Purple Top Turnip Seeds High-Protein Forage - Fast Growing Cover Crop

In this review of Purple Top Turnip Seeds the bottom line is clear: this seed is for hunters, livestock owners and small farmers who need a fast-growing, high-protein forage and a reliable late-season food plot. It stood out for producing both edible roots and leafy greens that wildlife and stock prefer, and it performs well across a wide range of soils and climates. The main reason to buy is its dual-purpose utility and quick maturity, which makes it easy to establish useful forage in a single season for deer, cattle or soil improvement.

Key Features

• High-protein forage: The purple top turnips supply concentrated protein in both roots and greens, making them a valuable feed for whitetail deer and livestock.
• Dual-purpose crop: Large purple roots and leafy tops are both palatable, so the same planting serves grazing animals and harvestable greens.
• Rapid maturity: These seeds reach usable size in about 55 days, allowing mid-summer plantings to provide fall and winter forage.
• Wide hardiness: Adapted to USDA Zones 2-9, they grow in full sun to partial shade and tolerate a range of soils.
• Soil improvement: Deep roots help aerate compacted ground and add organic matter, aiding crop rotation and water infiltration.
• Simple sowing rate: Recommended at 10-15 lbs per acre, making planning and seeding straightforward for food plots and cover cropping.

Who It's For

This seed is ideal for hunters planting deer food plots who want a high-energy, late-season attractant and for livestock producers who need an inexpensive, high-protein forage option. Gardeners and small-scale growers looking for a quick, dual-purpose vegetable that provides both edible roots and greens will also find it useful.

Those who should look elsewhere include commercial vegetable growers seeking uniform, market-sized table turnips for retail, and gardeners in very small urban containers where a bulk seed package and acre-based sowing rates are impractical.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Strong germination and rapid growth yield usable forage quickly into fall and winter.
• Dual-use harvestable roots and leafy forage increase overall utility per planting.
• Works in a wide range of soils and USDA hardiness zones, simplifying site selection.
• Helps improve soil structure through deep roots and adds nutrients when used in rotation.

Cons

• Pack sizes and sowing recommendations are geared to acres, so small garden users may find the quantity excessive.
• Not tailored for specialty market vegetable production where uniform size and appearance are critical.

Specifications

Species	Brassica rapa (purple top turnip)
Best zones	USDA Zones 2-9
Time to maturity	About 55 days
Sowing rate	10-15 lbs per acre
Usable parts	Roots (2-5 in diameter) and leafy greens
Primary uses	Deer food plots, forage, grazing, cover crop, soil improvement

Our Verdict

For hunters, livestock owners and small farmers who need a fast-maturing, high-energy forage, these purple top turnip seeds are a practical choice that delivers dual-purpose crops and soil benefits at a reasonable value. They are especially useful for mid-summer plantings that feed into hunting season and winter grazing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can deer and livestock eat both the roots and the greens?
Yes. Both the large purple roots and the foliage are palatable and provide high-protein forage for wildlife and livestock.

When should I plant for fall and winter forage?
Plant in mid to late summer so the crop matures around 55 days after sowing and provides forage into the cooler months when sweetness improves taste.

How much seed do I need?
Recommended sowing rate is 10-15 lbs per acre, which works well for food plots and cover cropping plans.