Why do my turnips and swedes grow ok except that they don't swell at the root area which is the part you eat?

Answer 1

Some are advising you to use more compost; this is great for the lovely leaves you're growing, but is probably the reason you're not getting good roots!
Root vegetables grow better if you DON'T use fresh compost. Swedes & turnips like a good rich compost that has been used for a previous crop.
They don't like acid soil so it's a good idea to spread a little lime around a week or two before sowing your seed, 4-6oz per square yard. Water them well in dry weather to prevent the roots splitting. Good luck next year!

Answer 2

Turnips and Swede belong to the Brassicaceae family. Others are Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Calabraise, Cauliflowers, Wallflower, amongst others.

As such they are susceptible to -CLUBROOT - and can prove to be the most difficult disease to deal with in the garden. It affects all members of the family.

Therefore, I suggest that this is what is wrong with your Swedes and Turnips.

Treatment can prove to be difficult. Years gone by a compound - Mercurous chloride was availble, but it was removed from the market sometime ago, by EU directive.

There exist varieties that are resistant to CR but not CR proof.

I suggest that you refrain from planting any plant related to the Brassica in garden to time-indefinite.

There would be no problem with potatoes, legumes but no Brassicas.

Answer 3

try making the ground around the turnip or swede quite loose this will stop too much weight around the bottom of the root vegetable fighting against the pressure around the bottom, you could also try putting grit sand in the soil before planting out this will also give better filtration and let the vegetable stretch it self out.

Answer 4

Mine were like that, I think it was due to a heavy soil, I added a lot of compost and they grew OK the next year, Also, I was under watering them.... they needed more moisture at the root, less on the tops.

I wonder how this years would have been if thieving scum hadn't stolen the lot from my allotment ?

Answer 5

they're 2 diverse vegetation turnip ~white fleshed is Brassica rapa swede ~yellow/orange fleshed Brassica napobrassica (neeps in Scotland) often it is swedes that are grown now turnips tend to have a "warmer " flavor neither must be wrong for Beta vulgaris (manglewurzle) that's bought as "swede at cases" in basic terms for information in accordance to Paul Stewart (co author) of "muddle earth" manglewurzles are the staple weight-reduction plan of Trolls

Answer 6

For root crops to swell they need room (ie. light soil) and water.

If your soil is OK then you need to ensure they get plenty of water and the roots don't dry out. Try mulching with good compost when they are small if you can't always water them.

Answer 7

I had a similar problem with carrots, and was told by a wise old gardener that my clay soil was too heavy for such root crops.

Answer 8

Are you planting in heavy clay soil?
Tubers need expansion room. If the soil is 'tight', you need to add a compost mixture to 'lighten' the soil.
Just an idea.

Answer 9

Probably you just need to feed them with a fertiliser high in Phosphorus (NPK: 10:20:10)

Answer 10

Lack of water at crucial point in growing cycle