Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: chippy queen on November 16, 2009, 08:29:07

Title: Bitter swede
Post by: chippy queen on November 16, 2009, 08:29:07
Hi all. Just picked and cooked my first swede of the year and it was really bitter.  ANy ideas why??? and will they allbe like that? Have I done something wrong r was this a one off.  Any help greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Bitter swede
Post by: chriscross1966 on November 16, 2009, 13:28:51
Too dry when it was bulking up?....swedes like water and it didn't rain in September (at least around here anyway)

chrisc
Title: Re: Bitter swede
Post by: cornykev on November 16, 2009, 15:47:49
Mine were bitter last year, so I left them until there was a frost and they got a bit better every few weeks I left them, but they still wasn't as nice as expected, this year they've not grown very big at all.  :'(      ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Bitter swede
Post by: Borlotti on November 16, 2009, 15:52:17
Not too keen on Swede, give me a turnip any day.
Title: Re: Bitter swede
Post by: plot51A on November 16, 2009, 16:52:13
In my (somewhat limited!) experience of growing swedes I have always found that they taste stronger than shop bought. I put that down to excellent cultivation  ;D
I've grown the variety "Marian". Don't know if I would call it bitter- but usually cook them with carrots and mash them together, and I suppose the sweetness of the carrots offsets bitterness in the swedes.
Title: Re: Bitter swede
Post by: elvis2003 on November 17, 2009, 12:15:28
isnt that a song by the verve..bitter swede symphony?