What are turnips?
In the rutabaga (Brassica napus subsp. napobrassica) is a variety of oilseed rape. The swede forms greenish or red-headed tubers with yellowish flesh.
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Above the ground, the plant forms blue-green leaves that sit on sturdy stalks. Blossoms only appear, do not harvest the tubers, because the swedes only set them in the second year.
The long storable vegetables contain many minerals, mustard oils and vitamins. The mild, nutty beets taste very good as a puree or as a hearty stew.
turnip varieties
There are turnips with white and yellow flesh. However, the yellow variants have a more delicate flavor.
The most famous varieties:
- Wilhelmsburg
- Spanish
- Marian
- White Swedish
location and soil
Swedes are undemanding and, as medium feeders, thrive particularly well in moist to moderately nutrient-rich soil. A sunny to partially shaded location is ideal.
sowing
- After the ice saints, swedes are sown directly outdoors with a row spacing of 40 x 40 centimetres.
- for good income do not plant the seeds too deep in the ground.
- Separate in July and move the removed plants to their final place in the vegetable patch.
Because of the uncomplicated germination, pre-cultivation in pots is hardly worthwhile.
Care
- Swedes need to be chopped regularly. This is particularly important during longer periods of drought.
- Always water sufficiently and keep evenly moist.
- In the growth phase you can also treat the plants with nettle or horsetail manure strengthen.
harvest
The first turnips are already ripe in September. Although they are still quite small, they taste particularly tender and aromatic. The main harvest time begins at the end of October when the tubers have reached a diameter of 10 to 15 centimetres. Thicker swedes are sometimes woody.
Just pull the beets out of the ground and twist off the leaves. These can remain on the bed as green manure.
warehousing
Turnips that you do not eat immediately can be stored for many months. A soil heap or a box filled with sand is suitable for this, in which you put the tubers and keep them in the cool basement. Alternatively, you can blanch the vegetables and freeze them.
tips
After the beets are harvested, you should refrain from planting cabbages and other cruciferous vegetables in this bed for at least four years.