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~ SWEDE Seed ~

We really like swede, as a verstatile and tasty winter vegetable.

Swede, like potato, is a good way to grow a decent amount of food in a small space. Sow the seed outdoors in late spring - from early May to mid June, keep them weeded, & cover or pick off caterpillars, and you should have nice big roots in autumn. 

Many people like them because they have a mild flavour, sweet flesh, and keep well. We like them as a boiled vegetable, mashed like potato to make 'bashed neeps' and also in winter soups & stews.

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= normal sowing & harvest time = also possible depending on conditions



'Joan'

Joan is a great swede with yellow-fleshed, sweet round roots that are purple on top. We thought it was notably the best of the bunch in our 2008 trials.

This variety was bred specially for home gardeners by the Morton family. It has good club-root resistance too.

300 seed, organic £

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'Champion' Red Top

An ancient variety that is famously hardy, productive, and nutritious.

The roots are rounded and red on top. Pick young when it is tender and sweet.

Cream coloured root with red top.

300 seed, £

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plant picture

Gilfeathers' Turnip-Swede

We're quite proud of this one - even for us, this is pretty unusual: a natural cross between a turnip and a swede, found by John Gilfeather in his fields in the late 1800's.

Turnips and Swedes are closely related, but actually different species which normally do not cross at all. But very occasionally it can work, giving rise to a completely new type of vegetable - and it was just lucky that Mr Gilfeather spotted the unusual plant and decided to keep seed from it.

We were dubious when we first heard of it, but in our never-ending quest to find you exciting new things to grow, we got some seed and tried it. We were really pleased with the results - this unique vegetable tastes neither of turnip nor swede, but has some of the flavour of each. It is good both boiled or mashed, and we will definitely grow it for our own household use in the future.

200 seed, £

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