Advanced
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball')
Comment on a listing
Plant supplier links
- Login to upload a photo
4 hours care
per year
per year
0.2m
Max height
Max height
0.2m
Max spread
Max spread
1-2 years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Brassica rapa 'Snowball'
Other names
Turnip 'Snowball'
Genus
Brassica Brassica
Variety or Cultivar
'Snowball' _ 'Snowball' is a quick-maturing variety. The plant produces round edible roots, with white skin and solid flesh of mild flavour, in the spring.
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' is: Deciduous
Habit
Clump-forming, Irregular
Awards
Recommended by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Foliage
Green, Purple in Spring
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Birds , Cabbage caterpillars , Cabbage gall weevil , Cabbage root fly , Cabbage stem flea beetle , Cabbage whitefly , Chafer grubs in lawns , Cutworms , Diamond-back moth , Flea beetles , Mealy cabbage aphid , Slugs , Snails , Swede midge Birds , Cabbage caterpillars , Cabbage gall weevil , Cabbage root fly , Cabbage stem flea beetle , Cabbage whitefly , Chafer grubs in lawns , Cutworms , Diamond-back moth , Flea beetles , Mealy cabbage aphid , Slugs , Snails , Swede midge
Black rot , Clubroot , Downy mildew , Foot and root rot , Grey mould , Leaf spot , White blister Black rot , Clubroot , Downy mildew , Foot and root rot , Grey mould , Leaf spot , White blister
General care
Pruning
Following a mild winter, this variety 'Early Purple Sprounting' can be harvested as early as January. Or wait a little longer until Feb- March to cut.
Propagation methods
Seed
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball') will reach a height of 0.2m and a spread of 0.2m after 1-2 years.
Suggested uses
Add to salads, Beds and borders, Flavouring food and drinks
Cultivation
Plant in prepared, well-compacted, non-acidic soil in sun in the autumn. Plant in an area vacated by non-brassica crop. Purple sprouting varieties are hardier and more reliable as they can tolerate colder climates and heavier soils.
Soil type
Clay, Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
Companion plants
We do not currently have companion plants added for this plant.
Botanical name
Brassica rapa 'Snowball'
Other names
Turnip 'Snowball'
Genus
Brassica Brassica
Variety or Cultivar
'Snowball' _ 'Snowball' is a quick-maturing variety. The plant produces round edible roots, with white skin and solid flesh of mild flavour, in the spring.
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump-forming, Irregular
Awards
Recommended by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Foliage
Green, Purple in Spring
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Birds , Cabbage caterpillars , Cabbage gall weevil , Cabbage root fly , Cabbage stem flea beetle , Cabbage whitefly , Chafer grubs in lawns , Cutworms , Diamond-back moth , Flea beetles , Mealy cabbage aphid , Slugs , Snails , Swede midge
Specific diseases
Black rot , Clubroot , Downy mildew , Foot and root rot , Grey mould , Leaf spot , White blister
General care
Pruning
Following a mild winter, this variety 'Early Purple Sprounting' can be harvested as early as January. Or wait a little longer until Feb- March to cut.
Propagation methods
Seed
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball') will reach a height of 0.2m and a spread of 0.2m after 1-2 years.
Suggested uses
Add to salads, Beds and borders, Flavouring food and drinks
Cultivation
Plant in prepared, well-compacted, non-acidic soil in sun in the autumn. Plant in an area vacated by non-brassica crop. Purple sprouting varieties are hardier and more reliable as they can tolerate colder climates and heavier soils.
Soil type
Clay, Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Full Sun
Aspect
South, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
Defra's Risk register #1
Plant name
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball')
Common pest name
Cassava whitefly; Cotton whitefly; Sweet potato whitefly; Tobacco whitefly
Scientific pest name
Bemisia tabaci non-European populations
Type
Insect
Current status in UK
Absent
Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
2
Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
5
General biosecurity comments
Non-European populations of Bemisia tabaci pose an additional risk to European populations due to the potential for introducing non-European viruses.
Defra's Risk register #2
Plant name
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball')
Common pest name
Apple root knot nematode
Scientific pest name
Meloidogyne mali
Type
Nematode
Current status in UK
Unknown
Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
3
Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
4
General biosecurity comments
UK (along with certain other European countries) received potentially infested trees in 1992; but these were destroyed at the end of the trial period and targeted surveillance has failed to find any trace of the nematode. Main impacts are on elm; apple and mulberry and industry should source such material carefully.
Defra's Risk register #3
Plant name
Brassica rapa 'Snowball' (Turnip 'Snowball')
Common pest name
Leaf spot: ginseng; Leaf spot: ornamentals
Scientific pest name
Alternaria panax
Type
Fungus
Current status in UK
Absent
Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
3
Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
4
General biosecurity comments
A leaf spot disease; some commonly grown pot plants are hosts but main damage is to ginseng.
About this section
Our plants are under greater threat than ever before. There is increasing movement of plants and other material traded from an increasing variety of sources. This increases the chances of exotic pests arriving with imported goods and travellers, as well as by natural means. Shoot is working with Defra to help members to do their part in preventing the introduction and spread of invasive risks.
Traveling or importing plants? Please read "Don't risk it" advice here
Suspected outbreak? Click here for contact details to report to the relevant authority.
Date updated: 7th March 2019 For more information visit: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Clay, Loamy, Sandy | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | South, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3) | Tell us... |
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
Report content or feedback to Shoot
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login