for spring and fall gardens. The plant is hardy, productive, and offers excellent nutritional value.
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Example Purple Top timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Purple Top
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Purple Top
Around Jun 6≈ 50 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Purple Top dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 2-9; prefers cooler weather of zones 3-8
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Seedling
10-14 daysTiny cotyledons emerge; first true leaves are oval-shaped with a waxy coating.
Keep soil consistently moist. Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart when they have 2-3 true leaves. Thinnings can be used as microgreens.
Vegetative Growth
20-30 daysLeafy rosette develops above ground; roots begin swelling underground. Green foliage becomes more deeply lobed.
Water regularly and consistently. Monitor for flea beetles and apply row covers if needed. Fertilize with balanced fertilizer mid-season.
Root Development
15-25 daysRoots enlarge and begin showing purple coloring at the shoulder. Greens continue growing but growth slows as energy goes to root formation.
Maintain consistent watering to prevent root splitting. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer to avoid excessive leafy growth. Remove any damaged outer leaves.
Maturity
5-10 days (harvest window)Roots reach 2-3 inches diameter with distinct purple top and white bottom. Greens are full and tender, measuring 8-12 inches tall.
Roots can be harvested at any size, but flavor improves slightly at full maturity. Greens can be harvested anytime but are most tender when young.
Harvest
Harvest periodRoots are firm, smooth, and properly colored; greens are bright green and tender.
Harvest before heavy frost if storing. Can tolerate light frosts in place. Cut greens separately from roots or harvest entire plant.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Use row covers on young plants, apply neem oil or spinosad, plant trap crops, encourage beneficial insects
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Hand-pick, use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), use row covers, encourage parasitic wasps
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Use floating row covers until flowering, apply beneficial nematodes to soil, use diatomaceous earth, rotate crops
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Spray with water, apply insecticidal soap, use neem oil, encourage ladybugs and lacewings
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Hand-pick adults and egg clusters, use floating row covers, plant trap crops
Uses
Root Vegetable - Roasting & Cooking
CulinaryPurple Top roots are mild, slightly sweet, and tender when cooked. They can be roasted, mashed, steamed, boiled, or added to soups and stews. Smaller, younger roots are sweeter and more tender. [source]
Nutritious Greens
CulinaryThe leaves are packed with vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and antioxidants. They can be sautéed, added to salads when young, or cooked like kale. Young tender leaves are best for raw consumption. [source]
Dietary & Anti-inflammatory
MedicinalTurnips contain glucosinolates and other phytonutrients with potential anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties. Traditionally used to support digestive health and boost immunity. [source]
Storage Crop
HouseholdPurple Top is an excellent long-keeping root vegetable for winter storage, lasting 4-5 months in proper cold storage conditions. Provides fresh vegetables through winter without canning or freezing. [source]
Wildlife Feed
WildlifeTurnips are excellent forage crops for livestock and wildlife. Often planted as a cover crop to provide winter feed for deer, rabbits, and other animals. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Roots can be harvested at any size, typically 2-3 inches in diameter for best flavor and tenderness. Twist or gently pull roots from soil, or use a garden fork to loosen soil first. Harvest greens separately by cutting outer leaves, or harvest the entire plant for both roots and greens together. For storage, twist off greens, leaving 1 inch of stem, and store roots in a cool cellar or refrigerator (32-40°F) for several months. Greens are best used fresh within a few days.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Purple Top turnips are biennial plants in nature, but are grown as annuals for food; if left unharvested through winter in mild climates, they will bolt and flower in the second year.
- 🌱 The name 'Purple Top' refers to the distinctive purple or violet coloring on the upper shoulder of the root where it's exposed to sunlight; the portion underground remains white and mild.
- 🌱 Turnips have been cultivated for over 3,000 years and are believed to have originated in Central Asia before becoming popular in Europe and eventually reaching the Americas.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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