When can I start harvesting swedes?

Question

I sowed swede seeds back in April and I'm in the UK.

Some of them are big enough to harvest already, but I always thought you were supposed to harvest them after the first frosts, because the frost helps develop the sweet flavour.

Should I harvest them now and risk inferior flavour, or leave them and risk them getting too big and fibrous?

Answer 1

Swedes ( Rutabaga in the USA ) can be harvested any time  they are large enough. Since like many root crops they are usuall planted densly and need  to be thinned anyway you should be getting the small ones anyway. The greens from the young one that you thin out are also edible. And yes frost does tend to make them sweeter just like turnips. So pull them as you want, if you have a large enough patch you will still have some in th ground after frost.I have left them in the ground after the frost has killed the tops and coverd the ground with straw to prevent the ground from freezing and been able to have them into early winter. Do pull them before the ground freezes though. They can still be stored in a cool place for a very long time. We have kept them until March. Might have lasted longer if we had not eaten them. Too bad they are not more pouplar here in the US.

Answer 2

To grow swedes, when the tiny plants reach two inches in height, you'll need to thin them down so they are about six inches apart. Follow the seed package directions in order to achieve the best results. Generally, though, your swedes will mature in about three months. You'll know when they're ready to harvest when they are three to five inches around the largest part of their bodies. Keep in mind that the smaller they are, the sweeter tasting they'll be.

Once you harvest your swedes, store them in your refrigerator or in a vegetable cellar. They should keep for a week in the refrigerator. If they are kept cool enough, they'll last for several months.