Swedes

[Mrs Ava]

Another swede question I'm afraid.  What scruffy little plants they currently are, and they seem to be growing almost above ground!  Instead of the leaves being at soil level, they are above the soil on a rather pathetic stem!  Should I just give up and pull them out?  Or is this normal?  Should I just keep squishing the greenfly or tip them on the compost heap?  help!

[Mrs Ava]

[David R]

emma,

swedes are rubbish, all mine got eaten by flea beatles, them a 2nd sowing got eaten by slugs. cant be bothered

[aquilegia]

some of my beetroot are like that too. I don't reckon it's good.

[weedgrower]

emma, mine are just the same, very scruffy looking plants but i presume they are ok because the man next to me has his plants the same and he's been plotting for 40 years so stick with them
                                                                  weedgrower

[sandersj89]

Emma

Swedes do indeed grow above ground, or rather mainly above ground. The root starts to swell in late summer ready for harvest after frost. Being hardy they will sit in the ground well into winter.

We used to grow acres of them at home on the farm, as they love light sandy soils. I have tried growing them once on my heavy soil and they were horrible to eat so now I don't bother.

In fact it is one veg I wont grow as I cant grow anything as good as a variety called Devon Champion when it is grown on red sandstone soil. We buy a couple of nets for £2.50 and that sees us through the winter.

Jerry

[RSJK]

Emma your swedes are perfectly normal growing like that, beetroot sometimes looks the same as well, like Jerry being an ex market gardener you can take are word for it that they will be ok.
                                                   ;) ;)

[Mrs Ava]

Oh, okay then, I shall ignore their tattiness, try to get rid of the greenfly  >:( and look forward to thick stews in the winter!  ;D  Thanks for the advice everyone.  (David R....I will persevere, as they are growing....but this is their last year - total failure last year and I at least like to try things a couple of times before I throw the towel in....like broadbeans....  :'()

[Mothy]

Hey EJ....mine look just like you have described yours!! And I'm on me 3rd lot.....1st never germinated,.....2nd were eaten alive by flea beetle....3rd got Derris!!  ;D

[john_miller]

As has been mentioned, EJ, your swedes are fine. However the reason that they look like this is because swedes are not, as has been mentioned, a swollen root. They are a swollen stem and the hypercotyl/stem, which is letting the plant flop about, is the part which will swell. Stems, as you are well aware, grow above ground. This is also why swedes are amenable to plug/module growing.

[Swede Pea]

well I must be one of the few success stories - after growing them from seed last year (100% success rate!) I must have been doing something right for first time plot holder!  The best way to grow (for me anyway) is in seed trays in individual wells, then plant out when leaves are about 5cm or so when they are strong enough to cope with being moved.  Protect with netting - we didn't do this last year and got loads of green caterpillars over them munching the leaves which slowed growth - I think these were cabbage white butterfly larvae.  This year they are growing even better than last and no sign of munched leaves.  They were the first plant ever that I had grown from seed so now they hold a special place in my heart.......oh how swede - sorry couldn't resist ! :D

[Doris_Pinks]

Eekkk
my swedes are looking great, but only half an hour ago I ummmed and arrred about taking off their fleece because they were getting so big, wish I had read this first!
I suppose I shall be prepared to see the leaves shot to bits by flea beetle when I go back up the plot! :-\   

[Swede Pea]

I wouldn't worry as once they are past getting their big leaves, all the work is being done at the bottom of the stem so if they do get nibbled a bit it won't drastically affect the crop - it may just slow it down a bit.  It's mainly when they are little babies until their late teens they need mollycoddling!  However keep an eye out for pesky pests and rotate to a different place next year. last year we left a few in the ground too long and they ended up being nibbled by wierd things and even the ants took a fancy to them so I'm going to make sure we eat them as and when they are ready this year.