Woody Swede

alwayshopeful · « **on:** November 05, 2008, 13:51 »

I have just harvested my first swede that I have ever grown and they are very poor. They are so woody that they are inedible. Am most dissapointed at they are the only flippin things which grew this year!!
Does anyone have any advice for me to stop this happening next year. I think I may have grown them too close together - would this cause woodyness (is that a word?!).

happy chick · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2008, 14:34 »

Hessayon says that failure to water in dry weather can cause woodiness. Thought we had a pretty wet summer :? Perhaps they were planted too closely; recommended distance=9in apart.

alwayshopeful · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2008, 15:48 »

Quote from: "happy chick"

Hessayon says that failure to water in dry weather can cause woodiness. Thought we had a pretty wet summer :? Perhaps they were planted too closely; recommended distance=9in apart.

Must admit, did not water them much in summer, but as you say, it was so wet didn't think needed to!!

Old Whiskers · « **Reply #3 on:** November 17, 2008, 00:22 »

Woodiness in swedes is usually caused by a deficiency of borax in the soil. I mix a few spoons of borax into half a bucket of hydrated lime and rake it in to the swede bed prior to sowing.

muntjac · « **Reply #4 on:** November 17, 2008, 05:03 »

Quote from: "Old Whiskers"

Woodiness in swedes is usually caused by a deficiency of borax in the soil. I mix a few spoons of borax into half a bucket of hydrated lime and rake it in to the swede bed prior to sowing.

and make sure they have had plenty of feed put in the soil before planting a good handfull of growmore will help and another feed of it in october

Salmo · « **Reply #5 on:** November 17, 2008, 11:51 »

Quote from: "Old Whiskers"

Woodiness in swedes is usually caused by a deficiency of borax in the soil. I mix a few spoons of borax into half a bucket of hydrated lime and rake it in to the swede bed prior to sowing.

Be very careful what you are doing. Too much boron is also bad.

Only very light sandy soils are usually short of boron. If soils are naturally very alkaline or have been overlimed the boron can be locked up in the soil and unavailable to the plants.

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