Finally - success with beetroot - thanks A4A

[earlypea]

My first successful crop - loads more to come.....even some to store.

If you remember there was a thread a while back about what you couldn't grow and beetroot has defied me.  Anyway, I twigged I'd been sowing them too shallow was the main problem.  Also I've got some great moisture retentive beds from digging in heaps of good stuff and it rained and rained......that helps

Anyway, thanks for the advice  ;) here's my latest bunch brought home to eat, getting a little too large in my opinion.

Sown 13 July - consumed from about 2 weeks ago.

[earlypea]

[gwynnethmary]

Well done- they look great!  I'm a great fan of beetroot, and had a nice one cooking in the oven yesterday.  Sadly, I went out and forgot about it- burnt beetroot is not nice!  I like to wrap them in foil, leaving on the root and a bit of stalk- keeps all the juices in (usually!)  And the skin peels off really easily.

[Digeroo]

I is just sooo satisfying when you managed to conquer a challenge. 

I like golden ones as well.  Really add colour to the meal.  I did not plant too many this year and planted them in three lots.  Good results by chitting for me.

[gwynnethmary]

I is just sooo satisfying when you managed to conquer a challenge. 
Good results by chitting for me.

Can you explain please?  Sounds interesting!

[earlypea]

I like golden ones as well. 

Me too - I think the flavour is ever so slightly spicy/aromatic and less intensely sweet, but I ran out of seeds.  Used a whole packet over the past 2 years and only got two to eat .  They were treated like a delicacy because of the scarcity.  :P

Which is the best golden variety?  I will replenish my stocks for next year.

[saddad]

Chitting means pre-germinating... so either sowing in cells and then planting out or just germinating on kitchen towel before sowing into the drills.
Have you tried the Choggia stripped one? Lovely grated raw but looses the distinct rings and goes a uniform pink/grey on cooking. Similarly makes chutneys look a bit washed out...  :-X

[earlypea]

Have you tried the Choggia stripped one?

I didn't, only because online opinions seem iffy about the taste, but then they are about the golden too and I like that.  Is it flavoursome?  I'm the only one who seems to appreciate raw beetroot so I need cooking types.

[saddad]

We like the taste... not as earthy as the detroits grow about 50/50 red and choggia. Have you seen the white ones ?Albina verduna I think....  :-\

[earlypea]

We like the taste... not as earthy as the detroits grow about 50/50 red and choggia. Have you seen the white ones ?Albina verduna I think....  :-\

Thanks.....I've heard Detroit is a good flavour.  Seen the albinos but there's something unappealing about a beetroot drained of all colour and life  ;)

I'm trying the Cheltenham greentop too - thought as it's deeper in the earth it might do better in my dry soil.

[saddad]

I like the long ones too... much easier for pickling slices... not much use for baby beets though!!  ;D

[Digeroo]

I put my beetroot seeds on damp kitchen roll for a few days and then sow them I seed to get a much better germination %.   

I used to wait until I saw a small root but they grow very quickly so I now just sow them after about four days.  At this point with some varieties the clusters can also be gently broken up so it is possible to sow much thinner.

[Jayb]

They do look good, well done.

I've grown Early Blood Beet this year, excellent crop seemed very quick growing and IMHO very tasty too. One I will definitely look forward to growing again. I'm also growning Cheltenham Greentop, they have made much slower growth, I'm hoping to have time to lift some tomorrow to try  ;D
I find sowing in cells and then planting out works well for me, perhaps a little more fiddly but excellent results.

I've got lots of spare Di Chioggia and was thinking of adding some to the seed circle, so let me if you would like some to try.

[artichoke]

I have had failures with beetroot too. But this year I bought in a market a smallish pot of seedlings all crammed in together, spindly, about 2" tall; I untangled them and planted them out, evenly spaced, without much hope. To my astonishment, they have become the best beetroot I have ever grown. This is what I am going to do in future: sow in pots, let them grow, then transplant.

No more trouble than leeks, and they can be evenly spaced with no thinning (I hate thinning! It seems tragic to throw away living seedlings......)

[Digeroo]

I hate thinning and I hate planting out.  The ground seems to be getting further away.

I cannot kneel so have tended to squat but now have to use two large watering cans to get back up.  If I forget to position the cans first I am in big trouble.

[1066]

They look great EP.
My first 2 sowings and plantings were a failure, they didn't appreciate the drought conditions. But the 3rd batch, has made up for things, and have been picking and giving some away  :) I tried some of the long ones (can't remember the name off the top of my head) and they were lovely - but with my clay soil, were thoroughly misshapen, but nice and tasty  :)
I also sow in pots and then transplant - seems to work ok for me

[terrier]

After my failure last year to get even ONE beetroot due to the birds eating every single plant from three sowings, this years Detroits are even sweeter and tender than I remember. Must use nets in future  ::)

[artichoke]

".....have tended to squat but now have to use two large watering cans to get back up.  If I forget to position the cans first I am in big trouble."

What a wonderful picture you paint, and what a good idea.....

[sawfish]

Same for me, my first successful year too. I just grew 7 or 8 rows of different kinds. I think thats the best way, stops you getting bored of one variety too. Tinfoil in the oven for 1 and a half hours and I eat the skins too.

My problem was sowing too early. I sow beginning of June now.

[Jayb]

Cheltenham Greentop are indeed very tasty, but as I've found them slow to mature and not very large roots, I probably won't be growing them again.

[earlypea]

Jayb, I thought they were recommended more for late cropping into the autumn rather than spring sowings.  Could that be why they didn't do too well for you this time?

BTW the earlier offer of choggia seeds for the circle would be nice  :)