When to plant turnips in Tennessee

Turnips
Sow outdoors in Nashville
Mar 4–Mar 18

Across Tennessee the window opens between February 16 and March 22. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Sow outdoors, Nashville
Mar 4–Mar 18
Fall planting, Nashville
Aug 22–Sep 5
Last frost, Nashville
Apr 1

Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Fall turnips are sweeter. Pull them at 2–3 inches across.

Turnips planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
NashvilleMar 4–Mar 18
MemphisFeb 16–Mar 2
KnoxvilleMar 14–Mar 28
ChattanoogaFeb 24–Mar 10
ClarksvilleMar 6–Mar 20
MurfreesboroMar 12–Mar 26
FranklinMar 6–Mar 20
Johnson CityMar 22–Apr 5
JacksonMar 5–Mar 19
HendersonvilleMar 14–Mar 28
SmyrnaMar 16–Mar 30
Spring HillMar 6–Mar 20
KingsportMar 12–Mar 26
BartlettMar 1–Mar 15
GallatinMar 19–Apr 2
LebanonMar 9–Mar 23
ColliervilleMar 1–Mar 15
ClevelandMar 9–Mar 23
ColumbiaMar 13–Mar 27
BrentwoodMar 18–Apr 1
Mount JulietMar 4–Mar 18
La VergneMar 16–Mar 30
GermantownFeb 22–Mar 8
CookevilleMar 17–Mar 31
Oak RidgeMar 8–Mar 22
MorristownMar 13–Mar 27
MaryvilleMar 4–Mar 18
BristolMar 19–Apr 2
ShelbyvilleMar 10–Mar 24
FarragutMar 8–Mar 22
All 33 cities
CitySow outdoorsFall plantingLast frost
NashvilleMar 4 to Mar 18Aug 22 to Sep 5Apr 1
MemphisFeb 16 to Mar 2Sep 7 to Sep 21Mar 16
KnoxvilleMar 14 to Mar 28Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 11
ChattanoogaFeb 24 to Mar 10Aug 31 to Sep 14Mar 24
ClarksvilleMar 6 to Mar 20Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 3
MurfreesboroMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 18 to Sep 1Apr 9
FranklinMar 6 to Mar 20Aug 22 to Sep 5Apr 3
Johnson CityMar 22 to Apr 5Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 19
JacksonMar 5 to Mar 19Aug 20 to Sep 3Apr 2
HendersonvilleMar 14 to Mar 28Aug 20 to Sep 3Apr 11
SmyrnaMar 16 to Mar 30Aug 12 to Aug 26Apr 13
Spring HillMar 6 to Mar 20Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 3
KingsportMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 20 to Sep 3Apr 9
BartlettMar 1 to Mar 15Aug 27 to Sep 10Mar 29
GallatinMar 19 to Apr 2Aug 14 to Aug 28Apr 16
LebanonMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 6
ColliervilleMar 1 to Mar 15Aug 25 to Sep 8Mar 29
ClevelandMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 21 to Sep 4Apr 6
ColumbiaMar 13 to Mar 27Aug 18 to Sep 1Apr 10
BrentwoodMar 18 to Apr 1Aug 17 to Aug 31Apr 15
Mount JulietMar 4 to Mar 18Aug 26 to Sep 9Apr 1
La VergneMar 16 to Mar 30Aug 12 to Aug 26Apr 13
GermantownFeb 22 to Mar 8Aug 29 to Sep 12Mar 22
CookevilleMar 17 to Mar 31Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 14
Oak RidgeMar 8 to Mar 22Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 5
MorristownMar 13 to Mar 27Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 10
MaryvilleMar 4 to Mar 18Aug 24 to Sep 7Apr 1
BristolMar 19 to Apr 2Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 16
ShelbyvilleMar 10 to Mar 24Aug 20 to Sep 3Apr 7
FarragutMar 8 to Mar 22Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 5
East RidgeFeb 24 to Mar 10Aug 31 to Sep 14Mar 24
TullahomaMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 21 to Sep 4Apr 6
SpringfieldMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 9

Questions

When should I plant turnips in Tennessee?

In Nashville, sow outdoors from March 4 to March 18. Across Tennessee the window opens between February 16 and March 22, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Tennessee

Turnips in other states

Frost dates for every city in Tennessee