No idea what I am doing wrong.
For the last 3 years we have produced a swede that is long and thin rather than round. They sit on top of the ground and have a lot of leaf growth. Is it that the soil is too fertile or am I not watering enough?
Swedes are part of the brassica family so they to are prone to clubroot, they like a good rich soil plenty of manure. Grow in pots or in toilet paper tubes as swedes hate to have any root disturbance. week before you plant give a dusrting of growmore, or fish blood, and bone about 50 grams per meter. I use my hand to make a hole in the ground hhalf a hand full of lime in the hole put the plant in firm down water and then a bit more lime around all the plants, and a few slug pellets. Keep weed free and water well in the dry spell This works for me I live in wales your may have differant conditions ;D ;D
I would like to grow any shaped swede that wasn't woody and ready around October, rather than August ::)
Will give Rugbypost's suggestion a try in Isleworth :D
I also live in S wales and I have a big club root prblem. To grow swedes on infected ground grow Marion never fails with me I have grown this variety now for 11yrs
i grow marion aswell with exellent results.start them of in trays like all brassicas, then into 3inch pots.when big enough dig hole and plant them.good luck
would like to grow any shaped swede that wasn't woody and ready around October, rather than August
Hmm...I wonder if you start your swedes too early..if you want them for late season and for winter you need to sow around end of May-June.
Is it that the soil is too fertile or am I not watering enough?
It could well be both actually..if you give them too much Nitrogen you will encourage green growth. The edible bit itself is actually part of root so you would need to give something like like bone meal.
I usually give mine just BFB meal and there is enough nutrients to make balanced growth.
Also more you have lush top growth...more water you plants will need to keep the greenery alive..all you swedes really want to do is grow the tops to produce flowers and seeds..it is not their interest to grow huge bulbous root swelling that we like. So I would suggest : be easy with fertilizer and after new plants have established, only water when soil start to dry out..but when you do water, do it thoroughly ;)
Are all varieties the same shape? I'm a total garden swede novice, I grew Invitation last year and they were out of the ground but spherical, with no extra feeding or watering. I grew far too many since they ended up enormous, but unfortunately the early winter put paid to them. Years ago I grew farmers swede for livestock feeding, they were long and thin as I remember, so it might be worth trying a different variety.