Don't forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON and also the BELL ICON to be notified when each new video is uploaded. I hope you enjoy the videos and let me know if you have any suggestions for future videos. Thank you for watching and let me know what you think of the recipe. Kind regards. Gary
I just found out I have to give up potatoes from my diet😲😲😲 So I got rutabaga seeds and will be growing them(and celeriac) for the first time this year. Thx for the video!
Thank you for the comment Candance. Shame about the potatoes but rutabaga is s fabulous veg and once you have grown it a few times I’m sure you won’t think twice about your potatoes! Kind regards. Gary
I live in Michigan. This was first year planting swedes, we call them rutabagas. I did cover them like I must for all my brassicas! Works fantastically! Lol. Used my own compost and sowed seeds. Will try the fertilizer you suggested. Mine were half the size of yours but that could be due to the rainy spring and summer we had. Thank you for posting your tips and results!
Thank you for the comment Shawn. I’m happy that you found the video useful. Yes, try the fish, blood and bone fertiliser, it worked really well for me. Kind regards. Gary
We live in Michigan as well, I just bought some rutabaga seed and think I'll plant some this week in hopes it will still have time to fully develop since it does well in cold temperatures. Guessing it may be ready October/November, never grew rutabaga before so it will be a good learning experience.
I’m going to try a late fall planting and storing them in the ground with 5-6” of mulch over them. I’m in WV, US and we do get cold winters and snow. It works for my carrots so here’s hoping! Thanks for the tips
Great to know rutabagas like alkaline soil, cause that is what I have. Someone sent me some seeds, trying to grow them for the first time here in Texas.
I'm new to making this (cooking them at the moment) and if we like them I'll be growing them. Here, in the USA, we call them rutabaga. It's interesting to know they have a different name in other countries :) Thank you for sharing your growing tips.
Thank you very much for your comment Magalie which is greatly appreciated and thank you for subscribing to my channel. I love Rutabaga and I have great success last year using the techniques shown in the video. I hope your rutabaga a successful too! Kind regards. Gary
You have NEVER tasted the BEST of swedes (rutabagas) till you have eaten them SLICED, and FRIED WITH yellow winter onions and bacon. The frying brings out the SUGAR in swedes and winter onions so they taste COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from boiled swedes! Kids will LOVE THEM, IF YOU FRY THEM WITH ONIONS AND BACON! They do not taste the same as boiled swedes AT ALL.
Required ideas to garden woth youth club so this is a great vid: 1:36 Beans 1:56 French Beans 3:20 Carrots 3:38 Peas (Kelvedon Wonder) 4:54 Lettuce 8:00 Swede 9:10 Turnips (Snowball) 10:04 Beetroot (Butardy) 11:13 Coliflower 12:34 Cabbage (Greyhound/ Golden acre) 13:50 Raddish (Waido)
Thank you very much for your comment however, I think the timings you have added relate to a different video for seeds to sow in May. Kind regards. Gary
Helpful video, thanks! Growing swede for the first time this year and I’m hopeful of a nice harvest. I didn’t realise they were in the brassica family, suppose I never really thought about it but that’s super helpful to know! I noticed you replied to someone else’s comment saying you had a September sowing in your polyhouse for a spring harvest. How did turn out? Also, did they stay in your polyhouse until harvesting or did you transplant them outdoors? If the latter, what month did you put them outside? Sorry for all the questions 🤣
Thank you very much for your comment and questions and don’t worry about asking as many questions as you want. I’m pleased you found the video helpful. The Swedes I planted in my polyhouse in September were planted outside, from memory in early October. They grew really well and I had a harvest of Swede all through the winter. The variety I suggest, Helenor, is the best variety I’ve ever grown and one that I’m growing again this year. If you’ve not tried Helenor before then it is well worth a try. Kind regards. Gary
That sounds great Rose! We love Swede and it is great with lots of potato recipes. We like potatoes and swede mash, which is always nice with a roast. Thank you for the comment and kind regards. Gary
I got a rutabaga (Swede) from the grocery but it is covered with what I think is wax. It has started sending greenery up while in the plastic bag. Would I be able to separate the greenery and stems from the wax covered round part and root them to grow new plants?
Hi Thomas and thank you for your question. I’m not sure that would be a good idea. Firstly, veg covered in anything is a red flag and wax and a plastic bag does not sound good. Secondly, you do not know the origin of the Swede so there could be possible bacteria or disease in the veg which you could transfer to your own soil or compost. Thirdly, I don’t think that separating the new growth and planting it will be very productive. The best way to grow rutabaga (Swede) is from seed and it is reasonably easy and you can produce as many as you want. I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
How did they manage to grow to that size in just 3.5 months, I always thought swedes took 5-6 months? Also I wonder your mid august sowing, when do you plant those out and when would they be ready for harvest? thank you
Thank you very much for your comment which is greatly appreciated. If the Swede (Rutabaga) are sown in early spring then because of the warm temperatures you can get some decent sized swedes in 4-5 months. If you sow the seeds in mid August the seedlings will take longer to grow because of the cooler temperatures, but they will tolerate some frost. They should be ready to harvest in early spring however the longer you leave them the larger they will be. I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen Thank you for your reply. I have sown some Helenor a week ago so hopefully I will have some nice swedes. In the spring when is the best time to sow for the first batch? Thanks for your great videos I have learned so much from your channel
@@RebekahDavis-z8b thank you very much for your message and I’m really pleased you are finding my videos helpful. Helenor are a fantastic variety so I’m sure you will not be disappointed. For first sowing in the spring I would usually start from mid March to early April. Kind regards. Gary
I grow that variety. I've saved seed for a while now. I just started doing transplants a few years back instead of direct sowing. I do transplants for cabbage that are in the same family. I'm trying to figure out why the rutabaga seedlings get leggy but the cabbage stays nice and short. Same light conditions same potting soil. Do you know if rutabaga seedlings don't like rich potting soil? I'm thinking maybe they need low nutrient blend or something because they get so leggy. I can still get them in the ground, barely, but it would be nice if I could solve that problem because transplanted root veggies really are so much easier to guarantee a uniform crop. Just looking for a little insight since I don't know anyone that transplants rutabaga other than me lol
Thank you very much for your comment which is greatly appreciated. The amount of light your seedlings are getting does not seem to be the problem because as you point out you grow them with your other brassicas which are fine. Brassicas, including rutabaga like slightly alkaline conditions so you could try adding a little hydrated line to your mix although I generally only do that when I transplant them. As you saw in the video I also add a little fish, blood and bone before transplanting which really helps. You could also try a different seed compost mix which may also help however usually legginess is a result of lack of light which in your case does not seem to be the problem. I’ve not really experienced this myself before with rutabaga however I hope I’ve provide a few things to think about. Kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks for your reply. I'm trying to deduce by looking at all possibilities. I thought legginess was only caused by light but have heard that it also can be caused by too rich of soil that some baby plants do not like. Possibly too much nitrogen. It is a very rich type of plant start soil so I'm suspecting I may be right. Anyway thanks for responding so quickly. Every bit of input from people will help me solve the problem. I love all the benefits of growing rutabagas. They really have all pro's and no cons for me. Really tough and really tasty and store extremely well. Everyone should grow them.
Thank you very much for this suggestion Ana which I am sure will help other growers. Companion planting like this is a great way to control pests. Kind regards. Gary
Hi Stuart and thank you for question which is not silly at all. The netting scaffold/debris netting I use allows water through so I just water directly over the netting. Kind regards. Gary
Hi. Thanks for this really helpful video. I’m new to your channel and really enjoying it. I’d love to plant swede now to attempt to get some next season and have some questions. Do they germinate best in the warm of a greenhouse or outside? (I’ll be using modules) How large should the seedlings be before planting out? Do they need any protection from frost when they’re established? Thanks very much and love the videos and ideas.
Thank you for the message Samantha, I’m pleased you liked the video. The temperature is currently warm enough in the UK to sow swedes directly outside, so they should germinate nicely and grow well until the temperature starts to drop. The good thing about swedes is that they can withstand frosts. Having said that I’m going to start mine in my polyhouse and then plant them outside by the end of October, just to give them a good start. I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks that’s really helpful. I live in quite an exposed area even though it’s generally on the warmer side, so I think I’ll do both under cover and outdoor planting. Maybe we should compare in a few months’ time?
What zone are you in? I’m zone 7a northeast US so I get colder winters and hotter summers. My sowing / planting may be slightly off from yours. Do you ever grow a spring crop of Swedes or is that not worth it?
Hi Jim. I’m in Zone 8b in the middle of the UK so the temperatures where you are located are not too dissimilar. I’ve got swedes in my polyhouse at the moment which I sowed in September. I’m anticipating a good spring harvest with those. As a brassica swedes should be reasonably frost hardy so I’m quite hopeful. Thank you very much for your comment and kind regards. Gary
Hi Rabia and thank you very much for your comment. Rutabaga leaves are edible and if you cut them while they are tender they can be used in salads and other recipes. As I grow so many other leafy veg I tend not to do this and prefer to leave the leaves on the plant which helps to make the rutabaga larger and stronger. Kind regards. Gary
@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thank you for your kind explanation. I have 2 tube that sprouted in the fridge, I put it in a bit of soil and they are flourishing nicely...Put some leaves in my Laksa tonight. Tasted great similar to spinach.
Thank you very much for your question which is greatly appreciated. It is possible to sow seeds/rutabaga seeds directly outside from mid-spring onwards however they will need protection from birds, slugs and other wildlife. As a brassica everything seems to like them. This is why I tend to prefer stating mine indoors in plug trays. Swede and carrot mash is lovely! Kind regard. Gary
Hello and thank you very much for your question. For Swedes (Rutabaga) I start my seeds in compost in cell trays and keep them inside in my polyhouse. When they have germinated, after 2 to 3 weeks I will separate the seedlings into individual cells and then when they are larger after a further 3 to 4 weeks I will plant them outside, just as you see them in the video. I hope this answers your question and kind regards. Gary
Thank you very much for your comment which is great appreciated. I do love roast swede and I also like rosemary so that is a really good combination. Thank you again for your comment. Kind regards. Gary
Thank you very much for your comment. In this video I thought I’d share what I did differently compared to previous years from planting out that was more successful, however I do have some seed sowing videos coming up over the next few months so keep an eye out for them. Thank you once again for your comment and kind regards. Gary
Don't forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON and also the BELL ICON to be notified when each new video is uploaded. I hope you enjoy the videos and let me know if you have any suggestions for future videos. Thank you for watching and let me know what you think of the recipe. Kind regards. Gary
I just found out I have to give up potatoes from my diet😲😲😲 So I got rutabaga seeds and will be growing them(and celeriac) for the first time this year.
Thx for the video!
Thank you for the comment Candance. Shame about the potatoes but rutabaga is s fabulous veg and once you have grown it a few times I’m sure you won’t think twice about your potatoes! Kind regards. Gary
Hey ✌️from Cape Breton,Nova Scotia
Thank you very much for your comment. It is great to have viewers if my channel from across the Atlantic! Kind regards. Gary
I live in Michigan. This was first year planting swedes, we call them rutabagas. I did cover them like I must for all my brassicas! Works fantastically! Lol. Used my own compost and sowed seeds. Will try the fertilizer you suggested. Mine were half the size of yours but that could be due to the rainy spring and summer we had. Thank you for posting your tips and results!
Thank you for the comment Shawn. I’m happy that you found the video useful. Yes, try the fish, blood and bone fertiliser, it worked really well for me. Kind regards. Gary
We live in Michigan as well, I just bought some rutabaga seed and think I'll plant some this week in hopes it will still have time to fully develop since it does well in cold temperatures. Guessing it may be ready October/November, never grew rutabaga before so it will be a good learning experience.
I’m going to try a late fall planting and storing them in the ground with 5-6” of mulch over them. I’m in WV, US and we do get cold winters and snow. It works for my carrots so here’s hoping! Thanks for the tips
That sounds like a great idea Jo. Let me know how you get on. I’m pleased you enjoyed the video. Kind regards. Gary
Great to know rutabagas like alkaline soil, cause that is what I have. Someone sent me some seeds, trying to grow them for the first time here in Texas.
Definitely give it a try and let me know how you get on. Kind regard. Gary
really helpful. my swede leaves have been savaged by some sort of fly . so now I know it's not too late to grow more...
Thank you very much for your comment Rose and I’m really pleased you found the video helpful. Kind regards. Gary
Try swede and carrot mashed together. Delish!
I'm new to making this (cooking them at the moment) and if we like them I'll be growing them. Here, in the USA, we call them rutabaga. It's interesting to know they have a different name in other countries :)
Thank you for sharing your growing tips.
Thank you very much for your comment and I’m really pleased you enjoyed the video. Kind regards. Gary
Thank you 🙏. I am growing Rutabaga for the first time this coming season. Just subscribed to your channel 👍
Thank you very much for your comment Magalie which is greatly appreciated and thank you for subscribing to my channel.
I love Rutabaga and I have great success last year using the techniques shown in the video. I hope your rutabaga a successful too! Kind regards. Gary
Thank you very much.
Thank you for your comment. Kind regards. Gary
You have NEVER tasted the BEST of swedes (rutabagas) till you have eaten them SLICED, and FRIED WITH yellow winter onions and bacon. The frying brings out the SUGAR in swedes and winter onions so they taste COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from boiled swedes! Kids will LOVE THEM, IF YOU FRY THEM WITH ONIONS AND BACON! They do not taste the same as boiled swedes AT ALL.
That sounds amazing Ann. I will give that a go and try it on my two grandsons! Kind regards. Gary
My 1st time growing these this year. I love eating them. Tsf
Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, they are also one of my favourite veg! Kind regards. Gary
Required ideas to garden woth youth club so this is a great vid:
1:36 Beans
1:56 French Beans
3:20 Carrots
3:38 Peas (Kelvedon Wonder)
4:54 Lettuce
8:00 Swede
9:10 Turnips (Snowball)
10:04 Beetroot (Butardy)
11:13 Coliflower
12:34 Cabbage (Greyhound/ Golden acre)
13:50 Raddish (Waido)
Thank you very much for your comment however, I think the timings you have added relate to a different video for seeds to sow in May. Kind regards. Gary
Helpful video, thanks! Growing swede for the first time this year and I’m hopeful of a nice harvest. I didn’t realise they were in the brassica family, suppose I never really thought about it but that’s super helpful to know!
I noticed you replied to someone else’s comment saying you had a September sowing in your polyhouse for a spring harvest. How did turn out? Also, did they stay in your polyhouse until harvesting or did you transplant them outdoors? If the latter, what month did you put them outside?
Sorry for all the questions 🤣
Thank you very much for your comment and questions and don’t worry about asking as many questions as you want. I’m pleased you found the video helpful.
The Swedes I planted in my polyhouse in September were planted outside, from memory in early October. They grew really well and I had a harvest of Swede all through the winter. The variety I suggest, Helenor, is the best variety I’ve ever grown and one that I’m growing again this year. If you’ve not tried Helenor before then it is well worth a try. Kind regards. Gary
We make potato salad with them.....so it would be rutabaga salad. Super good!
That sounds great Rose! We love Swede and it is great with lots of potato recipes. We like potatoes and swede mash, which is always nice with a roast. Thank you for the comment and kind regards. Gary
Very good video
Thank you very much for your comment. I’m really pleased you enjoyed the video. Kind regards. Gary
I got a rutabaga (Swede) from the grocery but it is covered with what I think is wax. It has started sending greenery up while in the plastic bag. Would I be able to separate the greenery and stems from the wax covered round part and root them to grow new plants?
Hi Thomas and thank you for your question. I’m not sure that would be a good idea. Firstly, veg covered in anything is a red flag and wax and a plastic bag does not sound good. Secondly, you do not know the origin of the Swede so there could be possible bacteria or disease in the veg which you could transfer to your own soil or compost. Thirdly, I don’t think that separating the new growth and planting it will be very productive.
The best way to grow rutabaga (Swede) is from seed and it is reasonably easy and you can produce as many as you want. I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
THANK YOU
Thank you very much for your response and I hope you found the video helpful. Kind regards. Gary
How did they manage to grow to that size in just 3.5 months, I always thought swedes took 5-6 months? Also I wonder your mid august sowing, when do you plant those out and when would they be ready for harvest? thank you
Thank you very much for your comment which is greatly appreciated. If the Swede (Rutabaga) are sown in early spring then because of the warm temperatures you can get some decent sized swedes in 4-5 months.
If you sow the seeds in mid August the seedlings will take longer to grow because of the cooler temperatures, but they will tolerate some frost. They should be ready to harvest in early spring however the longer you leave them the larger they will be. I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen Thank you for your reply. I have sown some Helenor a week ago so hopefully I will have some nice swedes. In the spring when is the best time to sow for the first batch? Thanks for your great videos I have learned so much from your channel
@@RebekahDavis-z8b thank you very much for your message and I’m really pleased you are finding my videos helpful.
Helenor are a fantastic variety so I’m sure you will not be disappointed. For first sowing in the spring I would usually start from mid March to early April. Kind regards. Gary
I grow that variety. I've saved seed for a while now. I just started doing transplants a few years back instead of direct sowing. I do transplants for cabbage that are in the same family. I'm trying to figure out why the rutabaga seedlings get leggy but the cabbage stays nice and short. Same light conditions same potting soil. Do you know if rutabaga seedlings don't like rich potting soil? I'm thinking maybe they need low nutrient blend or something because they get so leggy. I can still get them in the ground, barely, but it would be nice if I could solve that problem because transplanted root veggies really are so much easier to guarantee a uniform crop. Just looking for a little insight since I don't know anyone that transplants rutabaga other than me lol
Thank you very much for your comment which is greatly appreciated.
The amount of light your seedlings are getting does not seem to be the problem because as you point out you grow them with your other brassicas which are fine.
Brassicas, including rutabaga like slightly alkaline conditions so you could try adding a little hydrated line to your mix although I generally only do that when I transplant them. As you saw in the video I also add a little fish, blood and bone before transplanting which really helps.
You could also try a different seed compost mix which may also help however usually legginess is a result of lack of light which in your case does not seem to be the problem. I’ve not really experienced this myself before with rutabaga however I hope I’ve provide a few things to think about. Kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks for your reply. I'm trying to deduce by looking at all possibilities. I thought legginess was only caused by light but have heard that it also can be caused by too rich of soil that some baby plants do not like. Possibly too much nitrogen. It is a very rich type of plant start soil so I'm suspecting I may be right.
Anyway thanks for responding so quickly. Every bit of input from people will help me solve the problem. I love all the benefits of growing rutabagas. They really have all pro's and no cons for me. Really tough and really tasty and store extremely well. Everyone should grow them.
I grow land cress which the butterflies lay their eggs on but it kills the caterpillars when they eat it
Thank you very much for this suggestion Ana which I am sure will help other growers. Companion planting like this is a great way to control pests. Kind regards. Gary
This may be a silly question from a novice, but how do you water them? Do you remove all the netting? Thanks
Hi Stuart and thank you for question which is not silly at all. The netting scaffold/debris netting I use allows water through so I just water directly over the netting. Kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen Thank you. 👍
Hi. Thanks for this really helpful video. I’m new to your channel and really enjoying it.
I’d love to plant swede now to attempt to get some next season and have some questions. Do they germinate best in the warm of a greenhouse or outside? (I’ll be using modules)
How large should the seedlings be before planting out?
Do they need any protection from frost when they’re established?
Thanks very much and love the videos and ideas.
Thank you for the message Samantha, I’m pleased you liked the video.
The temperature is currently warm enough in the UK to sow swedes directly outside, so they should germinate nicely and grow well until the temperature starts to drop. The good thing about swedes is that they can withstand frosts. Having said that I’m going to start mine in my polyhouse and then plant them outside by the end of October, just to give them a good start.
I hope this helps and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks that’s really helpful. I live in quite an exposed area even though it’s generally on the warmer side, so I think I’ll do both under cover and outdoor planting. Maybe we should compare in a few months’ time?
@@samanthabhima4643 yes, please let me know how you get on with your swedes, that will be really interesting. Kind regards. Gary
What zone are you in? I’m zone 7a northeast US so I get colder winters and hotter summers. My sowing / planting may be slightly off from yours.
Do you ever grow a spring crop of Swedes or is that not worth it?
Hi Jim. I’m in Zone 8b in the middle of the UK so the temperatures where you are located are not too dissimilar.
I’ve got swedes in my polyhouse at the moment which I sowed in September. I’m anticipating a good spring harvest with those. As a brassica swedes should be reasonably frost hardy so I’m quite hopeful. Thank you very much for your comment and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks for the reply. I planted mine out in early September.
Do you use the leaves as green leafy vegetables?
Hi Rabia and thank you very much for your comment. Rutabaga leaves are edible and if you cut them while they are tender they can be used in salads and other recipes. As I grow so many other leafy veg I tend not to do this and prefer to leave the leaves on the plant which helps to make the rutabaga larger and stronger. Kind regards. Gary
@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thank you for your kind explanation. I have 2 tube that sprouted in the fridge, I put it in a bit of soil and they are flourishing nicely...Put some leaves in my Laksa tonight. Tasted great similar to spinach.
QUESTION: So are you saying you can’t direct sow these? Swede with carrots mashed it awesome, my mom make every year.
Thank you very much for your question which is greatly appreciated. It is possible to sow seeds/rutabaga seeds directly outside from mid-spring onwards however they will need protection from birds, slugs and other wildlife. As a brassica everything seems to like them. This is why I tend to prefer stating mine indoors in plug trays. Swede and carrot mash is lovely! Kind regard. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question, blessings to you and your channel.
@@hopeup2792 thank you very much and blessings to you too. Kind regard. Gary
How did you plant the seeds?
Hello and thank you very much for your question. For Swedes (Rutabaga) I start my seeds in compost in cell trays and keep them inside in my polyhouse. When they have germinated, after 2 to 3 weeks I will separate the seedlings into individual cells and then when they are larger after a further 3 to 4 weeks I will plant them outside, just as you see them in the video. I hope this answers your question and kind regards. Gary
Cut in 1 inch cubes toss with olive oil salt & Rosemary. Roast.
Thank you very much for your comment which is great appreciated. I do love roast swede and I also like rosemary so that is a really good combination. Thank you again for your comment. Kind regards. Gary
Thought this video was supposed to show us how best to sow these tiny swede seeds... no?
Thank you very much for your comment. In this video I thought I’d share what I did differently compared to previous years from planting out that was more successful, however I do have some seed sowing videos coming up over the next few months so keep an eye out for them. Thank you once again for your comment and kind regards. Gary
@@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen thanks Gary. I shall watch for them. Much appreciation for your gifts!