Growing Swede

[andy_j]

Hi, I love swede and want to try a few on the allotment next year. I have lovely, rich, manured loamy, slightly alkaline soil.

Now i've been told by someone who thinks that he's the gods gift to veg growing despite only having a years experience that it's pointless growing swedes on the allotment as they are a "field crop" and will only really grow in fields.

Any hints, tips and suggestions on how to grow them. I can sow direct or can sown under glass and prick out.

Many thanks

[Bigmallly]

I have grown Swede on lottie with no problem, just treat it like you would any other Brassica.

[Bren In Pots]

I grow Swede in my back garden and after all any bit of soil is just a field and in my case a very small field.

[rustylady]

If I were you Andy I would be starting on a right wind-up with him. Ask him to explain in depth the difference between a field and an allotment

Farmers grow lots of crops in fields that we grow on allotments - carrots, potatoes, peas, brussels sprouts to name just a few.

Seriously though, swede will grow perfectly well on an allotment.

[lottie dolly]

As others have said,the differences between the two are,the field is acre's bigger,and is sprayed with what ever,what we grow is a much smaller space,and chemical free,you hear lots of ways to do it,it is a brassica,can be started of in modules or a pinch of seed every aprx 10 in,and thin as they grow,i use the modules,you know where they are,before the slimies do,the amount you sow depends on what space you have,i find it better a couple of month earlier,

[Scarlet]

I have no problem growing swedes in my garden - I also sow individually in modules and plant out when they are large enough so that you can weed around them and they can survive a slug attack.

[Chippy Minton]

I grew Swede for the first time last year in a teeny weeny raised bed (1200mm x 600mm or 4' x 2' for those slightly older readers ) They grew fine, some big some small but all extremely tasty. I'm not sure you'd call that bed a field

[horticultural_hobbit]

Grew ruby swede in a raised bed, on the plot. Broadcast sown, by the mother. Were fine, very tasty. Ended up curried.

[Snadger]

For some reason my module sown swede always does a lot better than direct sown stuff? I have been told our plots suffer from boron defficiency making it hard to grow swedes but have invested in some rockdust to see if it improves my swede harvest.

[Alison]

Turnips and swede (and radish actually) are the only brassicas that I direct sow as I've found they're a doddle to grow so long as you net them against the bloomin' cabbage whites and remember to thin them out OK. Don't understand the comment about field grown, as others have said, isn't a plot or bed just a small field? Usually grow a few 4' long rows in one of my edged beds and have just started harvesting them in the past few weeks after sowing direct in about May as I prefer them as a winter veg.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Forgot to thin ours, Alison. Due to Ma's throwing around of seeds. She who told me to sow them them thinly, of course.


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