Can I plant a turnip that...

[Ceashels]

has sprouted shoots?

I would love to grow some turnips and I have done this with potatoes but was wondering if I would simply be growing greens with eventual flowers and seeds?

Any ideas? (I planned rutabagas for this years garden so I don't need turnips.) I would just rather see it grow and produce than go to compost.

[Lynn4]

I've grown turnips from seed. I get only one root per plant. To my knowledge, they don't multiple beneath the ground like potatoes.

Just in case... if you buy/like green onions, you can replant the roots and they will continue to grow. Chop off the green leaves when you need them. Nice way to use all the plant and get scallions practically year round.

You could try it and tell us about it!

[Trentt]

So this is a turnip root that has sprouted leaves? Last year I had turnips that overwintered because in 2009 winter hit us all in one day so I didn't get a chance to harvest them. We had lots of snow right away so they lived.

Last Spring I dug some of these up and the roots were small, woody, and bitter. I ate the stems and leaves, let a couple flower and go to seed, and in the Fall I had a harvest from those.

So I don't think you'll get a very tasty turnip from this one, aside from the greens.