There is a classic legume historically grown on the North American plains that is poised for a comeback. If you want to keep traditional plants alive, then prairie turnips could be just the thing.
As long as you’re patient, you’ll be treated to a crop of tasty perennials rich in history and key to the diet of indigenous people in the area. Although traditionally gathered from the wild, there is a real opportunity for the adventurous gardener to incorporate it into their food plan.
You will be amazed at the deliciousness of this plant known by many names. Want to get to know this plant more?
What We’ll Discuss
What Are Prairie Turnips?
Prairie turnip (Pediomelum esculentum syn. Psoralea esculenta) is also commonly called Indian breadfruit, Indian turnip, tipsin, teepsenee, or timpsula, and has a rich history among indigenous people in central North America.
Early European explorers also used the plant for sustenance under the guidance of local people. French explorers called it pomme blanche, though it doesn’t resemble a white apple in any way.
Prairie potato, as it is also known, is an herbaceous perennial found in central North America in dry woodlands and prairies with lots of sun. Due to the destruction of the native environment, it has become increasingly uncommon in the wild.
Prairie turnips produce a medium-sized, edible carrot-shaped taproot that is starchy, nutty, and holds its shape after cooking. It’s suitable for USDA Growing Zones 3 to 7.
Above ground, the plant looks a little like a short lupine with hairy stems. About four inches under the soil, you will find the delicious brown tuber that looks like a cross between a potato and a carrot.
Medium to large flowers form in spring, followed by seeds that are dispersed by the wind.
The starchy tuber is perfect for soups, stews, and as a potato alternative. It is high in vitamin C and protein. Once you are able to harvest it around June or July, you can boil it, bake it, roast it, or preserve it by slicing and drying it.
From seed to mature root, you’re looking at two to four years, so it’s best to succession plant so you can have a steady supply.
It’s closely related to Pediomelum hypogaeum, which is similar but smaller all around. You can grow it in a similar method.
How to Propagate Prairie Turnips
Older prairie turnips don’t transplant well. They have a long, sensitive taproot. It’s best to grow from seed and allow a couple of years at least before you even think about harvesting. In some environments, year three tubers are perfect.
During the second year of growth, seeds usually ripen at the end of summer. It’s then when you can collect them. Some retailers sell the seeds, as well.
If you collect them in summer, you can plant directly in the garden straight away, or wait until the next spring when the soil is workable and any danger of frost has passed.
For a good chance of success, you should scarify the seeds before planting. This is especially true if you have saved or bought dried seeds.
Scarification involves nicking the surface of the seed to encourage germination.
Take fine sandpaper and rub the sides of the seed gently without sanding all the way through the hard surface. You can also use nail clippers to snip out areas from the shell. All you are trying to do here is help the seed germinate through the hard surface.
Use an old pill bottle and poke some holes in the lid for ventilation. Place a small amount of damp sand in the bottle and place your seeds in the sand. Put the lid on and place this in the refrigerator for 60 days. Keep the sand moist.
If you can’t direct sow for whatever reason, you can start the plants indoors, but use a biodegradable pot so you don’t have to disturb the taproot as much when planting.
After 60 days, plant the seeds in biodegradable containers filled with good-quality, soilless seed-raising medium. You can mix in a little extra vermiculite to improve water retention and drainage, if you like.
CowPots are an awesome option for a biodegradable pot. They’re made out of ultra-renewable cow poop. Don’t worry: it has been processed, so they don’t stink. Once you put it in the ground, it biodegrades and feeds the seedling as it does. Grab some at Amazon.
Moisten the medium and plant the seeds about a quarter of an inch deep. Keep the medium moist and place the containers in an area with bright, indirect light.
The seeds should sprout in about 12 to 15 days. They can be transplanted into your chosen spot outside in about eight weeks if the conditions are right. The seedlings should have several true leaves and be at least four inches tall.
Harden the seedlings off for a week before putting them in the ground.
If you used biodegradable pots, you can leave them in the containers. Otherwise, gently remove them from the container. Either way, plant the seedlings 10 to 12 inches apart.
For direct planting in the garden, remove them from the refrigerator, soak the seeds for a day, and plant them in the ground. If you don’t have loose, loamy soil, work in some well-rotted compost to improve drainage and water retention.
How to Care For Prairie Turnip
Prairie turnips love full sun, like they have in the open habitat they come from. Partial sun is okay, though it may delay maturation. Aim for at least six hours of direct sun each day. Even in intense sunlight, prairie turnip is happy so long as it gets enough water.
Water needs vary depending on the cycle of the plant.
In the first couple of seasons, especially when you first transplant the seedlings, it needs quite a bit of water to lay the foundation to produce roots and tubers. As the top inch of soil dries out, water well.
If you leave the plant in for a few seasons, you can cut back on the watering except when the prairie turnip is flowering. This requires quite a bit of energy and water is needed again. Otherwise, you can let the soil dry out between watering.
When you water, the soil should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge. It shouldn’t feel soggy and wet.
Prairie turnip isn’t fussy when it comes to soil pH, but it likes sandy, loamy soil that drains well. It should be able to hold moisture but not become waterlogged. If your soil is clay, you will have a hard time growing this plant.
Consider growing in a raised bed or working lots of sand into your planting area.
The plant will dieback to the ground and re-emerge around April or May. It will flower through to the end of July.
Fertilizing isn’t required. Feed the soil before planting with well-rotted compost and you will keep the plant healthy and assist in disease resistance.
Best Companion Plants for Prairie Turnip
If you grow prairie turnips in a woodland environment, they are often found around oak, so you can recreate that environment by planting near oak trees. Just be sure to give your prairie turnips enough light.
Plant with other legumes like:
Harvesting and Using Prairie Turnip
Remember, this is a very slow-growing plant, so a good-sized tuber is probably three to four years old. You don’t want to start pulling the tubers when then plant is just a year or two old.
Harvest when the plant is flowering. Foragers usually spot prairie turnips when its flowering and know they can harvest the tuber.
Carefully dig around the base of the plant and expose the tuber. They will be of varying sizes.
Use a flat spade and lever the base of the plant upwards, much as you do when you harvest potatoes. Gently cut away a few of the tubers but leave several behind if you want the plant to continue to grow and produce new tubers.
You can peel and eat the tuber raw, boil it, or if you have a lot, braid them together and hang them to dry. They can be rehydrated in soups and stews, or ground into flour for making bread.
Dried prairie turnips can last a few years if you store them in a cool, dry area outside of direct light.
Consider browning off your meat of choice and adding any vegetables along with sliced prairie turnip. Let this simmer and thicken, and serve with crusty bread. Or treat it like a potato and roast or boil and mash it.
When dried and ground into flour, it can be used to thicken soups or made into a porridge that you can sweeten with wild berries or honey.
Problems and Solutions for Growing Prairie Turnips
Provided that you plant in the right environment in well-draining soil, these plants aren’t super prone to problems. When they’re overwatered or in clay soil, you might experience a handful of issues. Let’s look at them:
Leaves Yellowing and Wilting
Yellowing and wilting leaves are usually from overwatering prairie turnips, which can be easy because they don’t need as much water as vegetables and other edibles. Remember the environment it originates in and water only when needed.
Over-watering will cause mold, mildew, and root rot.
Brittle and Brown Leaves
On the other side of the coin, brittle and brown leaves are usually from underwatering. This is quite uncommon, given that prairie turnips are drought-resistant. If you notice the leaves going brown or brittle, stop adding water.
Then water far less often.
Few or Small Blooms
If you don’t have blossoms or they’re particularly small, it’s normally the reaction of a prairie turnip that doesn’t receive enough sunlight in the day. Make sure you plant in an area that provides at least six hours of direct sunlight.
The Plant Dies Back
The plant naturally dies back during its dormancy period in the fall through the winter. But it could also be due to excess fertilizer or way too much sun.
It could also indicate root rot has set in due to excessive watering.
Check the roots and examine the light exposure. These plants like a lot of sun, but if it’s super hot and they’re being hit by direct sun all afternoon, it might be too much. The plant should return when conditions are better.
Next, think back to how much you’ve fertilized. Remember, these plants don’t need a lot of food or any at all.
Thrips
Thrips seem to love prairie turnip leaves and flowers. Use pyrethrin spray if you identify these pests.
Caterpillars
Caterpillars can be a problem, especially in the cooler mornings and at night. Use an organic insecticide. You can wear gloves and handpick them or spray them with a product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis.
Bonide’s Thuricide, for example, contains this beneficial bacteria, which works by perforating the caterpillars’ stomachs, killing them. It won’t harm birds, bees, butterflies, or other wildlife.
Squirrels
Squirrels love prairie turnips and will return until there is nothing left of the plant. Read our article on controlling squirrels and keeping them from trashing your garden plants.
Root Rot
Root rot is caused by overwatering, and it particularly impacts plants in soil that doesn’t drain well. The plant will be visibly distressed and wilt, brown, and die off. Dig into the soil, and you will find that the tuber is rotting or soft and spongy.
At this point, you must remove the plant and dispose of it. Don’t plant tubers in that area for at least two seasons. When you do replant, be sure to loosen up the soil with well-rotted compost.
