I am replanting the roots that are on the ground in the image, the ones with stems still on it. It looks like at least 4 varieties passed my initial test. The white ones could be 1 to 3 varieties. The smaller white ones were retained because of a combination of green health and size. I was more lenient with the yellow ones since so few of them were of decent size.
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What was the initial test?
The turnips being saved for seed in that image represent the top percentile in root size, top size, insect damage on leaves, and heat tolerance.
All the leaves we have ate were delicious. These varieties all seem well established for green taste. I am not really selecting for taste right now.
I planted way more seeds than the turnips you see in the image. Some didn’t germinate, some didn’t grow well and got thinned out, some made it until yesterday when I pulled them out of the ground and left them there to rot due to the root size not being worth my time to process. There are just as many roots left on the ground than was put in the bucket.
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It turns out the yellow/golden turnips I tried were much better tasting than the white ones. Even so, the white ones are better than the purple top. The plan has shifted to harvest seeds from the yellow/golden ones only, hoping they received pollen from the white ones, which have better top quality and size.
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I’ve been working on the same project with turnips since 2019, mine have adapted well to not watering and sandy soil
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Wow, are you selecting for taste? I am becoming more picky about my turnips. I might have to cut a piece off each turnip before replanting. I want to move the needle in a big way on the taste profile and wonder if it’s even possible to make a big dent on it.
Yeah I’ve been trying but haven’t noticed and different tastes lol, but maybe next season I’ll notice a difference
