Repotting guide

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

Also called Tokyo Cross turnip, Japanese turnip, hakurei-type turnip.

More about turnip 'tokyo cross'

About Turnip 'Tokyo Cross'

Brassica rapa var. rapa 'Tokyo Cross' · also called Tokyo Cross turnip, Japanese turnip · edible

'Tokyo Cross' is an F1 Japanese turnip producing uniform, smooth white globes very fast, often in just 35-40 days. Mild, sweet and tender, it can be eaten raw and rarely turns woody if harvested young. Bolt-resistant and reliable, it suits successional sowing through the season. Sow direct in full sun in cool conditions.

Mature size: Roots 5-8 cm across; foliage 25-35 cm tall.

Watch for — Splitting: Because growth is so rapid, leaving roots in the ground too long or heavy rain after dry spells splits them; harvest promptly at golf-ball size.

How to tell turnip 'tokyo cross' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For turnip 'tokyo cross', 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 'tokyo cross' 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 'tokyo cross'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Turnip 'Tokyo Cross'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Biennial F1 hybrid grown as an annual; compact upright rosette above a smooth round white root that sits at the surface. Quick-maturing and uniform..

What size pot to step turnip 'tokyo cross' up to

Pot turnip 'tokyo cross' 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 'tokyo cross'

Pot turnip 'tokyo cross' 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 'tokyo cross'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check turnip 'tokyo cross' 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 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 'tokyo cross' 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 'tokyo cross'

Turnip 'Tokyo Cross' wants fertile, light, free-draining loam. Loose, organic-rich soil lets these quick roots swell smoothly. Keep pH 6.0-7.0 and lime acid ground to deter clubroot; avoid fresh manure to prevent forking. 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 'tokyo cross' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot turnip 'tokyo cross'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for turnip 'tokyo cross'. Turnip 'Tokyo Cross' 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 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 'tokyo cross' need?

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

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

No. Even a fast-growing turnip 'tokyo cross' 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 'tokyo cross' after repotting?

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