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Organic Gardening:

How to grow organic Swede

by Frann Leach

Swede is delicious served mashed, with butter and a little black pepper

Swede (Swedish turnip, Rutabaga)

Brassica napus Napobrassica group

Family: Cruciferae (Group 2)

Swede is also known as Swedish turnip and Rutabaga. Swedes are one of the hardiest root crops, and often succeed where turnips fail. The flesh is normally yellow, sometimes white, and tastes quite different from turnip, absolutely delicious cooked and mashed with black pepper. Purple Top cultivars are considered the best for home use.

Recommended cultivars

Marian, Ruby, Acme.

Site/soil

Swedes need an open site, and do best on light, fertile soils which are neither too wet nor too dry. The soil should have been manured for the previous crop and limed if acid. As they are a member of the brassica group which is prone to clubroot, it is important that they are not grown on a site which has been used for other members of the genus for at least the previous 2 years.

Cultivation

Swedes take 20-26 weeks to mature. Station sow 2cm (¾") deep in early May in the North, late May or early June in the South, spacing them 23cm by 37cm (9"x15"). Keep weed free and water in dry weather at 2 gallons per sq yard per week. Cover to protect against flea beetle.

Harvest

Swedes will be ready for harvest from October, depending on variety, and can be stored in the ground until December, or in clamps or boxes under cover.

Note on clubroot

Soil may remain infected for 20 years; steps to avoid introduction include:

good drainage
rotation
liming acid soils to a pH around 7
working in high levels of organic matter
ensuring clean plants are used - source must be known to be free of disease (best grown at home in sterile medium)
boots and tools used on infected land must be thoroughly cleaned before use on clean land

Once infected avoid growing any brassicas except fast maturing types such as Texsel greens or cut and come again oriental seedlings. If you have no other land available, and you must grow types with a lengthy growing season, you can try sowing seed in modules, and potting up until the plants reach a height of 10cm (4") before planting out. A root drench may also help.

If you're interested in healthy food, you may also be interested in our sister site, The Health Site, Your Online Health Channel.

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