Gary I don't know Modesto, but I know turnips. They like cool weather 40-65 degrees, declining length of days, lots of rain, fertile soils with high degree of organic matter. They are in the same general family as all Cols. They like to be thinned out as well.

So how did this years crop do that you planted in August?

It's funny, when I was about 9 (MANY years ago) I planted an area of turnips, probably about 15' x 8'. Knew nothing about turnips, didn't even like them. Just had a packet of seeds from somewhere.

We had so many turnips that year. Didn't even harvest them all, just left them to rot.

This August's planting was 2 10' rows. We're hoping we'll get enough for a couple of meals from the ones still going.

August temps were in the high ninetys and hundreds, same with most of September. Even October was mostly 80s. We kept them watered, but no precipitation at all.

Guess we'll try again next year.

gary