Cart is empty
How to Grow Swedes
Index
- Sowing Instructions
- Crop Maintenance
- How to Harvest
- Storage
- Pests & Diseases
Sowing Instructions
- Sowing Time: You can sow from mid March until mid July
- Avoid sowing too early, ensure worst frost has passed
- Sowing Location: Best to sow your swede seeds directly outdoors
- Dig rows 1cm deep
- Spread seeds very thinly along the row & cover with soil
- Keep rows 30cm apart
- Thin seedlings to 25cm apart once seedlings are large enough to handle
- Remember to water in dry weather, keep moist
Crop Maintenance
- Swedes are hardier than turnips & can over winter well
- Swedes take longer to mature than turnips
- A sunny site with good drainage is ideal
- Deep, fertile soil with plenty of farmyard manure is required
- Soil ph of between 5.5 and 7.5 is fine
- Spread well rotted compost or manure on the soil the previous Autumn
- A week before planting, lightly rake soil adding some growmore or fish blood and bone
- Keep the soil weed free
- Avoid allowing swedes from drying out, as drying out and rewetting can lead to roots splitting
Harvesting
- Harvest after 20-24 weeks
- Begin lifting roots when they are roughly the same size as a large orange
- Swedes can tolerate some frost
- Swedes will actually sweeten when left in frosty ground
- Recommended to wait till after frost to harvest
Storage
- Swedes will keep for 4-5 months if kept in a cold dark area, away from strong flavours or scents
Pests & Diseases
- Swedes suffer from the same ills as cabbage
- Slugs can eat foliage preventing root establishment
- There are many slug control options from dried egg shells to copper tape
- The fungus clubroot which is a common disease of brassicas can also infect swedes
- Signs of clubroot include distorted, wilting leaves and misshapen & swollen roots
- Pigeons can also eat swede foliage
