Kitchen Garden Forum

None of my swedes left in the ground are bulbing up just
rising up like a purple carrot. I took some small ones from
the same lot earlier just to thin them a bit and they had
bulbed - anyone got any idea what might have happened?

Westi

Hello Westi
When did you sow them? They need to be started off May/June time, not later than early July, so that a large plant is established that will form a good root. Like cabbages, same family, they also need to be well fed and benefit from a dusting of lime in their early stages. If you started them at the right time then my guess is that they needed more feeding. Pity that you've lost this crop as swedes are such a good winter standby. They do grow to a good size and should be grown at least 15 in apart despite what the books say.

John

Dear Westi, i agree with Johns words of wisdom.
And also, if a Swede hasn't started to swell by September they normally don't come to much.

Thanks Guys

More feed then - oh well at least another bed cleared
but I do love swede and pepper mash - not to worry
at least they are cheap in the shops.

Westi

Hi Westi,
Although Swedes grow on the surface the site should be manured and dug-in for a successful crop. I do not grow mine quite as wide spaced as John, which I do not argue with, I go for 12" but the books I believe say considerably smaller gaps. As John says they are a very good standby but I actually eat then quite a lot during the winter months.
Some time back I did an experiment and sowed them as farmers do for Sheep feed during the winter months. I prepared the ground and scattered the seed broadcast fashion then simply raked into lines and I actually got a great many Swedes but only about tennis ball size. I would think that less than 50% actually produce anything edible. I harvested what was edible and dug the rest in as soil improver. I went back to the conventional method the following year.
JB.