Purple Top Milan is a classic Italian heirloom variety, introduced before 1888 it is still as popular as ever. Highly ornamental, it has smooth creamy-white flat roots with bright purple shoulders and pure white flesh of choice quality.
A strap-leaved variety, quick to mature and early cropping, it is an ideal 'catch crop' between slower growing vegetables.

The very tasty, sweet and mild flesh is fine-grained, crisp and succulent. The roots can be eaten fresh or cooked like potatoes: roasted, boiled or mashed. Long a popular soul food, turnip greens are slightly sweet when young. They are even more nutritious than the roots and are considered one of best flavours in the greens category.

This seed is organically produced (seed harvested from plants that have themselves been raised organically, without the use of chemicals) and has been certified by The Soil Association.
Soil Association Certification provides organic certification of the highest integrity to all sectors of the organic market, so you can be assured of its authenticity.

Prepare the site:
All brassica crops grow best in partial-shade, in firm, fertile, free-draining soil. Start digging over your soil in autumn, removing any stones you find and working in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost. Because they are fast growing, they require a higher level of fertility.
Ideally the soil should have been manured for a previous crop and the pH level should be around neutral. Like most brassicas they do not like an acid soil so add lime to the soil if necessary.
A week or so before sowing provide a general purpose fertiliser like fish, blood & bone. Tread on the soil to remove any air pockets and make the surface very firm.

Timing:
Sowing can start as early as late February under cloches and run through to August. Sow in succession for pulling as required, use for both for summer and winter respectively. As they grow on they become less tender and flavoursome so successional sowing every two weeks ensures that a constant supply of young and sweet turnips can be provided.

Sowing:
Sow seeds 1.25cm (1/2in) deep and rows should be spaced 15cm (6in) apart.
Seeds should be sown thinly, as this reduces the amount of future thinning necessary and potential risk from pests. Rake in lightly. Water a little and often in dry weather.

Because they are fast growing, it is important to start thinning as soon as possible. If they are allowed to crowd, decent roots will not develop. Thin to 7.5cm (3in), so that they don’t touch (Thinnings can be eaten as greens.) If growing turnips for greens only, do not thin out.
Maincrop varieties that are sown in July and August require a larger spacing, 25cm, to allow the larger root to develop for harvesting in November and December.
Turnips are a relatively trouble free crop, cultivation is mainly a matter of keeping them weed free and watering in dry periods to avoid woody texture and split skins.

Harvesting:
Market Express can be harvested at any size during the growing season, but is normally harvested when they are 3 to 5cm in diameter, otherwise the roots are ready 10-12 weeks after sowing.
If growing for greens cut when 10-15cm high and leave to resprout. Flavour and texture reduce in quality if allowed to grow larger then this.

Rotation:
Rotate your crops, planting brassicas, of any kinds, in the same ground more often than once every four years runs the risk of club root infestation and once you have it, the ground is useless for up to a decade. Don't take needless chances, even with "catch crops" of radishes.

Culinary Uses:
Turnip tops can be used as a green vegetable and very young leaves can be used in a salad. They are sweet and delicious to eat raw or steamed.
Young, golf ball sized, turnips can be grated and eaten raw in salads.
The smaller bulbs can be boiled whole for around 25 - 30 minutes. Main crops will require peeling before boiling, treat as swedes. Enjoy them mashed, roasted, in soups and casseroles.

To Freeze – peel and dice, blanch for 2 minutes, plunge into cold water, drain and dry with paper towel, pack in meal sized amounts. Both roots and green tops are high in vitamin C and fibre. Turnips retain their nutrients well when cooked.