Turnip (Shalgam) – 05Gm

🔹 Common name ➜ Turnip PTWG, Purple Top White Globe, Shalgam, Gonglu
🔹 Scientific name ➜ Brassica rapa var. rapa
🔹 Type ➜ Root vegetable crop 🌿
🔹 Use ➜ Salad, curry, sabzi, pickles
✔️ Suitable for:
➜ Organic farming
➜ Natural farming
➜ Desi beej cultivation
➜ Root crop farming

🌟 Why Turnip PTWG?
✔️ High vitamin C & fiber content 💊
✔️ Strong demand in local winter markets 📈
✔️ Very low input cost & fast growing 💰
✔️ Soft, sweet & tender white flesh
✔️ Ideal for: ➜ Root vegetable farming
➜ Kitchen gardening
➜ Small farmers

🌤️ Climate & Sowing Time 🇮🇳
India:
➜ Cool season Rabi crop ➜ October – November ❄️
📍 Punjab / North India:
➜ Best sowing: • September – November
✔️ Best temperature: ➜ 10–20°C
❌ Avoid hot summer weather

🌾 Soil Requirement
➜ Best ➜ Light sandy loam to well-drained loamy soil
➜ pH ➜ 6.0–7.0
✔️ Suitable for: ➜ Organic root crop farming
➜ Friable light soils

🌰 Seed Selection
➜ Recommended: • Desi open-pollinated seeds 🌱
• Native non-GMO seeds
• Traditional seed-saving varieties
✔️ Benefits: ➜ Pure seed retention for next season
➜ Fast bulb growth
➜ Attractive purple-top color

🌱 Sowing Method
➜ Direct sowing on ridges/raised beds
Seed rate: ➜ 2–3 kg per acre
Seed depth: ➜ 1–1.5 cm
Spacing:
➜ Row ➜ 30–45 cm
➜ Plant ➜ 10–15 cm (after thinning)
✔️ Helps: ➜ Round uniform root development
➜ Better root expansion

🌿 Organic Fertilizer Plan
Before sowing:
➜ Well-rotted Desi cow dung manure (FYM) ➜ 6–8 ton/acre
➜ Vermicompost
During growth:
➜ Jeevamrit spray (every 12–15 days)
➜ Wood ash dusting (for potassium & root strength)
✔️ Improves: ➜ Root sweetness
➜ Solid bulb size & texture

💧 Irrigation
➜ Frequent light irrigation required
Schedule: ➜ Every 8–10 days
Critical stages: ➜ Root enlargement stage
❌ Avoid water stress (prevents roots from turning woody/pungent)
🐛 Organic Pest Control
➜ Hardy crop, minor attack from mustard sawfly or aphids 🐛
If needed: ➜ Neem oil spray 🌿
➜ Wood ash dusting on leaves
✔️ Suitable for: ➜ Chemical-free organic production

🌼 Root Formation & Maturity
➜ Starts bulb formation ➜ 25–30 days
➜ Smooth round roots develop bright purple top with white base
🧺 Harvesting
➜ Ready in ➜ 50–60 days after sowing
Harvest when: ➜ Roots reach 3–4 inches diameter
➜ Flesh remains tender & non-woody
✔️ Pull out roots gently & trim top green leaves

⏳ Crop Duration
➜ Total life ➜ 1.5–2 months
📦 Yield
➜ Average ➜ 80–100 quintal/acre
✔️ Quick-turnaround profitable winter crop 💰

🌱 Special Benefits
✔️ Rapid maturity allows double cropping in winter
✔️ Both root and green leaves are edible & nutritious
✔️ High traditional market acceptance 🌍
✔️ Best for: ➜ Desi seed saving
➜ Organic root vegetable sales

🪴 Growing Turnip PTWG on Roof
✔️ Possible
Container:
➜ Grow bag / Pot ➜ 9–12 inch depth
Notes:
➜ Thin plants to keep proper gap for bulb growth