Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: newseed on June 09, 2008, 14:39

Title: beetroot
Post by: newseed on June 09, 2008, 14:39
I planted my beetroot in early March and the leaves are looking big and strong so I thought after 3 months I might have at least a baby beetroot but having just up rooted a plant there is nothing there :cry: the carrots are the same :cry: so all looks good above ground but nothing is happening below :? Any ideas where I went wrong or am I expecting to much to soon?
Title: beetroot
Post by: Arls0308 on June 09, 2008, 15:12
Hi,

I'm sorry I'm not answering your question Newseed, but adding one of my own. I planted my beetroot at the end of March in stations of 3 and the foliage is now about 4-6 inches high. Should I pick the other 2 seedlings out now, or wait till they're a bit bigger. Also, do the seedlings transplant well if I wanted to put them somewhere else?

Cheers,
Arls
Title: beetroot
Post by: DD. on June 09, 2008, 15:39
I'd give them a little longer to fill out, you'll see the young beet just above the soil surface, so you'll know if they're there or not.

As for the others, this is a personal thing, I would thin them out, but at that size, I doubt if the thinnings would transplant as they will have suffered a lot of root disturbance.
Title: beetroot
Post by: VickyR on June 09, 2008, 16:33
Hi

I had a similar problem last year - seems that the beets like a nice rich soil so plenty of manure and compost in Autumn seems to have worked better this time. But, they do say the smaller ones taste the best!   :lol:
Title: beetroot
Post by: newseed on June 09, 2008, 22:12
Thanks everyone, I'll just wait a little longer and keep everything crossed.
I have noticed tonight that some of my tomato leaves are starting to curl up but I can't see any bugs on them.  I'll have a search on the forum tomorrow to see if anyone has any tomato growing advice. :)
Title: beetroot
Post by: noshed on June 09, 2008, 22:22
Young beetroot leaves are nice in salad so you can eat the thinnings.
Title: beetroot
Post by: sharky on June 09, 2008, 22:22
My beets have got the same problem, I thought  they might bulb up the same time as my so far non-productive onions, but I am worried now....  :(
Title: beetroot
Post by: newseed on June 09, 2008, 22:30
You and me both! I didn't mention my onions had no bulbs.  I did have a courgette (yes just the one) but some little creature has already eaten it. :x  Who said this grow your own was easy.  :roll:
Title: beetroot
Post by: DD. on June 09, 2008, 22:40
Quote from: "newseed"
Thanks everyone, I'll just wait a little longer and keep everything crossed.
I have noticed tonight that some of my tomato leaves are starting to curl up but I can't see any bugs on them.  I'll have a search on the forum tomorrow to see if anyone has any tomato growing advice. :)

Tomato leaf curl is quite common & nothing to worry about unless accompanied by other symptoms.
Title: beetroot
Post by: gobs on June 10, 2008, 08:00
Is it summer or winter onions we are talking about? I should think there is plenty of time for the first yet, same for beetroot.
Title: Re: beetroot
Post by: Gardeningguru on June 10, 2008, 10:40
Quote from: "newseed"
I planted my beetroot in early March and the leaves are looking big and strong so I thought after 3 months I might have at least a baby beetroot but having just up rooted a plant there is nothing there :cry: the carrots are the same :cry: so all looks good above ground but nothing is happening below :? Any ideas where I went wrong or am I expecting to much to soon?



Beetroot can be transplanted,  I started mine off indoors very early in January and then planted the two inch seedlings into containers.  (an they dont have to be too deep, since beetroot is a surface rooter).
In contrast to carrots, unless you want corkscrews!  

In spring at the allotment,  I sowed them straight into the ground and thinned down accordingly.  The container ones are ready now but im not expecting anything from the lotty for a few extra weeks at least.

I understand that if you over water them, you will get excess vigorous leafy tops, and less bulb.  I would say in your case, I would just wait more time and the bulbs will form, and you will see them no need to keep ripping them out  :)

By the way, the leaves from young beetroot are delicious in salads, so I let the (destined to be) thinnings grow on a fair bit where possible, before pulling them.
Title: beetroot
Post by: Aunt Sally on June 10, 2008, 10:54
Quote from: "DD."
Quote from: "newseed"
Thanks everyone, I'll just wait a little longer and keep everything crossed.
I have noticed tonight that some of my tomato leaves are starting to curl up but I can't see any bugs on them.  I'll have a search on the forum tomorrow to see if anyone has any tomato growing advice. :)

Tomato leaf curl is quite common & nothing to worry about unless accompanied by other symptoms.


They'll probably grow out of it after a while too and produce normal leaves again.