Topic: tough turnips

[ACE]

I lifted a load for freezing this morning. When I tried to cut and peel them they were as tough as old boots. I would have needed an axe for some of them. Needless to say they are now on the compost heap. Something else I noticed was splits down the side of a lot of them. The seed was sown middle of april, thinned when they needed it, so what went wrong. I have another sowing  done the end of may, I hope these are better. I did mix the seed with growmore when I sprinkled them along the drills, I wonder if that affected them, although the early carrots  and beets where sown the same day with growmore  and the crop has been lovely.

[hippydave]

It could just be that they are a wee bit too old, i take mine when about 2" diameter and they are sweet and tender i find if any bigger than this they get tougher and more fibrous.   

[Obelixx]

Sounds like fluctuating moisture levels causing the splits and being short of water would make them tough.    Maybe need to improve moisture retention in the soil with organic matter or irrigation.

[Tee Gee]

Did you ensure that they were growing in moist soil during a very dry May and June in particular during those record breaking temperatures we had in June? When they would be beginning to swell

[ACE]

All down to the extra dry weather then, they looked the perfect size and colour when I lifted them. Never mind some more coming on.