The difference between swedes & turnips is evident when you see the two side by side. The turnip is smaller, smoother & rounder than the swede. Swedes have a whiter flesh than swedes.
turnip2
swede
Swedes came from Sweden and were known as the Swedish turnip- & this name was shortened to Swede. Swedes are frost proof, but turnips are not – so swedes can stay in the garden all winter & turnips must be harvested before the cold weather.
Swede – Latin name Brassica napus napobrassica
- swedes are bigger than turnips
- yellow/orange flesh
- roughish, coarser skin
- larger than turnips – more like an elongated coconut in size, or an adult shoe!
- crop over a very long time
- can be left in the soil throughout the winter
- withstand heavy frosts when in the ground
- sweet, mild taste
- originated from Sweden
- have a collar
- related to turnips
Turnip – Latin name Brassica rapa
- turnips are a fast growing crop, ready five to eight weeks from sowing to harvesting
- smaller than swedes – usually golf ball size or a little larger
- white flesh
- smooth, silky skin
- round shape
- require a higher level of fertility than swedes because grow faster
- crop earlier than swedes
- cannot stand hard frosts so must be lifted from ground in autumn
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Swedes are a hardy, cool-season vegetable which are difficult to grow in the garden. They are prone to mildew which is not so prevalent in an airy, windy site. Mildew resistant varieties, such as Magres, are easier to grow in the kitchen garden.
Growing conditions preferred by swedes:
- Soil – light, well drained, fertile soil with low nitrogen levels
- Site – open and windy
Sow
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swede - virtue
Sow seeds April – June
- directly into the ground where they will stay
- rake soil to a fine tilth
- choose mildew resistant varieties
- sow thinly
- 1cm (1/2in) deep
- in drills 30cm (12in) apart
- water regularly, especially in dry periods
-
growing-Magres-swede
- thin seedlings when they are large enough to handle, so plants are 10-15cm (4-6in) apart
Magres-swede-plot
- hoe to keep weeds down, but take care not to damage roots
- check for pests – swedes are brassicas & they are eaten be cabbage white caterpillars
damaged-swede
- harvest from early autumn. They are winter hardy so can stay in ground throughout winter
- store like potatoes in cool,dry place, in a soil-pie, or a box of damp sand
- follow these tips and you will grow a swede like this!
swede
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Small White butterfly (Latin name – Pieris rapae) have attacked the young swede plants. The Small White caterpillars have eaten the young leaves and left the growing swedes looking ragged.
damaged-swede
There are two types of cabbage white:
* the Large White butterfly – Pieris brassicae
* the Small White butterfly – Pieris rapae.
We were so busy watching out for the Large White on the sprouts that we did not notice the Small White butterfly attack the Swedes!
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