In My Seed Box for 2026 - Swede

     

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife was particularly fond off, so I haven't eaten it for some years. 

Chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also had a plot on the same allotment site, until she moved away.  She has not had much luck growing swede in the past. 

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong!

Swede Best of All - Seeds To Suit  - Approx 50 Seeds - 29p 

This traditional variety is a popular choice, producing mildly flavoured sized purple topped roots 

Sow        Mid-May to Jun

Harvest  July - December

• Sow directly in the ground from middle of May through to July
• Sow thinly 12.5mm (1/2") deep in drills 300mm (12") apart in finely tilled soil
• When seedlings are large enough to handle thi to 150mm apart, they do not transplant well 
• Keep well -watered and weed free 
• Protect from birds 

In My Seed Box For 2026 - Index

How To Grow Swedes

 

In this week by week video, A Thorny Pot shows you how to grow Swedes, from seed to harvesting.

0:00 - Intro 0:26 - Sowing 2:23 - Germination 2:50 - Transplanting 6:14 - Cabbage white butterfly 7:10 - Harvesting

I like this guys videos and have subscribed to his YouTube channel which is a channel dedicated to spreading to joy of gardening.

He acknowledges that most of us aren't experts in growing our own food, and many are just dipping their toes into this wonderful world. his channel, and its community, aims at taking the fear out of growing and won't be afraid to show its mistakes.

You can expect videos on 'What to grow this month', growing diaries showing the full lifecycle of growing a specific fruit or veg and clips and photos from the community.

He looks forward to seeing you all and hearing your stories. And requests that his post gets shared with friends and family who like to grow their own food. Thus this post.

In My Seed Box for 2025 - Swede

 

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife was particularly fond off, so I haven't eaten it for some years. 

Chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also had a plot on the same allotment site, until she moved away last year.  She has not had much luck growing swede in the past. 

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong!

Swede Best of All - Seeds To Suit  - Approx 50 Seeds - 29p 

This traditional variety is a popular choice, producing mildly flavoured sized purple topped roots 

Sow        Mid-May to Jun

Harvest  July - December

• Sow directly in the ground from middle of May through to July
• Sow thinly 12.5mm (1/2") deep in drills 300mm (12") apart in finely tilled soil
• When seedlings are large enough to handle thi to 150mm apart, they do not transplant well 
• Keep well -watered and weed free 
• Protect from birds 

In My Seed Box For 2025 - Index

In My Seed Box for 2024 - Swede

    

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife was particularly fond off, so I haven't eaten it for some years. 

Chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also had a plot on the same allotment site, until she moved away last year.  She has not had much luck growing swede in the past. 

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong!

Swede Best of All - Seeds To Suit  - Approx 50 Seeds - 29p 

This traditional variety is a popular choice, producing mildly flavoured sized purple topped roots 

Sow        Mid-May to Jun

Harvest  July - December

• Sow directly in the ground from middle of May through to July
• Sow thinly 12.5mm (1/2") deep in drills 300mm (12") apart in finely tilled soil
• When seedlings are large enough to handle thi to 150mm apart, they do not transplant well 
• Keep well -watered and weed free 
• Protect from birds 

In My Seed Box For 2024 - Index

In My Seed Box for 2022 - Swede

   

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine. I also picked up a couple of Carters Tested Seeds packs from Poundland in the sale, plus Dobies sent me a pack of Growrie to trial, so it's game on for 2023. 

Chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also had a plot on the same allotment site, until she moved away last year.  She has not had much luck growing swede in the past. 

With the additional half plot near completion, I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2023 and that I should learn how to cook it!

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong!

New For 2022 - Growrie - 43 86 01 - Dobies - 500 Seeds - £2.49 - Packed year Ending 2022 

Resistant to both clubroot and powdery mildew, Gowrie is very winter hardy due to the high dry matter. Perfect to use throughout autumn and into the new year from October to late January.

This purple-skinned variety has good, firm flesh with consistent colour and very good taste. Gowrie is a variety bred in Scotland by The James Hutton Institute and awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Sow Mid April - Mid June

Sow thinly into finely raked, warm, moist soil at a depth of 1cm in rows 45cm apart. (Germination 7-14 days). Thin seedlings to 15cm apart. Grow in well-cultivated soil; the addition of garden lime may improve crops. Keep well-watered in dry weather. Twist off tops when harvesting.

Harvest Late September - January (Year 2).

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar

Invitation - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

Sow                Mid April - Mid Jun

Harvest          Nov - Feb

Germination  6 - 10 days 

In My Seed Box For 2023 - Index

In My Seed Box for 2022 - Swede

  

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine. I also picked up a couple of Carters Tested Seeds packs from Poundland in the sale, plus Dobies sent me a pack of Growrie to trial, so it's game on for 2022. 

Chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also had a plot on the same allotment site, until she moved away this year.  She has not had much luck growing swede in the past. 

With the additional half plot near completion I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2022 and that I should learn how to cook it !

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong !

New For 2022 - Growrie - 43 86 01 - Dobies -  500 Seeds - £2.49  - Packed year Ending 2022 

Resistant to both clubroot and powdery mildew, Gowrie is very winter hardy due to the high dry matter. Perfect to use throughout autumn and into the new year from October to late January.

This purple-skinned variety has good, firm flesh with consistent colour and very good taste. Gowrie is a variety bred in Scotland by The James Hutton Institute and awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Sow Mid April - Mid June

Sow thinly into finely raked, warm, moist soil at a depth of 1cm in rows 45cm apart. (Germination 7-14 days). Thin seedlings to 15cm apart. Grow in well-cultivated soil; the addition of garden lime may improve crops. Keep well watered in dry weather. Twist off tops when harvesting.

Harvest Late September - January (Year 2).

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar

Invitation - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

Sow                Mid April - Mid Jun

Harvest          Nov - Feb

Germination  6 - 10 days 

In My Seed Box for 2022 - Index

More Thinking Re Parsnips

I'm working on my Sowing and Planting Plant and with the huge parsnips I grow this year I'm thinking more about sequential sowing and harvesting  so I have decided to look at the back of each pack or the websites for the sow dates and harvest dates for each variety as I have  6 different varieties of parsnips and I was looking at growing 9 rows of 7 plants. 

Swede

2 rows  (14) x Best Of All            - 750 Seeds - Mag - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

1 row    ( 7) x Invitation              - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

            ((21))

Turnips

2 rows (14) x Purple Top Milan  - 1750 Seeds - Magazine Free - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

1 row   ( 7) x Snowball               -    50 Seeds - Some multipack in the past - Sow by Christ knows!

           ((21))  

Parsnips 

1 row   ( 7) x Student                  - 200 Seeds - Mag    - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021 

1 row   ( 7) x Palace F1              - 200 Seeds - £2.45 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

2 rows (14) x Tender and True   - 350 Seeds - £2.09 - Johnsons        - Sow By 2022
1 row    ( 7) x White Gem            - 300 Seeds - £1.00 - Wilko               - Sow By 2022 

2 rows (14) x New! Picador F1  - 200 Seeds - £2.10 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By Dec 2023

2 rows (14) x New! TZ 9045 F1 - 200 Seeds - £1.99 - D.T.Brown       - Sow By Dec 2022

           ((63))

           [105]

Sowing and Harvesting Dates 

Variety                     Sow                   Harvest  

New! TZ 9045 F1   Feb - Apr          Oct - Mar

New! Picador F1    Feb - May         Oct - Feb    

Tender and True     Feb - May        Sep - Mar 

Palace F1               Feb - May         Oct - Feb 

White Gem          mid Feb - April     Oct - mid Feb

Student                  Apr - May          Sep - Feb     (Heritage Variety)

Gladiator F1           Apr - May          Sep - Feb    (sow by Dec 2019 try and germinate)           

Sowing and Harvesting schedule 

Feb

Tender and True        Harvest - September

New! TZ 9045 F1      Harvest - October 

March 

New! Picador F1       Harvest - October  

Tender and True        Harvest - November  

Palace F1                  Harvest - February

April 

New! TZ 9045 F1       Harvest - December - After frost 

New! Picador F1        Harvest - December - After frost 

White Gem                 Harvest - January 

 

May 

Student                    Harvest - January 2022

Gladiator F1             Harvest - February 

Rethinking Parsnips

Following harvesting the parsnips and ending up with such whoppers I have been rethinking the bed layout and the amount of Parsnips I was intending to grow in 2021 there is no way I can handle 105 parsnips if I end up with large ones like I have this year

I have 6 different varieties of parsnips and I was looking at filling a whole 2.4m x 1.4m bed with a 105 hole 7 per row and 15 rows planting membrane with parsnips.

2 rows (14) x Student Parsnip   - 200 Seeds - Mag    - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021 

2 rows (14) x Palace F1             - 200 Seeds - £2.45 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

2 rows (14) x Tender and True   - 350 Seeds - £2.09 - Johnsons        - Sow By 2022
3 rows (21) x White Gem           - 300 Seeds - £1.00 - Wilko               - Sow By 2022 

3 rows (21) x New! Picador F1  - 200 Seeds - £2.10 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By Dec 2023

3 rows (21) x New! TZ 9045 F1 - 200 Seeds - £1.99 - D.T.Brown       - Sow By Dec 2022

           [105]

BUT now I'm thinking merge beds 12 & 19 and grow one bed that includes Swede, Turnips and Parsnips 

Swede

2 rows  (14) x Best Of All            - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

1 row    ( 7) x Invitation              - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

Turnips

2 rows (14) x Purple Top Milan  - 1750 Seeds - Magazine Free - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

1 row   ( 7) x Snowball               -    50 Seeds - Some multipack in the past - Sow by Christ knows!  

Parsnips 

1 row   ( 7) x Student Parsnip    - 200 Seeds - Mag    - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021 

1 row   ( 7) x Palace F1              - 200 Seeds - £2.45 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

2 rows (14) x Tender and True   - 350 Seeds - £2.09 - Johnsons        - Sow By 2022
1 row    ( 7) x White Gem            - 300 Seeds - £1.00 - Wilko               - Sow By 2022 

2 rows (14) x New! Picador F1  - 200 Seeds - £2.10 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By Dec 2023

2 rows (14) x New! TZ 9045 F1 - 200 Seeds - £1.99 - D.T.Brown       - Sow By Dec 2022

           [105]

Now I know how many labels to make with each plants names on them. 

In My Seed Box for 2021 - Swede

 

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine. I also picked up a couple of Carters Tested Seeds packs from Poundland in the sale. 

Due to my leg injury in 2019 and Shielding my wife during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 I didn't get around to sowing Swede, and in chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also has a plot on the same allotment site, she has not had much luck growing swede in the past, so with the additional half plot I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2021 and that I should learn how to cook it !

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong !

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar

Invitation - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

Sow                Mid April - Mid Jun

Harvest          Nov - Feb

Germination  6 - 10 days 

In My Seed Box For 2021 - Index

In My Seed Box for 2020 - Swede

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine. I also picked up a couple of Carters Tested Seeds packs from Poundland in the sale. 

Due to my leg injury in 2019 I didn't get around to sowing Swede, and in chatting with my sister-in-law Pauline who also has a plot on the same allotment site, she has not had much luck growing swede in the past, so with the additional half plot I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2020 and that I should learn how to cook it !

I have a vague recollection of my old Mum boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong !

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar

Invitation - 100 Seeds - 25p - Carters (Poundland) - Sow by 7/2021

Sow                Mid April - Mid Jun

Harvest          Nov - Feb

Germination  6 - 10 days 

In My Seed Box - Swede

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine, I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2019 as I didn't manage to grow it in 2018 and that I should learn how to cook it !

I have a vague recollection of her boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong !

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar

In My Seed Box 2018 - Swede

OK I admit when I think of swede it takes me back to my childhood as my Mum used to cook roast dinners all the time and swede was part of our staple diet, however since growing up and getting married it's not something that the wife is particularly fond off, but now as I am taking on more of the cooking duties and the fact that I have a packet "Best of All"  seed that came with the Grow Your Own magazine, I feel that space needs to be found to grow this vegetable in 2018 and that I should learn how to cook it !

I have a vague recollection of her boiling it, mashing it and adding butter, but I may be wrong !

Best of All  - 750 Seeds - FREE - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2021

Sow        May - Jun

Harvest  Oct - Mar