When to plant turnips
The rule
Days to maturity: 40–60 days [src]
Method: Direct-sow in the garden. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Because turnips is frost-hardy and matures in about 40–60 days, it's a strong fall crop — sow it in mid-to-late summer so it finishes before your first frost.
Turnips planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Direct-sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | — | April 19 – May 3 | June 18 – July 2 |
| Zone 2b | — | April 27 – May 11 | June 26 – July 10 |
| Zone 3b | — | April 22 – May 6 | June 30 – July 14 |
| Zone 4a | — | April 16 – April 30 | July 8 – July 22 |
| Zone 4b | — | April 12 – April 26 | July 11 – July 25 |
| Zone 5a | — | April 14 – April 28 | July 12 – July 26 |
| Zone 5b | — | April 6 – April 20 | July 19 – August 2 |
| Zone 6a | — | April 2 – April 16 | July 26 – August 9 |
| Zone 6b | — | March 26 – April 9 | July 31 – August 14 |
| Zone 7a | — | March 18 – April 1 | August 6 – August 20 |
| Zone 7b | — | March 9 – March 23 | August 12 – August 26 |
| Zone 8a | — | February 26 – March 12 | August 19 – September 2 |
| Zone 8b | — | February 16 – March 2 | August 26 – September 9 |
| Zone 9a | — | February 2 – February 16 | September 5 – September 19 |
| Zone 9b | — | January 5 – January 19 | September 18 – October 2 |
| Zone 10a | — | December 18 – January 1 | September 12 – September 26 |
| Zone 10b | — | December 23 – January 6 | November 5 – November 19 |
What you'll need
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Calendar computed 2026-09-27. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension — Vegetable Planting Chart (Circular C963) (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.