Topic: Growing Beetrot

[compo49]

I am told you must sow beetroot direct into the ground as it does not transplant easily because of the tap root.

The thing is last year i had problems getting it to germinate and had a bad crop so now i have got it to germinate and is doing OK in a small plug size module tray and is ready to go in the ground.

I have done this as someone gave me some that they germinated in a sandwich box and i have been successful in separating them and transplanting into larger plug modules and they are growing OK and will plant them in the allotment as well.

Do you think i will be succesfull ?

[lewic]

Last year I started mine off in a seed tray before I found out you were supposed to put them straight in the ground. So I was very careful when I took them out, using a spoon to remove a good chunk of soil with each seedling. They all survived and I was overrun with beetroots, so I think you will be fine.

This year I sowed beetroot straight in the ground and only a couple are growing. They dont have any slug damage so I think the problem is that the clay soil has dried out too much and they couldnt fight their way through. Will be starting my next lot off in modules!

[Tee Gee]

I am told you must sow beetroot direct into the ground as it does not transplant easily because of the tap root.

I think this is a bit of an old wives tale.

I think it might/could be the case for 'long' varieties but not round varieties.

For the record I grow mine in cells and plant out before the cells become root bound and I never have any problems.

In fact I planted mine out just the other day, they were still at the 'two leaf' stage.

But in the past I have planted out 'thinnings into gaps in the row and it works quite well.

[sawfish]

Once again I am trying to grow beetroot. This time I've left planting them till last week. I'm hoping they'll do better in warm ground. I've had a terrible time with beet for 5 years, everything else grows great.

[Vinlander]

I am told you must sow beetroot direct into the ground as it does not transplant easily because of the tap root.

I think this is a bit of an old wives tale.

I think it might/could be the case for 'long' varieties but not round varieties

I agree - in fact the same goes for a lot of 'root' veg where most of the 'root' sits on or near the surface. The best other examples being celeriac and hamburg parsley - and transplanting doesn't trigger early bolting either.

I'm not sure about parsnips or turnips but they are so easy to grow direct in the soil that few people would bother with modules.

[tim]

I do plugs too. But also germinate in damp tissue.

[chriscross1966]

Grew Boltardy last year in modules, treated it badly and got a good crop.  Will treat it better this year and am also trying a monogerm long-root. Hopefully will get another shot of them through too as want to experiment with two techniques, sown early in normal modules or sown late in rootrainers once the sweetcorn is out....

chrisc

[caroline7758]

Can I still sow beetroot now, or is it too late?

[betula]

No you will be ok  :)

[1066]

I also start mine off in modules or pots, and all seem fine to me  :) The ones already planted out really enjoyed the rain the other day and have put on some good growth  :)

[antipodes]

well I am pleased to hear I am not the only one who struggles to grow beetroot! It is one of my fave veg but it's a bugger.
This year I have sown (into the ground  :( ) Boltardy and Cheltenham Greentop. I really pampered them watering them a lot after sowing and I seem to have better germination this time. I think they are quite greedy of water - this week has been rainy and they have really grown quite amazingly in just a few days.
I ordered a late  variety too (Monoruba? ) to have some for late autumn and winter, so I think that I will try to sow some direct and some in modules, as you all suggest, and see if that makes a difference...

[tim]

Remember 1" deep!

[earlypea]

You're not the only one, beetroot is one crop that eludes me too.

I've done it both and either way and the other, pampered and not pampered and only ever get a couple of good'ns.

The most success I ever had, and they were total beauties, was doing it completely wrong.  Got given some rather long in the tooth module sown ones by someone, had nowhere to put them, plonked them in between some strawberries which had been planted into some demi-fresh manure with heaps of woodchip still in it and hey presto!  Bizarre.

[mpdjulie]

I sowed bolthardy 4 weeks ago direct.  I did 5 rows each 3ft long.  Spaced each seed 4 inches apart, so I sowed quite a few.  Now I have just 18 seedlings.  My soil is clay but not too heavy.  Everything else grows fine so the soil crusting over isn't the problem.  I too will be sowing in seed trays and then transplanting next year.
We live and learn.
Julie
 :)

[Digeroo]

It is not too late to plant some more beetroor.  I had a better time with my second batch last year I put it in damp kitchen roll until I saw the first sign of a root.  My thrid batch I put in kitchen roll for three days -  no root visible and then put it out and it did the best of all.

[froglets]

I think mine is slug caviare this year, but it's the worst year I've had for direct sow germination.  I'm thinking of trying sowing in modules and transplanting just to see how it goes.  I think I was still direct sowing last year into August for late crops (variety is wodan).  We love roasted or foil wrapped oven cooked beetroot.

[galina]

I sow in modules, then plant out.  I transplanted about a fortnight ago and noticed that the young plants have just taken off nicely.

There is no need to thin to one plant per module, because they can quite happily grow closely spaced and push apart as the roots develop.  Up to three plants is ok in a module.

Sowing outside also works for me with some losses.  I cover the seeds to the depth of the seed.  They need quite moist soil to germinate.  It takes much longer when the weather is dry.

Beetroots can be sown until late July for an autumn harvest crop.  They are not frost hardy, but can have useful late growing time during an Indian Summer, covered with fleece during frosty nights.  A double layer of fleece will protect them all winter, which means they can be left in situ, but mice etc will possibly find them and nibble.

[1066]

might have to give some late summer ones a go then. Thanks for that Galina  :)

[Jeannine]

I treat them like parsnips and pre germinate them, then sow,,no toubles. XX Jeannine

[JoeCocker]

I am told you must sow beetroot direct into the ground as it does not transplant easily because of the tap root.

I think this is a bit of an old wives tale.

I think it might/could be the case for 'long' varieties but not round varieties.

For the record I grow mine in cells and plant out before the cells become root bound and I never have any problems.

In fact I planted mine out just the other day, they were still at the 'two leaf' stage.

But in the past I have planted out 'thinnings into gaps in the row and it works quite well.

Can you do this with Carrots?