[Natasha _38]

Can anyone tell me where I've gone wrong with my beetoots? They should be ready for harvesting now but are still really small. Other websites advise that these are really easy to grow so I'm not sure where I've gone wrong.
I planted several rows in at the end of July; one row may have been overshadowed by the radishes I planted (I think they were Hils Baluer & they are really leafy) & the other rows near some carrots.  As they were all root vegetable I thought they would be ok together. The carrots are doing well & the radishes are huge.
We do have a bit of a problem with a tree providing shade over some of the plot so could understand if some in this area were smaller than expected. The leafy tops looked very nice (we used a few sparingly in salads) - maybe I over watered/fed them ? Could this be the case? I just want to know what I've done wrong so i don't make the same mistake next year s as I love beertroot!

[scabs]

Hi Natasha,

I'm not sure what the problem is but I watch the responses with interest - I had a terrible time with beetroot this year after trying three or four varieties and only having one respectable crop.

Roll on spring!
 

[peterjf]

watering and feed are the prob i think

[arugula]

I might tend to blame the weather  . Our beetroot harvest was pretty poor this year (small fruits and few in number) and its normally bumper to say the least  .

Lorna.

[gypsy]

The beetroots that I planted in June were fantastic  but I planted 2 lots in july and neither of them were any good, I just pulled the 3rd lot out this morning, they were really tiny roots. My theory is that our July and August weather was the problem, not enough sunshine, my neighbour had the same problem. We sowed boltardy ones. Catherine

[Salmo]

Beetroot sown as late as this always depends on good weather to produce a crop. It was very dry in East Anglia through August and September and however well they are watered you cannot beat a bit of proper rain.

PS. I sowed some at the beginning of July and they are wonderful, but they had 2 weeks of rain to help them.

[RichardA]

July is a bit late, we have (North Lincolnshire) had several rows come very well this year (all Boltardy) but last row in were small and I put it down to not thinning properly (lots of other jobs to do - my excuse) and dry conditions. Early rows came to a good size at 3 to 5 inches across. All have pickled well but little ones at 1 to 2 inches across whilst tasty when pickled as baby beet were a bit fiddly.

[MoreWhisky]

I did 3 sowings of beetroot this yr , the first 2 where fantastic but this third crop im using now is very poor compared to others.

[DD.]

Likewise, my last sowing is rubbish.

It's just the time of year & the related growing conditions.

[Elcie]

Same for me.  The last sowing didn't come to much.  I started sowing quite early this year under protection and they were great.  As were the next two or three sowings.  Just the last one was a bit sad.

[viettaclark]

My late ones are also small. They have been fed and watered and this rain should help. Is it possible to cloche them to speed things up?

[NASH]

I sowed mine in early April and I dont use to many so I have had a long cropping season off them, I added Blood Fish and Bone at sowing stage and I have at the moment 1" to 6" roots.

[Riala]

My beetroot, actually... all my harvest were small this year, or not harvestable at all.

Beets were about 2-3cms across, carrots about the same, 3-5cms long, sweetcorn, out of 14, only 2 were edible, toms got blight, lettuce was perfect, beans were a poor crop.

I blame the weather.

[Natasha _38]

I have ordered some fleece so will try & put the best of them under this. One row was mainly just leaves, a tiny root on them but I didn't let go to waste & we mixed in with some spinach as part of last nights roast dinner!
I think I read somewhere on the forum about soaking the seeds prior to planting; it didn't say this on the seed packet so I didn't do, maybe worth trying for next years crop. I think we'll probably have a few tiny beets which is better than nothing.