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Turnips and swedes
Archers fan
Posts: 9
in Talkback
wonder why our turnips and swedes have lots of leaf growth but the roots are small. Have lots of compost and horse manure which we put on in the early spring. Any ideas? The ground is quite damp,
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Maybe, we have given them too much of a good thing. Thank you. We have grown them for many years, but they havent done very well This year. thank you Phillippa.
Thanks, maybe too much rotted manure!
My ancient gardening book says no manure, or very little dug in several months before planting. I am trying swede next year for the first time and will follow those instructions. On Youtube they recomend a little chicken manure lightly forked in once they are growing well. A chap on our allotments grows wonderfull purple top turnips every year and he adds nothing at all. Just plants out seedlings where ever he has space.
They're brassicas, of course so want alkaline soil to avoid clubroot, but also roots so they don't want muck. I don't suppose it matters much for summer turnips as they're only in the ground for a shortish period, but swedes take longer.
Maybe, we have given them too much of a good thing. Thank you. We have grown them for many years, but they havent done very well This year. thank you Phillippa.