Can anyone tell me what I did wrong with my swede plants which I should have been able to harvest over the winter (I am in the U.K. by the way). I planted them in the same ground as my potatoes which is slightly stoney but not too bad. They look healthy above ground but when I went to pull a few recently they have all been more like small white carrots. They are totally the wrong shape and when I cut into them they are like wood, totally inedible. I would like to know how I should have prepared the soil and what kind of soil would have been better. Other than keeping the plot weed free, what else should I have done? I have plots which are not used and could be tidied up and dug over if necessary. I just tried to make life easier for myself as this plot was nearest to the house and flat. I'm not too steady on my feel and the remainder of my garden is on a slope but I think that the soil is better elsewhere so I'm prepared to have another go, with caution. Any suggestions??? Emma
Emma i'm a little confused, because i don't know what a swede is. other than my self an the country next to me, i didn't know there was a vegtable called a swede. but if you have them planted (what ever it is) next to potatoes that might not be a good idea. potatoes rob the ground of everything. maybe move them to another spot. animal fertilizer, compost and garden teas would be a good idea,,, I'm sure there is someone here who can help you better and who are waaayyyy more knowledgable than i am. Don't worry help is on the way.
From Wikipedia: The swede, or (yellow) turnip (Brassica napobrassica, or Brassica napus var. napobrassica) is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip. Its leaves can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable. I recommend you all read the whole page, I never knew how much there is to know about this vegetable!
ohhh my goodness now i know what it is,,,rutabega,,, droopy its the kålrot here in norway. geeez,,,lol. but know that from reading... ohhhh kay i grow that. i don't have mine by the potatoes at all. i used cow manure to ready the field, the field is kind of sandy (i live on an island) and there is little rocks all thru, but it didn't matter, then i used a seaweed tea about once a week or so when i watered... thats it. i had lots of them. i store mine in sand like you would for beets. and it keeps it cool and dry. I planted the seeds right out in the field, thinned them out an let them do their thing,, i got rutabega all the way up until about the middle of dec.
Thanks for the info. I wonder if I made another mistake (besides planting them next to potatoes). I put the seeds in a container first then transplanted them and, this morning, I have just read that they are best put straight in the ground. Well, I now know not to make that mistake but can anyone tell me if I can plant them, this year, in the ground where I had last years potatoes or is it too soon to do that. I know I should not put potatoes in the same ground 2 years running but I'm not sure what can go in there this year. I'd appreciate any advice offered as I am such a novice at this. Thanks. Emma.
Emma this is my method but i'm sure there are far better ways for this. but it works for me. we plant our potatoes for 7 yrs in the same spot. but, a big but ofcourse, you need to keep the ground alive an fertalized. every yr you have to add manure of somekind, compost, and sray with organic teas. like i said i use seaweed, if you live on the coast of the sea then its very available to you. i just take the seaweed from the sea or what has washed up,, let it set in a huge barrel, with water, cover. let the sun heat it slowly an then i use the next day. i do this once a week. the potatoes love it. after 7 yrs or less, i keep doing the same thing as if there was potatoes in the ground. the farmers here will tell you to "plant" banana skins into your soil, anytime, whether there is something growing or not. i do this for 2-3 years until the ground is ready to go again,, the rutabega, i have only ever done the seeds outside, again comming from the old farmers tips. try it,, putting the seedlings out, but maybe let them sit in their containers to "weather" alittle first. then plant. the healthy ones will survive an the weak ones will naturally die,, but take those an just put them in the soil for added food.
I'm sorry to hear about your probs with swedes. I can only offer these ideas: There are thre types of swedes, Purple-leafed tops, green leafed tops and bronze-coloured leaf tops. They are prone to getting "clubroot" which can deform and toughen the root and eventually kill the plant. I do not know if this was your problem, but a precaution is to be sure that the soil where you are going to plant them is not too acidic. Look here to see how to prepare the place that you will plant them if you indeed suffer from ground infected with club root. http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoorn ... age31.html SOIL PREP--Use a sprinkling of calcuim mixed-through in the soil where you are going to plant them. You can also use well-rotted manure or some bone meal to the site where you want to plant them a month or so before actually planting. Swedes do not like to have "wet feet", so be sure that the soil has been worked and drains well. SOWING--Sow thinly in a row ¾ inch deep (3cm) Thin the seedlings out to 10 inches (25cm) apart to give them room. Keep them well watered especially while the root is so small. Keep the weeds cleared away from the plantlets. * Generally if you are planting root-crops", you do not want to sow them in containers, then transplant them later because it has an adverse effect on root development. HARVEST--Wait until after the first frost at least. The freezing gives them a better taste...just like parsnips. They can be left or lifted and stored in a clamp or a cellar. The sweed is not in the solanum family, so I don't think it woud be a problem to plant them where potatoes had been the preceeding year. Good luck this coming year.
Thank you very much for your replies. It appears that I havn't been doing things correctly but I certainly learn from the help I am given here. I shall have another go and take all the advice offered. Emma
One thing I forgot to mention, Emma is that if you want to get all scientific, you can get a soil pH testing kit for very few pounds there in GB. Testing the soil's pH in the general area that you plan to plant may not be a bad idea for swede and brassicas. I do this myself every couple of years. The tests seem rudimentary, but they do give you a good idea. cheers
