Swede Brora - Rutabaga

'Brora' swede is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner that is cold-hardy and productive. It forms large roots with reddish-purple skin and smooth, tender, mild-tasting yellow flesh. Cooks quickly and stores well. Sow from May to June and harvest from October to December.

The swede or rutabaga, also known as Swedish turnip (Brassica napus) is a root vegetable native to Northern Europe that belongs to the large Brassicaceae family. It is a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip. It forms a white or yellow turnip-like root that has a flavour similar to potato and radish. It can be eaten raw (grated in carrot salads) or cooked. It is perfect for winter soups and stews or mash and is delicious caramelized in gratin or roasted with other autumn or winter veg. Swede is quite high in calories and is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is known to help digestion and can even have a slight laxative effect.

Swede is easy to grow. Its requires, to as lesser extent, the same basic requirement as other members of the cabbage family: plenty of sunshine and deep, moist, free draining and fertile soil that has been amended with manure or compost. It is suitable for growing in ordinary soil.

Harvesting: Lift with a garden fork and gently pull up the roots when they have reached full maturity.

Storage: Let the swede roots dry for a few hours on the ground and cut off the greens just above the crown. They will keep for several months in a box or container filled with sand or straw, in a cool dark room (cellar or garage). In free draining soil they can be left until required. Swedes will keep for days if not weeks in the refrigerator; they can also be blanched in boiling salty water then frozen.

Good to know: Planting fennel next to swedes helps repel flea beetles and root maggots, two major pests that feed on turnip and rutabaga plants. Ideally, cover your crops with fine insect netting or row covers. Mulching with grass clippings or dead leaves will help keep the soil moist whilst limiting weed growth.

Even if the vegetable garden is first and foremost a place for growing great quality veg, it’s always a good idea to leave a bit of room for flowers. Growing flowers alongside your vegetable plants will make your general gardening experience more enjoyable and is a great way to attract pollinators and repel garden pests! Flowers such as gaillardia, marigolds, zinnias, cosmos or nasturtiums can be sown in and around the rows of vegetables. Herbs such as dill can be very useful also. Bear in mind that some companion plants self-seed easily and can be a bit invasive (borage, chives, lemon balm etc.)