Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello all,

I have once again tried but failed to grow swede that really look like swede.

Well, they look like swede in that they have tops and the colour is right but they are so thin, in fact I have pulled carrots that are fatter.

How do I grow those beauties, full and rounded and of course not woody but flavoursome and melt in the mouth texture....

The land is a light sandy soil but full of organic matter. I know that this year I can do nothing but next year I would love to get it right. I have tried many different varieties, can't remember any names though.

Please, if anyone has any great secrets then let me know. I have grown some great cauliflowers very close by which I have been most proud of as I was told that light soil didn't produce good heads. Am I doomed to be swedeless forever

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thanks

the pumpkin cuddler

It does not matter what our specific fate is as long as we face it with ultimate abandon.

Interesting one this! I too am a great lover of swede but mine are not up to much either. I have a few which might make something, but thats all.

The annoying thing is that farmers fields are full of succulent swedes which have had very litle attention!

I am going to try and sow mine a bit earlier next year, working on the assumption they need a long growing season.

Talk about co-incidences - have just been working next to a field of swedes - farmer said to help ourselves - so I came home with 12 - each the size of a football -should keep me going for a while !

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

Could it be the variety of swede that you are both growing? Never had any trouble growing them. Just sowed the seed direct into the ground. I believe the variety is Marian.

I also have swede trouble. Not that they aren't edible and tasty but they are all long, about as thick as a large carrot and most defiantly not round!
Not swede like at all.

Who'd have thought that carrots weren't originally orange in colour! Dunno 'bout swedes though. Am looking in the organic gardening catalogue. On the same page as the swedes, are turnips - there is one turnip that isn't ball-shaped (even squashed ball shaped) and looks like a carrot (albeit except for the colour)!. Maybe swedes were more long and cylindrical rather than globe.

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I have just read one of my many books and it says ' The roots are generally round but sometimes misshapen or long probably because of seed quality.'

I still think I haven't given my Swede a long enough growing cycle?. I set Swede, Purple Top Milan and Snowball turnips in early June. The latter two are fast maturing and have done really well,(all gone now, but delicious!) but I think Swede needs more room and takes longer to mature

I have also sown Golden Ball turnips which I am eating now, trouble is they are green on top half and white on bottom?,still very tasty though!
I also have a later sowing of an American purple top turnip which makes big roots similar in size to Swede for lifting thrrough winter.

I will try Marian swede next year because they are reputed to be club root resistant, although there is no sign of clubroot in the ones I have!

my swedes didnt do well either, pulled up 2 last night and they are small and pathetic.

Will also try Marian next year.

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Maybe just the unusual weather this year? None of my root veg have been up to much.

Has anyone had problems with their onions? I've planted two different lots at different times and well, basically, are coming out the same size as they went in!! Has anyone got any good advice re: onion growing - it is my first year so not sure what I'm doing wrong. Many thanks! DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

my onions didn't grow much either this year DDl, were about as big as a tangerine i put it down to the hose pipe ban, unless anyone has other ideas ?