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What is Forage Turnip?
Forage turnip is a cultivated variety of Brassica rapa selected specifically for maximum biomass production, rapid growth, and palatability to livestock and wildlife—as opposed to the table turnip types bred for human consumption. The distinction matters: forage types produce larger tops, grow faster, and are more tolerant of grazing pressure than garden varieties. Brassica rapa has been cultivated for over 4,000 years across Europe and Asia. Forage-specific breeding intensified in the 20th century, particularly in New Zealand and the UK, where high-performance brassica forages became central to intensive sheep and cattle systems. Modern forage turnip varieties are significantly higher-yielding and more disease-resistant than older open-pollinated types. Agronomically, forage turnip is valued as a true dual-purpose crop: the taproot acts as a biological tillage tool, driving into compacted subsoil and leaving biopore channels when it decomposes. The aboveground biomass—both leafy tops and the swollen hypocotyl commonly called the bulb—provides forage with 14–18% crude protein and high digestibility. Deer, cattle, sheep, and pigs all preferentially graze forage turnip when given access. The crop is established reliably from seed in 4–7 days under cool, moist conditions.
Specifications
Seeding Specs
Water Needs Moderate
Soil Preference Adapts to most well-drained soils including sandy loam, silt loam, and clay loam. Requires adequate drainage—does not tolerate waterlogged or standing water conditions. Prefers fertile soil but performs in moderate fertility.
Soil pH pH 5.5–6.8
Planting Depth 1/4 inch or surface broadcast with light incorporation
Establishment Specs
Height 12–24 inches (leafy tops)
Color Green tops; white to purple bulb
Uses Cover Crop, Food Plot, Livestock Forage, Compaction Remediation, Emergency Grazing
Native/Introduced Introduced — originated in Europe and central Asia
Why Choose This Seed?
Dual-Purpose Soil + Forage
Forage turnip is one of very few cover crops that simultaneously improves soil structure and provides high-value livestock or wildlife forage. The taproot penetrates 12–18 inches into compacted layers, breaking up hardpan and leaving drainage channels. The aboveground portion delivers 14–18% crude protein at high digestibility—nutritional quality that rivals premium hay for late-season supplemental feeding. You get soil improvement and a standing feed source from a single seeding, which changes the economics of cover cropping considerably.
Outstanding Food Plot Performance
Deer pass over young turnip plots, then hammer them in late fall after frost sweetens the bulbs—this is a predictable and well-documented behavior. Food plot hunters use forage turnip specifically for this reason: it creates late-season attraction that holds deer on the property when other food sources are gone. Seed in late summer for prime late October through December activity depending on your zone. The combination of high-nutrition tops plus sweet, frost-kissed bulbs makes this one of the most effective single-species food plot plants available.
One of the Fastest-Establishing Brassicas
Full-size forage turnip in 45–75 days from seeding. That’s faster than canola, radish, and most other brassicas used as cover crops. The fast growth makes forage turnip practical in tight windows: after small grain harvest in early August, before winter kill in Zone 5, or as an emergency cover when you need ground covered quickly. Germination happens in 4–7 days in cool soil. The tiny seed size (seed rates of 1–3 lbs/acre) means a small amount of seed covers a lot of ground at low cost per acre.
Broad Grazing Appeal
Forage turnip is grazed by a wider range of livestock species than most cover crops. Deer and elk seek it out in food plots. Cattle strip the tops and will eventually graze the bulbs. Sheep eat both enthusiastically. Pigs will root out and consume the bulbs completely. This multi-species palatability makes forage turnip a practical choice for mixed-operation farms or hunting properties with diverse wildlife. Strip grazing—allowing livestock access to one section at a time—maximizes utilization and extends the grazing window across a field.
Honest About Limitations
Forage turnip is a cool-season crop—do not plant in summer in Zone 6 and warmer. It will bolt and decline rapidly in heat. It belongs to the brassica family: rotate away from canola, mustard, and other brassica cover crops to prevent clubroot and soilborne disease buildup. A 3–4 year rotation interval is the standard recommendation. Brassicas can cause nitrate poisoning, polioencephalomalacia, hemolytic anemia, and bloat if grazed exclusively—limit turnip to about one-third of the diet, introduce it gradually, and always provide hay or grass pasture alongside for all grazing species. Incorporation releases sulfur-based glucosinolate compounds that create a strong odor; this is temporary and does not affect soil function.
How to Plant Forage Turnip
Site Prep
Forage turnip performs best on a firm, weed-free seedbed. If following a grain crop, mow or disc residue to allow good seed-to-soil contact.
Light tillage (field cultivator or disc) to 3–4 inch depth is adequate. The tiny seed size means a smooth, packed seedbed with no large clods is more important here than with larger-seeded cover crops.
Do not plant into heavy residue without light incorporation—seed sitting on undecomposed biomass will not establish reliably.
Seeding
Broadcast at 1–3 lbs/acre on a firm, moist seedbed, or drill at 0.75–1.5 lbs/acre at 1/4 inch depth. After broadcasting, drag or cultipack to improve seed-to-soil contact—this step is important given the tiny seed size.
Germination occurs in 4–7 days when soil is 50–65°F and moist. Do not plant in warm soil (above 75°F) or dry conditions without planned irrigation. Planting window for fall food plots and fall cover crops is late July through mid-September.
Establishment
Forage turnip establishes quickly and requires minimal management after germination. Weed pressure is usually not a concern—the crop establishes fast enough in cool conditions to out-compete most cool-season weeds.
The bulb develops over 45–75 days. In food plot applications, resist the urge to graze or hunt over the plot before plants reach full size.
Livestock should be excluded until bulbs are fully developed for maximum forage production and palatability. Frost improves palatability—the bulb sweetens after temperatures drop below freezing.
Termination / Management
For cover crop applications, terminate before spring planting by tillage or herbicide. Incorporate the biomass at least 3 weeks before seeding the next crop to allow glucosinolate breakdown.
The incorporation odor is temporary and normal. For grazing, strip-graze the field in sections using temporary fencing to maximize utilization and minimize waste.
Limit turnip to about one-third of the ration, introduce it over 7–10 days, and provide hay or grass alongside for all species — this prevents nitrate poisoning, polioencephalomalacia, hemolytic anemia, and bloat.
The crop is winter-killed in Zone 5 and colder, which simplifies termination in northern regions.
Helpful Resources
Pasture Seed Planting Guide
A Hunter’s Paradise: Growing Food Plots for Deer and Elk
Attract Those Gobblers With Turkey Food Plots
Questions & Answers
When should I plant forage turnip for a deer food plot?
Late July through mid-August is the prime planting window for food plots in most of the U.S. That timing gives the crop 60–75 days to reach full size before the first frost, which sweetens the bulbs and triggers the heavy deer activity food plotters want. In Zone 5 and colder, planting by early August is critical—you need enough warm days for the crop to size up before hard freeze. In Zone 7 and warmer, you have flexibility through mid-September. Deer typically begin working turnip plots aggressively in late October and November, intensifying after the first frosts when the bulbs sweeten.
Can I mix forage turnip with other seeds in a blend?
Yes, and it’s commonly done. Forage turnip blends well with cereal rye, winter wheat, oats, crimson clover, and rapeseed in cover crop mixes. In food plot blends, it’s frequently combined with winter wheat, chicory, and clover for season-long forage diversity. When mixing with small grains, use the same seeding rate for turnip (1–2 lbs/acre) and reduce the grain component slightly to give the turnip room to develop. In food plot blends targeting deer, the brassica and cereal components complement each other well—the grain provides early-season browse and the turnip provides late-season attraction.
How deep does the forage turnip taproot actually go?
Under typical compacted field conditions, 12–18 inches of root penetration is realistic for forage turnip. Some sources cite deeper penetration in loose soils, but in genuinely compacted conditions—which is where the compaction-busting benefit matters—12–18 inches is the practical range. This is enough to penetrate plow pan layers and create biopore channels that improve drainage and subsoil aeration. It is less aggressive than tillage radish (Raphanus sativus) which can reach 24–36 inches under optimal conditions, but forage turnip offers better above-ground forage value in exchange.
Will forage turnip winter-kill?
In Zone 5 and colder, yes—forage turnip will be killed by hard freezes and will not survive winter. This is actually useful for spring cover crop management because there’s no termination step needed in northern zones. The roots and tops decompose over winter. In Zone 6 and warmer, the crop may partially survive mild winters. In Zone 7+, it may persist and even bolt in spring, at which point it should be terminated before it sets seed. Plan your planting-to-termination timeline accordingly based on your zone.
Is forage turnip safe for sheep and goats?
Brassica forages like forage turnip can cause several grazing disorders if mismanaged — not just bloat, but also nitrate poisoning, polioencephalomalacia (PEM), and hemolytic anemia. The standard safeguards: limit brassica to no more than about one-third of the animals' daily diet, introduce them gradually over 7–10 days, and always provide hay or grass pasture alongside — never allow exclusive access to brassica forage. Avoid grazing wet, succulent plants right after rainfall, which raises bloat risk. Sheep, goats, and cattle all do well on turnip when these practices are followed.
How many lbs of seed do I need per acre?
Broadcast seeding: 1–3 lbs/acre. Drilling: 0.75–1.5 lbs/acre. The lower end of those ranges is sufficient when planting into a clean, firm seedbed with reliable moisture. Use the higher end when broadcasting into rougher conditions or when you want a denser stand for maximum forage or food plot use. For mixed blends, use 1–2 lbs/acre of forage turnip as the brassica component. The tiny seed goes a long way—do not over-seed thinking more seed means better results. Over-seeded brassica stands can actually produce smaller individual plants due to competition.
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