[Solidthegreat]

Short question. what happens if i dont thin beetroot seedlings?

[doubledug]

you get lots and lots of little beetroot fighting for leg room 

[Solidthegreat]

But will they be of an edible size. I am looking for golf ball size ones if possible

[pipfit]

Never thin mine just use the golf ball size ones

[alwayshopeful]

Thinning them is best.  If you dont want to waste the thinnings, you can always transplant them using a tent peg to make quite a deep hole for the root, and watering them in.  the may look a little sorry for themselves at first, but will perk up after a while.  I do this every year with great success (when the badgers dont get to them first!!)

[doubledug]

then you need to thin them but i tend to thin out gradually, rather pull every third or fourth root then you will get baby beets and leave the rest to grow on thining as required

[Redgoat]

I never used to thin but the problem I found was the beets were mishapen.

I tend to thin gradually removing the smaller ones and when I thin the final ones I replant them in between rows thereby maximising the yield.

[Ice]

Thin them so a golf ball will fit inbetween and eat the thinnings.

[sunshineband]

After a bit of a stingy looking row first time round (all now safely eaten  ) I was a bit heavy handed with the seeds and the plants are pressed tight together, so I shall certainly need to thin them a bit

Thinnings'll be good in salasd I hope 

[corynsboy]

I think I've posted something on line about this already but if you are bored with thinning beets you can sow then in modules first. Once the leaves are about an inch high you can transplant them into rows or blocks about four inches apart.

 I've had a 100% success rate (so far) and as I've  using the same module (but not the same compost) I've sown 12 seeds at a time so you you have a couple of weeks gap between sowing and you don't get overrun with beetroot. 

Yes, there is a chance that the beets won't take as they don't like being disturbed but, so far, each seed gets me two or three plants I've separated each root from the cell, cleaned off the compost and planted it individually in blocks.  I would say that the beets do end up with a slightly hairy bottom (oh err) but the still have the decent long tap root and reassuringly look and taste just like beetroot.

If you are still thinning your beets keep hold of the smaller leaves as they are good in salads.  They taste nice and add a great colour.

[JohnB47]

It's my second season of growing Beetroot and I don't bother thinning, as a specific activity that is. As others have suggested, I lift the golfball sized ones to use and that thins them automatically.

Some mis-shapen? Why worry - it's not a beauty contest. Anyway, supermarkets cause enormous waste because 'customers demand uniformly shaped fruit and veg'.  Well,  to that. I'm determined not do do the same on my plot.

Oh I do love a rant occasionally. Feel much better now.

[Redgoat]

It's my second season of growing Beetroot and I don't bother thinning, as a specific activity that is. As others have suggested, I lift the golfball sized ones to use and that thins them automatically.

Some mis-shapen? Why worry - it's not a beauty contest. Anyway, supermarkets cause enormous waste because 'customers demand uniformly shaped fruit and veg'.  Well,  to that. I'm determined not do do the same on my plot.

Oh I do love a rant occasionally. Feel much better now.

I aim to produce for a couple of local shows so mishapen ones are out 

[Zippy]

I station sow mine three to each 3.5 inch pot of peat free compost and plant them out in stations of three. they grow away from each other then as they push each other away. I do this successfully with turnips and swedes as well.

You get smaller veg but we don't get loads of wasteage by growing them on too large and going limp in the fridge.

[cooperman]

I always grow in cells and transplant out when big enough, always works for me.....