Stored Swede Starting to Sprout

[Ananke]

I've got my swede stored in a cardboard box in a cold bedroom and it's starting to sprout new foliage which is affecting the inside of the root.

I thought they would have been fine in the cold and dark but maybe it isn't cold enough? Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Bigmallly]

I don't know if I am doing the right thing but mine is still in the ground, I just lift one as I need it. A couple have split but don't know what has caused it. Still edible though.

[WendyC]

I leave in the ground too.

[arronb]

A plot holder on our allotment uses a mound (a clamp??) to store all his root veg in and it lasts over winter quite well. Layers of straw and soil etc.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Swedes are not just frost hardy, they are sweeter after they have been frosted. Swedes were introduced to the UK as cattle fodder because of their ability to withstand frost and because they have a high percentage moisture content there was no need to water the cattle separately from feed.

Although farmers would take swedes into store covered by straw to keep the weather off, that was more because of the difficulty of extracting them from frozen ground. Bit like trying to extract them from concrete otherwise.

So bottom line is lift only for immediate purposes and if you must, lift a few for accessibility but keep them in cold conditions.

[rustylady]

As the others said, they are best left in the ground. However, the ones you have stored can be peeled, cubed and frozen.

[binley100]

Mine are nowt but homes for slugs ..........hollowed out and occupied . They'll be consigned to the compost heap as soon as I get chance.

[Ananke]

I left mine in the ground last year and they were a disaster so I thought i'd try lifting them this year. Think i'll have to freeze them as suggested and go back to the drawing board. I had a great crop too.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I appreciate it

[Alison]

I always leave mine in the ground too, they keep much better that way and don't need any protection. They're easier to pull than parsnips too if the weather is very cold and the ground frozen at this time of year