swede and turnips

[avinabacca]

They are different beasts (they taste totally different too).

Brassica napus var. napobrassica is the Swede/Swedish Turnip/Rutabaga and originated as a cross between a cabbage and a turnip.
"rutabaga" is Swedish for "root ram" I think.

Brassica rapa var. rapa is a turnip

Scots call both vegetables "neeps"

* Cultivated varieties of Brassica rapa include:
Chinese cabbage: Bok choi (chinensis group) and Napa cabbage (pekinensis group)
Mizuna (nipposinica group)
Aburana (nippo-oleifera group)
Flowering cabbage (parachinensis group)
Turnip (rapa group)

Bang on, Two Sheds. Two entirely different vegetables, regardless of what they might be called regionally. Definitely one of those "a rose by any other name..." situations.

Both taste cracking-good done well, mind.

(and talking of regional variations, food-wise, all you Scots who've been knocking Southerners' ways with the turnip and swede would do well to read Dr Johnson's thoughts on the oat..... )

EDIT: atrocious spelling in the original

[teakdesk]

I knew this thread was going to start an argument

I like this table in Wikepedia explaining the local names for the two varieties...

Note that...

Brassica napus var. napobrassica to a Northerner is turnip but to a Southerner is a swede

Brassica rapa var. rapa to a Northerner is swede but to a Southerner is a turnip!!





Since "Swede" is just a slang term for the correct term "Swedish Turnip" then Southerners are obviously wrong!!!!

[Dottie]

I'm from Yorkshire originally and now live in the south, but wherever I've lived they have always been called swedes if orange coloured and turnips if white.

I'm giving both a try again this year, but I was not impressed with the turnips last year. Didn't feel they had much taste, so only felt they were could be used to bulk out stews and stuff. But as there are so many other tasty veg to grow, if I don't find them any tastier this year then that's it for growing turnips.

Swedes I love, very tasty.

[teakdesk]

Just to add a picture to the thread....


A Swedish Turnip....





A White Turnip...

[TEB]

Since "Swede" is just a slang term for the correct term "Swedish Turnip" then Southerners are obviously wrong!!!!

Dae talk mince

[Alison]

Just to add a picture to the thread....


A Swedish Turnip....





A White Turnip...

They're most definitely different things. Am currently (well not at this moment but will be later) eating turnips from the plot and they look like the bottom piccie. I also have swede in which won't be ready for ages and will be very nice cooked with carrots over the winter. These will look more like the top piccie.

[Snadger]

............................. and so I have read upt North both are sometimes called Snaggers

Errrrrrrrrrm...............Snadgers if you don't mind!!!!!!!!!

[Florence Fennel]

Weren't turnips used for the heads of scarecrows? Hence the derogatory remark "turnip head" when referring to not much up top? Swede head just doesn't have the same ring to it. Just thought I'd distract you as this could get to handbags at 20 paces. BTW, no insult intended Snadge.

[tracy]

has anyone got any ideas to help me out i really need it pleaaaaaase

[Alison]

Tracy, what are you asking for, most of us here know quite well that they are a different veg although there sounds like there are a few regional confusions re the names. These are swedes - Seeds, Herbs and Bedidng Plants from Kings Seeds� and these are turnips - Seeds, Herbs and Bedidng Plants from Kings Seeds�, I'm a bit confused as to what else you are wanting from people?

[teakdesk]

Sorry Tracy, enjoying exercising my hobby-horse too much!!!

as you can see my location is the canary islands . i have decided to grow swede,turnips and parsnips for the ex pats for xmas as these are not readily available here now here goes

1>i think i can grow them in the same bed as they are all root crops ?am i right

Yes


2>you say swede are large? how large is large

About 5 inches across


3>turnips small and very expensive how small is small ie maybe 2 to 3 inches across ?

From ping-pong ball to tennis ball depending on variety and when you harvest


4>in the uk i take it organic veg is more expensive.

Generally




Also, Swedish turnip takes 5 to 6 months to grow whereas White turnip is more like a large radish and grows in under 2 months.

Swedish turnip is frost hardy but White turnip is not.


.

[Alison]

Ah, was reading the wrong post!

They are both brasicas, swedes can grow to about 6" but can be harvested half that size and will keep well over winter. I picked about half a dozen turnips at the weekend, all about 2 to 3" across, think they were sown at the end of May.

Organic veg defo costs more to buy but part of that is shops thinking they can rip people off.

[tracy]

great thanks for that my only other question now is that with swede taking 20 to 24 weeks to crop imeans i need to sow them in the next week or so
1. will they germinate in heat
2. will they tolerate day time tempreatures of 30 plus
cheers again tracy

[TEB]

Errrrrrrrrrm...............Snadgers if you don't mind!!!!!!!!!

Lol you will need to get on to wikopedia as they are quoting:

In North-East England, turnips and swedes are colloquially called "snaggers".
Rutabaga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Scottishnewbie]

Was going to add my tuppenceworth seeing I am a Scottish lass, but decided the confusion would just be too much! Having said that, I THOUGHT I was planting what I know as turnip but it's turned out to be some white fleshed variety that we in Scotland call swede! And no, we don't call them both the same!! It's as confusing for us as it is for everyone else I fear......and to top it all off, I dont have any turnip (neeps) for winter now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!