http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/10%20May%202016%20Turnips/HTML/ 10 May 2016 Planting turnip seed. An eight foot row of turnips was planted. The seeds where shaken from a dispenser and will be thinned to about four inches after germination. The seeds were lightly packed into the soil and a board was placed over the area to inhibit drying of the seeds until germination, when the board will be removed.