[Rexmundi]

I have sown beetroot in small cells and they have been under a plastic cloche for the past couple of weeks and (woo hoo) they have started to germinate!  Plan to put them into raised beds when they are big enough.

This is my first time at growing beetroot, does any of you lovely people have any useful advice for me?

Thanks

[snowdrops]

Stick 'em in & harvest when they are the size you want .

[Fairy Plotmother]

Snap what Snowy says  they are easy peasy.

[Rexmundi]

Thanks, I'd be grateful to know if they need any feeding? And what size would you expect them to grow to - is there a variation in size depending on variety or are they all the same?

Cheers

[AnneB]

Thanks, I'd be grateful to know if they need any feeding? And what size would you expect them to grow to - is there a variation in size depending on variety or are they all the same?

Cheers

I have never fed my beetroot with anything, but the soil is in good condition before I sow (I sow direct now due to lack of space for things in cells and pots).  Beetroot do vary a lot in size and shape.   This year I am growing 4 varieties,  Chioggia, Touchstone Gold and Sanguina.  All of these are  'standard ' beetroot size.  I am also growing Dobbie's Purple from the Heritage Seed Library.  This is an absolute monster, being like a giant thick parsnip when mature.   It's not woody though and extremely tasty. 

[Fairy Plotmother]

I think they are mostly the same size. I put growmore down prior to sowing and don't bother with them other than watering. You can start to harvest when they are the size of a golf ball. I try to harvest them before they get as big as a cricket ball as they seem to me to be a bit tough then.

[AnneB]

I think they are mostly the same size. I put growmore down prior to sowing and don't bother with them other than watering. You can start to harvest when they are the size of a golf ball. I try to harvest them before they get as big as a cricket ball as they seem to me to be a bit tough then.

It does depend on variety though.  I agree most are standard size and are best eaten before they grow too big, but there are some, such as the Dobbie's Purple I grow, that grow very large without getting tough or woody.  It pays to be aware of any particular traits of the variety you are growing.

[Fairy Plotmother]

yep. I get your drift. you should always take note of the variety. I would say I was speaking of basic beetroot.
Start from basic and work your way up!!!!!

[Hampshire Hog]

Beetroot are normally pretty well behaved. As per mentions already you can get different sizes with a general rule of the bigger they are the tougher. One thing I would suggest is to cook them in a pressure cooker this results in a massively reduced cooking time. I find even the big ones are good if well cooked this way.

Cheers HH

[Fairy Plotmother]

You can cook them in the microwave as well!

[tosca100]

You can always look up your variety on line, that should tell you how big they should be. I grow three 'normal'sized ones and a long one, but bought some local ones the other day that were so big I could only get four in my chutney pan to boil. But although stored since last year they were tender and tasty and made the most delicious chutney to go with cottage cheese, even pinched some plain boiled for a salad. So definitely depends on vriety.

Personally I pick at golf ball size, less for pickling whole, and have always direct sown, even in the UK. The ground is what it's given, it seems quite adaptable.

[Growster...]

I find that beetroot sometimes germinates erratically, but this is fine, because I can sow more seed in succession in the gaps!

Last season, some eventually got to about five inches across, which was far too big, but the earlier ones were golf-ball size, and picked well!

[Robster]

Beetroot right up there as a top treat from the plot.  Can't wait, small and sweet.