Allotments 4 All

I have been reading conflicting advice about planting beetroot. Some say avoid manured ground, other say it is OK. So what do you do and what are the reasons for avoiding manure if you do so?

Thanks

Jerry

Last year, I sowed as an after thought on freshly manured - and beetroot was one of my successes. But have also read the advice and was going to sow on un-fresh this year...

sb

Hi Jerry...I have found beetroot to be unfussy,I rotate my crops each year and my beet crop has found itself on a variety of soils over the years but has still cropped well.Last year I changed my variety from Boltardy to Ferono...much nicer :) Alan

Havn't had access to reliable horse manure for several years so now my answer would be unmanured.  However, in the past beetroot has been moved around lottie whether in manured or unmanured ground - no memorable difference.

Mine would go anywhere - they seem to be very unfussy and friendly, happy with either?  And yes, I like Forono too :)

All best - Gavin

What are we coming to??

In the Co-op today, cooked beetroot with added saccharin!!

I sow in spring in land that I mulched with seaweed in the autumn - they did very well last year

Thanks all, seems they are happy in either situation hence the conflicting advice out there.

Not grown them for years as did not have room, this year there will be a row at the allotment. Looking foward to roasted beetroot with a touch of walnut oil! Yum!

Jerry

Jerry,

that sounds very nice....do you roast them in ordinary oil then drizzle with walnut oil afterwards?   :P

TimJ

Quote from: TimJ on February 24, 2005, 11:26:12
Jerry,

that sounds very nice....do you roast them in ordinary oil then drizzle with walnut oil afterwards?   :P

TimJ

Roast them or rather bake them really I suppose, I used to wrap them in foil in their skins and bake until a  knife slips through easily. Then remove the skin. Break them up a little and add a splash of walnut oil and maybe a bit of butter if feeling naughty.

Jerry

Hi Jerry      Extract from  Vegetable and Herb Expert Dr. D.G. Hessayon. 8)

Soil Facts: Pick a Sunny Spot and dig in Autumn or early winter-add peat or well rotted compost. If the Humus content is low.

Apply lime if the soil is known to be acid.

In spring prepare the seed bed- rake in growmore fertilizer 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Hope thats a Help Jerry ???

Mike :)

FWIW I tend to start mine multi-seeded in modules., partly because I use a thick mulch on some of the beds, and (in theory) to get a succession of them.

Jeremy.

We have always found it very easy to grow beetroot, but then we live at the coast (they supposedly like saltiness in the air/soil, I think).  We have always grown them in unmanured soil and like a lot of people here have found them very unfussy.  Just plant the seeds in the ground. I also replant the thinnings and they take very well.  Our most successfuly crop usually.  :) busy_lizzie

Jerry  -  I've never had roasted beetroot before but it sounds fantastic!  I have never grown it before but I have my seed (Detroit something or other) and I'm raring to go.  Weather permitting natch.  I have some walnut oil already so can't wait to get cooking.  I bought fresh, cooked beetroot, just tossed in sweet vinegar from Tesco last summer (from Spain apparently) but it was lovely so I'm inspired to grow my own.  Plus another lotty holder gave me some he'd grown.  I'd never before cooked it myself but I didn't know what I'd been missing.  Love it with mayo

Ta for the tip  :)

Mmmm - baked beetroot is lovely; like the idea of walnut oil - I'll give that a go :) !

Another use for beetroot -  peel and grate raw beetroot (2 parts), and mix in some grated apple (1 part); a simple (yes, it is that simple!) salad, where sweetness and earthiness complement each other deliciously.

All best - Gavin

Quote from: tim on February 23, 2005, 19:30:04
What are we coming to??

In the Co-op today, cooked beetroot with added saccharin!!

WHAT!!!!

Roast beetroot is lovely (as is beetroot wine). Borscht is nice, but perhaps not with the Chioggia types as the colour doesn't quite look right!

i must be dead common - i just like cheese and beetroot sandwiches!  i've always just boiled it till the skin rubs off, then eat them still warm.  you can always keep any leftovers in a jar with some sweetened vinegar... if you get any leftovers, of course!

Frannie :)
Also nice with Thinly sliced apple and Cheese Try It ;)

My first crop of Beetroot was grown on unmanured soil.  It was a good crop but as it was my first crop I had nothing to compare it with, so I shall see how it does on manured soil.

I love eating Beetroot, but it does turn the old 'waterworks' a bright red if you eat too much :o

Lily

Mine go wherever I have space!  ::)  Warm beetroot, delish, roast beetroot, yum, raw beetroot, scrummy, beetroot leaves, spicey....and what strange and colourful things it can do to certain things a few hours later!  :o

Just harvested some beetroot and searched to find out about roasting tips.  Got the oven hot so just about to start.  Can't wait  ;D

I am just harvesting some of my first crop and I have been told to harvest early and thin especially in dry weather. I like the idea of replanting the thinnings. I used to hate beetroot as a lad but now my own are scrumpsious!!!!If I can grow them anyone can. 8)

You want to try grating it and mixing it with carrot after a while looks amazing!!!

Beetroot in sweetened  vinegar - try adding a small handful of chopped tarragon wow what a taste!

Flowerlady  - Ta for the tarragon tip.  I cooked some in my micro and then dipped it in sweetened vinegar but wasn't mad on it as I think raspberry vinegar would be better than malt :)  I shall try the tarragon though as I have some in the garden

I did the roast beetroot with olive oil, thyme, whole unpeeled garlic and red onion.  Peeled after cooking which is a bit messy.  They were very sweet and delicious.

Eating too much beetroot, which I did yesterday, has unfortunate side effects  ;D

its all about taste they love it !!! 

i make sure my potatoes bath it in for all of there life lol

carl

Not being used to preparing foods in the oven as much as you do in England, I boil the whole beetroots till done (30 minutes orso), cool in cold water, peel them and cut them in bite size chunks or grate coarsely, like chips.
I usually do a big lot at the same time, set aside what I need for dinner and pack the rest in portions to freeze.
I reheat in boiling water, pour almost all water off, add finely chopped unions, some butter and then slightly thicken it with a little cornstarch disolved in a table spoon vinagre.
For a salad, I mix cold beetroot with any kind of salad dressing, if I have apples I add chunks of those or pieces of boiled potatoes, pieces of sour, pickled herring are really nice in beetroot salad too.