CHOOSE A ROOT TO SUCCESS

Turnips and swedes might no be the first choice in root veg, but together they can supply nutritious, healthy pickings for months on end, says KG editor Steve Ott

- Steve Ott

These round root veggies were once the mainstay of every veg plot, and while they may not be as widely grown today as they once were, they still feature in most of the major seed catalogs. And rightly so; being easy to grow and nutritious they deserve their place in our gardens.

Turnips are the least hardy of the two and make a great fast-growing summer crop, ideal for the open garden or pots alike. From sowing to harvest can take as little as six to 12 weeks and they are at their best when harvested as baby roots or at golf ball size when they are still tender and can be cooked or eaten raw grated in salads and slaws.

The bone-hardy and majestic swede is a much larger beast and ideal for winter storage in preparation for adding to all those warming winter soups, curries, and stews.

Care for both is quite similar and they are relatively trouble free, although being part of the cabbage (brassica) family, they do share some of the same problems such as clubroot and caterpillars and, in the early stages, flea beetles.

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