Swede Seeds (Gowrie)

An easy to grow variety of swede, it has purple skin with yellow flesh and an excellent sweet taste. It is winter hardy and a good reliable cropper. Resistance to powdery mildew.

Visit the GIY Veg directory for more growing details and tips.

Swedes and turnips will grow in most reasonably fertile soil, but best results will be obtained from soil that has had compost and general fertiliser added a week or two before.

Swedes can be sown direct or in modules for later transplanting. For a continuous crop sow every few weeks from March until July, sow in modular trays, one seed per module and plant out 4 weeks later.

If sowing direct, sow in late May or June, very thinly 1- 2cm deep in rows 40cm apart.

If you have sown direct, thin plants to 25cm apart when they begin to grow.

If sown in modules, transplant in June, spacing plants 25cm apart in rows of 40cm.

Keep plants free of weeds and water regularly during dry weather.

Swedes take up to five months to mature (turnips take just 6-8 weeks).

Harvest when 10-15cm diameter, by simply pulling the root from the ground by the stem.

Swedes mature in the autumn – they can be left in the ground for the early part of the winter, but storage after December is better in a shed.

Turnips will not store as well as swedes, hence why it’s not a good idea to sow too many of them.

Harvest by simply pulling the root from the ground by the stem.