Turnips and swedes are versatile roots that may be mashed, roasted, added to stews, and even made into gnocchi. The colourful inexperienced leaves of turnips are additionally edible, and a few gardeners sow a row or two particularly for his or her tasty tops! Right here, skilled allotment grower Lee Senior shares his sensible recommendation on rising these conventional greens.

Browse our full vary of turnip and swede seeds for inspiration.

What are one of the best sorts of turnips and swedes?

My ‘go-to’ turnip selection is ‘Purple High Milan’. Extremely-reliable, I believe it’s additionally essentially the most visually engaging turnip resulting from its purple crown. It has a scrumptious flavour and the seeds might be sown over an extended interval – from late March to early August.

One other favorite of mine is the all-white Turnip ‘Snowball’. It may be sown fairly early within the 12 months and has a barely milder, sweeter style than some turnips. It’s very best for harvesting whereas nonetheless younger, when it may be eaten uncooked in salads.

For one thing just a little completely different, F1 Turnip ‘Sweetbell’ matches the invoice! This juicy, fresh-tasting selection has a delicate flavour that hints at melon. Fairly not like conventional choices, it’s an excellent various for anybody who doesn’t essentially need a robust turnip. One other profit is that the leaves are easy, making them glorious for salads.

For me, one of the best swede is the long-established RHS AGM winner, Swede ‘Ruby’. The creamy yellow flesh has a remarkably candy flavour, and it’s tolerant of winter chilly, so might be saved within the floor over winter and harvested as late as the top of February! This selection additionally has some resistance to powdery mildew.

Swede ‘Invitation’ is one other dependable, time-served selection that’s helpfully proof against clubroot and powdery mildew. It has good flavour and shops properly over winter. A simple selection to develop, this can be a good selection for novices.

How and when to sow turnips

There are a number of other ways to sow turnips, relying on the time of 12 months. Early sowings might be made beneath glass throughout late winter or early spring in a heated propagator, chilly greenhouse or on the windowsill.

Sow the seed thinly in trays of seed compost, 1.5cm deep, and flippantly cowl. The seeds will germinate in about 5-7 days and might be transplanted when the true leaves seem. Harden-off and plant out in April, avoiding an excessive amount of root disturbance.

Turnips will also be sown in clusters beneath glass. Utilizing modular trays, group a number of seeds collectively in every small block or sq.. Once they emerge, the clump of seedlings can then be planted out as one sq. block with out disturbance. The ensuing turnips develop to a smaller measurement, and are harvested as such. The sweeter flavour is scrumptious in salads.

Turnips are additionally very best for container sowing and rising. Early varieties might be started-off in the beginning of March beneath a cloche in a sunny location. They are going to develop rapidly as soon as they get moving into spring because the climate warms up.

The best approach to sow turnips is immediately exterior the place they’re to develop on to maturity. Wait till the soil is sufficiently heat (between mid-April and mid-August) after which sow your seeds into pre-watered drills at a depth of simply over 1cm. Calmly cowl with soil and gently agency. Go away 15-20cm between every plant and 30cm between rows and put together the soil to a advantageous tilth upfront. This technique avoids root disturbance and the necessity to harden-off seedlings grown beneath glass.

Turnips develop and mature fairly rapidly (in round three months) relying upon climate and floor circumstances. To make sure an everyday provide, sow successionally each 2-3 weeks. This can present turnips from June by way of to December.

How and when to sow swedes

Swedes are associated to turnips and have comparable wants, however they’re just a little extra exacting with their necessities. A lot slower rising, they require an extended rising season and are much less suited to early spring sowings than turnips.

Swedes might be sown beneath glass from late-March after which transplanted after hardening off – supplying you with a late summer time crop. Nevertheless it’s extra typical to sow the seed in Could for a winter harvest.

Essentially the most easy approach to develop swede is by direct sowing the seeds right into a pre-watered drill. Sow the seeds at a shallow depth of simply over 1cm, flippantly cowl with advantageous soil, and gently agency. House the rows 45-50cms aside. This technique avoids the necessity for hardening-off seedlings grown beneath glass. Swede is a slow-growing plant, taking round 4-5 months to mature, relying in your most popular measurement. I prefer to make my foremost sowing in early Could for harvesting as a winter crop.

I’m not a fan of rising swedes in containers. They’re quite sluggish to mature, and are unlikely to succeed in an honest measurement. In contrast to turnips, cluster-sowing doesn’t work both. The excellent news is, you’ll be able to develop them in raised beds.

How one can look after turnips and swedes

Turnips and swedes are each usually fairly straightforward to develop. Nevertheless it’s value remembering that they’re a part of the brassica household and, as such, are vulnerable to the identical pests and ailments. These embrace clubroot, cabbage root fly, flea beetles and the caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly. Swedes will also be vulnerable to powdery mildew. Whereas that feels like an extended checklist – please don’t let it put you off! They’re under no circumstances troublesome, and each greens are fairly resilient.

Each single 12 months that I’ve grown turnips and swedes, flea beetles have attacked the younger outside seedlings and vegetation. Tiny holes within the leaves are the tell-tale indicators of assault. The excellent news is, wholesome vegetation aren’t normally too badly affected over the long term, and may usually recuperate to provide an excellent crop.

Caterpillar assaults are rather less probably on root crops than on bigger greens such cabbages, broccoli and sprouts, however they will occur. Cowl with anti-butterfly netting or use nematodes to stop an assault. You can too use the finger and thumb technique to manage the eggs that are normally extremely seen.

On the subject of clubroot, strive to decide on resistant varieties like Swede ‘Invitation’ or develop the vegetation in raised beds of compost. Turnips are fast to mature so, in my expertise, clubroot is kind of uncommon.

The important thing factor to get proper is watering. Each turnips and swedes require loads of moisture throughout dry spells. Swede roots can cut up and are liable to changing into just a little extra woody in the event that they’re subjected to extended dry spells. Swedes are additionally extra prone to succumb to powdery mildew in the event that they’re confused resulting from drought. It’s greatest to attempt to hold each turnip and swede vegetation moist the place attainable, as the standard of the mature roots is set by this. Carry on prime of any weeds in order that they don’t take moisture from the vegetation.

Each turnips and swedes develop greatest in soil containing some properly rotted natural matter or leafmould. This can assist slowly feed the vegetation and help with moisture retention. Additionally they take pleasure in a soil containing some lime content material, and a PH of between 6.5 and seven.

How and when to reap turnips and swedes

Harvest turnips after they’re in regards to the measurement of a golf ball, or just a little smaller if required for salads. The smaller they’re when pulled, the sweeter they are going to be. For those who plan to prepare dinner them, they are often allowed to get just a little bigger. Inevitably, bigger roots will turn into woody and extra bitter in flavour in the event that they’re left too lengthy earlier than pulling.

Swedes are usually harvested at a a lot bigger measurement than turnips, someplace between the dimensions of a tennis ball and a soccer. Some varieties can go just a little woody with age.

Twisting the tops off the vegetation when harvesting is helpful, as this helps the roots retailer just a little longer. Nevertheless if you happen to’re utilizing them inside a couple of days, reducing the tops off is equally advantageous.

In well-drained veg patches or raised beds, each turnips and swedes might be left within the floor till wanted if the climate is gentle and slugs aren’t an issue. Swedes are hardier than turnips and might be relied upon as a winter staple in lots of circumstances. I’ve seen them survive frozen floor with none harm, so I favor to depart them open air in situ till I require them. However if you happen to backyard in heavy clay, harvest your roots and retailer them in containers of soil or sand to be used over winter. Alternatively, each swede and turnips will also be saved in a cool, darkish room after harvesting. They need to stay usable for a number of weeks on this situation.

We hope we’ve impressed you to strive rising your individual turnips and swedes. Discover extra of Lee’s sensible, hands-on, vegetable rising recommendation over at his month-to-month allotment pages. You can too comply with Lee on his Instagram web page: @lee_senior_gardening. 

Lead Picture: Swede ‘Gowrie’ from Suttons