[wellingtons]

... it's called percussive maintenance ...  

[ytyynycefn]

This year I'm trying a variety called Barabietola di Chioggia which I'm hoping will end up pinky white stripy inside...

I'm trying this too, as well as Detroit 2.  I made the mistake of broadcast sowing last year, and ended up with tiny beets that were lovely, but a * to hoe....

[Annie]

I grew choggia and dug up the last one a few weeks ago,unlike the boltardy it had not been touched by slugs.It tasted very good but my brain couldn`t  deal with the colour which was a sort of straw colour with poorly defined pink stripes which I found off putting.Peeling was adelieght tho`,no stained hands.I will grow them again and try to retrainmy brain.

[Trillium]

Glad to read your comments, Annie. I'm growing pink chioggas myself for the first time this year and was curious about the results. Will try to keep my mind open about the colour as well. Wasn't as hard with yellow beets for some reason. Those are lovely cooked, cooled, sliced thin and mixed with red beets in a simple vinaigrette.  

[jennyb]

what depth do you need to sow beetroot in?

[muntjac]

half inch. they need about 6 inches of soil to get down into . 10 inch pot = 5 nice beets round the outside n one in the middle ,potting compost . and a light dilute liquid manure again will do the job  

[jennyb]

well i now have been permitted to use part of the front garden to grow in, by mum.  things is when weeding today i discovered that the drain from next door runs not too far belwo the surface......... but i'm thinking if i dig in enough compost into the area it will give a couple inches more depth to grow in!!

[muntjac]

sow a row then jenny  make it about 3 ft long n sow 20 seeds and then sow another 15 or so close to the first in parralel line  , sow another low about 3 weeks later  

[jennyb]

shall give it a try - although i think i will be continuing to pull up that lily of the valley of a few weeks yet!!  actually i think i've got it all from that section,  and with ratty no longer inhabiting our compost (i think a combination of bait and the trap!) i will see how much compost i can add and see if i can get a decent depth to the bed.

[Trillium]

Jennyb, if you've got lily of the valley there, make sure it's all out first because it's a real thug. I spent several weeks deeply digging out some the previous owner planted, which then ran wildly for over 20M in length and 1M in width. The roots tangled into everything and sucked the soil to dust.  It's worse than couch so dig and pick out every teeny root bit or the battle starts again all too soon.  Mine was so bad that I ended up sieving the soil. Talk about anal work!  :x

[jennyb]

i was thinking of sieving the soil,  as there are lots of other little bits in there as well.

not sure how well it's going to work out planting there as mum reckons we shouldn't plant over the line of this drain.

ahh can but try i guess.

could still get a few beet in front of it tho i reckon

[muntjac]

let the lily come up n    NUKE ITTTT

[wellingtons]

... a prime example of one man's treasure is another man's trash ... what I would give to be able to grow lily of the valley!!

[Annie]

Just what I was thinking Wellies,it`s taken me years to get a little patch established but it refuses to spread.

[GrannieAnnie]

Everytime I try to get some Lilly of hte Valley going, it grows for ayear then dies!!!