Repotting guide

When & how to repot Turnip 'Oasis' (Brassica rapa var. rapa 'Oasis')

Also called Oasis turnip, sweet white turnip.

More about turnip 'oasis'

About Turnip 'Oasis'

Brassica rapa var. rapa 'Oasis' · also called Oasis turnip, sweet white turnip · edible

'Oasis' is a sweet, crisp white turnip bred to be eaten raw like an apple, with mild, juicy flesh and little of the usual pungency. Smooth round roots reach 6-10 cm in about 50 days. Best harvested young, it suits salads and fresh eating. Sow direct in full sun in cool spring or autumn soil.

Mature size: Roots 6-10 cm across; foliage 25-35 cm tall.

Watch for — Flea beetle: Tiny holes peppering young leaves slow the early growth needed for sweet, tender roots; protect seedlings with fine mesh and keep them watered.

How to tell turnip 'oasis' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For turnip 'oasis', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot turnip 'oasis' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot turnip 'oasis'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Turnip 'Oasis'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Biennial grown as an annual; a neat rosette of leaves above a smooth round white root at the surface. Quick-maturing and bred for tender, sweet flesh..

What size pot to step turnip 'oasis' up to

Pot turnip 'oasis' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot turnip 'oasis'

Pot turnip 'oasis' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting turnip 'oasis'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check turnip 'oasis' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh fertile, light, free-draining loam rich in organic matter at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water turnip 'oasis' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for turnip 'oasis'

Turnip 'Oasis' wants fertile, light, free-draining loam rich in organic matter. Loose, fertile soil produces smooth, mild roots fast. Keep pH 6.0-7.0, lime acid ground to discourage clubroot and avoid fresh manure, which can fork the roots. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting turnip 'oasis' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot turnip 'oasis'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for turnip 'oasis'. Turnip 'Oasis' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into fertile, light, free-draining loam rich in organic matter so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does turnip 'oasis' need?

When is the best time of year to repot turnip 'oasis'?

Can you put turnip 'oasis' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing turnip 'oasis' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise turnip 'oasis' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting turnip 'oasis'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.