Topic: Beetroot not forming bulbs

[kt.]

Almost 2 months ago I sowed some boltardy beetroot in a plastic container in my greenhouse.  3-4 inch spacings.  There is also some spring onions and carrots in the same container, both doing fine.  I now have 6 inch tall I sowed some I thought I should of had babysized beetroot but no Will they fatten up or do I need to thin them a bit more? 

[Eristic]

At 3-4 inch spacings you should be OK. Personally I think you are a bit impatient. All good things come to those that wait. Keep well watered and don't forget to feed.

I grow beet to golfball size in my polystyrene boxes when space permits in the polytunnel.

[telboy]

Crikey kt, you started early!
Plant some seeds out as well, germination is fast at the mo.

[kt.]

Crikey kt, you started early!
Plant some seeds out as well, germination is fast at the mo.

Started early under glass for an early crop ::) ::)    Just sowed 2 rows of Boltardy outdoors last weekend as a first for monthly successional sowing through till July / August

[1066]

Hi, I'm new to growing Beetroot and have a couple of Q's. Roughly how long from sowing to eating?! basically mine are about 4" high and I'm going to plant them out in the next couple of days, so how long to maturity? I'm growing Detroit if that helps

Thanks
1066

[kt.]

Roughly how long from sowing to eating?! how long to maturity? I'm growing Detroit if that helps

Usually around 14 weeks.

[1066]

Thanks KT

[daxzen]

beetroot is a great crop leave are great in salads take a leaf off each plant - they dont miss them!

the old view was that you could transplant them and that they are best sown thinly in situ my wife has perfected transplanting the thinnings into catch crop positions

i have not tried growing them in cells - let me know how they go!

[1066]

daxzen, yes I'll let you know how I get on, to be honest I'm only really doing them in cells as I'm on heavy clay that is gradually getting more workable but still not capable of sowing in situ, I do this with the majority of stuff I grow.
Also planning on doing some later sowings

 my wife has perfected transplanting the thinnings into catch crop positions  /quote]

That's something I'd also like to perfect but am way off that yet!!

1066

[daxzen]

it will be great to know how you get on

the seedlings that she transplanta re at two three leaf stage max - i guess my wife's secret is to allow the tap root to keep growing without a check

[Old bird]

I have never given much thought much about beetroot!

I generally bung the seeds in - up it comes - and it gets eaten as leaves in salad and when the bulb looks about the right size then I have beetroot.

I start from golf ball size to wherever it goes to!

I have never had to transplant them or anything tho - I thought that they  generally considered "easy" like radish or so!

Old Bird

 ;D

[daxzen]

 me too
but beetroot s so easy and many people ignore it

beetroot is a staple in my book and the more i can get into my diet the better

we pickle it as we get a glut and keep pating right through to september

some of my stuff overwintered in a depp bed with heavy mulch - good eating and fresh as we needed it

[1066]

I have never had to transplant them or anything tho - I thought that they  generally considered "easy" like radish or so!

Old Bird

 ;D

I think they are meant to be easy, but as a 1st timer its always nice to check and besides that lump of clay I have that is called my allotment does determine how I do things  ;D

1066

[manicscousers]

we kept some over winter in damp compost, the leaves kept growing and we were eating them in salads until 3 weeks ago  ;D
mind you, the last bulbs were woody

[sawfish]

its the one veg I just cant seem to grow well at all, no matter what I do. I'm constantly moaning about it on this forum.

>:(

[shirlton]

We always start some off in Feb in cells and these just become edible a few weeks before the outdoor sowings. You don't gain that much from sowing in cells but we are impatient. so even a week is ok.

[greenstar]

Maybe it's a Glasgow thing Sawfish - I've never managed to get anything worth eating off them either.  I'm still trying them again this year - this is the first time that I've tried sowing them in a seed tray and transplanting them when they've germinated.  They've been outside for about two week now and aren't looking particularly happy.

[Eristic]

Forget any nonsense about not being able to transplant beetroot. It's at least as easy as cabbages.

I sow my seeds in 3" pots, transplant them to boxes then transplant them again to the big outside world. Not only does this give me more control but saves a lot of growing space as they are only out in rows to fatten up.

[grannyjanny]

We have a lovely gentleman on our site, 80 this year. He transplants his beetroot, the cylindrical one & he says that the transplanted ones are ready quicker than the ones he leaves in.
Janet

[sawfish]

Maybe it's a Glasgow thing Sawfish - I've never managed to get anything worth eating off them either.  I'm still trying them again this year - this is the first time that I've tried sowing them in a seed tray and transplanting them when they've germinated.  They've been outside for about two week now and aren't looking particularly happy.

I've done it all greenstar, lots of ways.

good luck