Turnip De Milan rougeTurnip Blanc plat de Hollande - Brassica rapa organic seeds

The Milan Red Turnip Organic is an heirloom variety of early turnip renowned for its white, fine and sweet flesh, protected by a bicolour white and reddish-purple skin. This flat, medium-sized turnip forms quickly and remains tender when picked young. Easy to grow, it adapts to cool temperate climates, both in open ground and under cloches. Successive sowings from spring to late summer will yield harvests for a large part of the year.

The Milan Red turnip belongs to the Brassicaceae family. The botanical species Brassica rapa var. rapa is known as turnip, naveau, and also, depending on the region, rave, rabiole or grosse rave. This plant has been known since prehistoric times and has always been part of the diet of Northern European people.
Its root is eaten raw when young, grated in salads or cooked, au gratin, sautéed, mashed or as an accompaniment to soup, pot-au-feu and stew. The turnip has diuretic, refreshing, remineralising properties and contains vitamins (A, B5, B6, C, PP) as well as minerals (calcium, iron, copper, magnesium).

The various "de Milan" forms, including the 'Milan Red' turnip, are non-hybrid heirloom varieties, selected in Italy and described in horticultural literature from the late 19th century. The seeds are reproducible: simply let the plant go to seed, harvest the seeds, then resow them the following year.
The plant forms a tight rosette composed of entire or slightly divided leaves, rather broad, bright green, borne on more or less purplish petioles. The root is taprooted, swollen, flat or very slightly domed, smooth, 5 to 10 cm in diameter and 4 to 5 cm thick. The buried part remains pure white, while the collar, above ground, takes on a bright, clear red to violet colour, without marbling. The flesh is white, fine, crunchy, melting when cooked, with a mild flavour, barely peppery, without bitterness when grown in cool soil. 40 to 60 days are sufficient between sowing and harvesting early turnips, 90 to 120 days for full-sized roots in spring cultivation.
In the second year, the plant produces a branched flower stem 60 to 100 cm tall, bearing at the top small bright yellow flowers with four petals arranged in a cross, typical of crucifers.

The turnip requires an application of well-rotted compost (3 kg/m²) in late autumn or early spring.

Harvest: Turnips are harvested as needed and as they develop.

Storage: They keep for a few days in a cool place. From November, turnips are lifted, cleaned and stored in dry sand in a cellar throughout the winter.

The Gardener's Tip: Carry out regular weeding and hoeing. An insect-proof mesh can be installed to prevent possible flea beetle attacks.

The 'Milan Red' turnip accompanies carrots or beetroot. It can also be planted in front of rows of winter leeks such as 'Bleu de Solaise'. In the kitchen, it is preferably harvested young, at 5–7 cm in diameter, to be consumed in thin raw slices, as pickles; the tender tops can also be added to soups and stir-fried green vegetables.