Swedes

Sow swede seeds in cell trays or 12mm deep where they are to grow from midmay until early June in fertile soil, to which compost or manure and fertiliser have been added. Plant out or thin so there is one plant every 30cm, in rows 45cm apart. Water well in dry spells, as swedes dislike dry soil. Ideally, cover with insect-proof nets or fleece to fend off cabbage root fly, which can tunnel the roots. You can pull swedes from early autumn, but they are sweetest from November. Good swedes include ‘Marian’, ‘Tweed’ and ‘Wilhelmsburger’.