Topic: Beetroot

[tim]

Pre-germinated (4 days) & planted 1/4" deep yesterday.

[razorboy]

Looks good. How do you pregerminate. Is it on wet tissue paper?
It would be useful to know as I'm finding they take ages.
Ray

[RSJK]

Tim, why did you pregerminate ? I have some in my greenhouse that are growing quite well and were through in 8 days. I have heard stories of beetroot being hard to get going at times, I know my Dad used to soak his seed in water overnight to help with germination.

[tim]

Yes - wet tissue - clingfilmed.

Why Richard?
1. Like so many things, I like to have them garden-ready before committing a plot for them. So often, things don't work out as planned.

2. Golden beet are notoriously unpredictable, so better to plant only viable seeds?

[DenBee]

I'm pleased I didn't see this thread a couple of weeks ago, cos it would have worried me.  :)

But I sowed a packet of Boltardy (from a multi-pack from Poundland), and they germinated beautifully, just sown into multipurpose.  Now got 24 little plants growing nicely in modules.

I have bought another pack, from Home Bargains this time - Detroit Globe - but haven't sown those yet.

[Roy Bham UK]

I sowed Boltardy last season straight into the ground, they were brill, we're still eating e'm now ;D 8)

[glow777]

I've got two varieties this year - boltardy everyones favourite, and a white variety I cant remember the name of. Trying the white variety as a test to see if its more pan, hands and urine! colour friendly!
Put a batch in one of those multi cell trays in a plastic greenhouse 70(ish) out of 105 up so far after 6 days with no pre germination. 70/35 boltardy/white.

You can never have enough beetroot!

[tim]

I must say that I normally only pre-germinate for outdoor planting - especially for the golden variety which is so iffy.

[supersprout]

Ooh what a lovely bunch ;)
I've pre-germinated for the first time this year taking advice from A4a-ers :)
The golden beet (front) seem to have done better than the red

[RSJK]

Tim, is the golden beet a better flavour than the red do you think.

[DenBee]

My 7-year old daughter said the other day she can't wait to eat the beetroot, because she loves their juice.

Turns out she's really looking forward to growing vinegar-flavoured veggies.  ;D

[tim]

I think so, Richard - sweeter, more delicate, less 'earthy'.

And the best pickle - boil cup vinegar +1/2 cup brown sugar & bottle cooked sliced beet in it.

[Hot_Potato]

probably a silly question but....Supersprout - those beetroot that you've pre-germinated and look as if they're in toilet roll holders......do you put the whole thing (cardboard included) into the ground when planting out?....assume the cardboard just 'disintegrates' if you do  :-\

The only two times I've grown beetroot - I've sown straight into the ground and had fairly good germination but....they're soooo close together that they don't grow particularly big. When I've 'thinned' out (& used the tiny thinnings) I find the ground/plant alongside is disturbed and wonder if that's why they don't get very big. Even if I push them back into the ground, it seems to 'stunt' their growth!...Did manage to do quite a few jars of pickles with them tho - using last one from last year now!

[supersprout]

Yes, just make a hole and pop the whole thing in. The cardboard does indeed disintegrate :)
These were chitted before sowing to make sure I was sowing viable seed. Last year I used seed tape, will do for successional sowing when the soil is warmer.