One of the easiest root vegetables to grow, turnips are members of the brassica family. All parts of the plant is edible, the root, stem, and leaves, and turnips can be eaten raw. Companion planting turnips will help you to grow healthier turnips, and save space.
Companion Planting Turnips
As with most plants, turnips have both good and bad companions, so let’s look at the best companion plants for turnips.
Peas and Turnips
As peas are members of the legume family, they fix nitrogen in the air and store excess nitrogen in their roots. Growing turnips with peas allows the turnips to utilise most of the nitrogen in the soil. Also peas grow upwards, and turnips grow underground, so one spot of land, can grow 2 crops at once.
For more information on companion planting peas click here.
Vetch and Turnips
Also known as common vetch or tares, vetch is another member of the legume family and is known to keep aphids away from turnips. The downside is that vetch can become invasive, if not kept in check.
Radish and Turnips
These 2 make great companion plants as they both like similar growing conditions, including temperatures. Radish is also susceptible to flea beetle damage, and can be grown to lure these pests away from the turnips.
Thyme and Turnips
This aromatic herb has the reputation of deterring cabbage white butterflies. These pests are attracted to all members of the brassica family, including turnips. Growing thyme as a companion plant for turnips not only keeps pests away.
Thyme also attracts many beneficial insects to the garden like bees and hoverflies. This heavy traffic keeps cabbage whites away.
Catmint and Turnips
This member of the mint family is less invasive than its more robust cousins. Catmint is known to repel flea beetles, which are a common problem when growing turnips. It can also repel aphids, ants and weevils, so it makes a useful ally for the organic gardener.
What Not To Grow With Turnips
The main problem associated with turnips, and in fact all brassicas, is club root. Club root is a serious condition for which there is no cure, and once infected plants will die. To prevent club root, be sure to rotate your crops and only grow brassicas in the same place every 4 years.
Bad Companion Plants For Turnips
Hedge Mustard and Turnips
As hedge mustard is a member of the same family as turnips, and as it grows quite tall, it attracts cabbage whites. It also will grow year on year increasing the risk of club root. Plus hedge mustard actually inhibits turnip growth.
Knot weed and Turnips
I can’t imagine anyone growing knot weed purposely, but if it is growing in your garden don’t grow turnips anywhere near knot weed. It is known to inhibit turnip growth. Knot weed is one of those plants that was brought over to England by the Victorians and has since become a problem.
Its roots can damage the foundations of properties, and banks won’t allow loans or mortgages on properties with knot weed growing on them. If you have knot weed it will cost a considerable amount of money to have it professionally removed. To learn more about Japanese knot weed follow this link to the Penn State University.
