Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: steveg1966 on June 18, 2013, 08:22:44

Title: Beetroot bolting
Post by: steveg1966 on June 18, 2013, 08:22:44
My beetroot is starting to bolt and the beetroots are about the size of golf balls is they anything I can do to stop them going to seed so the beetroots will get bigger.
Title: Re: Beetroot bolting
Post by: ed dibbles on June 18, 2013, 17:43:09
You can try pinching the bolting flower stalks off but I would suggest eating what's usable and re-sow. There's still about three weeks left for a decent chance of autumn beets. :happy7:
Title: Re: Beetroot bolting
Post by: ancellsfarmer on June 18, 2013, 20:48:44
Quote from: steveg1966 on June 18, 2013, 08:22:44
My beetroot is starting to bolt and the beetroots are about the size of golf balls is they anything I can do to stop them going to seed so the beetroots will get bigger.
The tendency to bolt (flower prematurely) is indicative of the plants reaction to a stress of some kind, ie it feels the need to reproduce before its dead (anybody know the feeling...?) Could be drought, stony ground, too close to a competitor,disease, virus,damage,  climatic intolerance and I guess , inbalance to nutrients
Title: Re: Beetroot bolting
Post by: Ian Pearson on June 19, 2013, 11:18:10
Were they Boltardy? Any other variety, and early sowings are liable to bolt if they experience cold weather once they come up.