[Brassica Blaz]

hi everyone, i couldn't resist sharing with you my first taste experience of home grown pickled beetroot from my lotty this weekend.initially i wasnt going to bother growing any at all, because i always bought it in jars from the supermarket , but i put a row in because everyone else had some in,and i rarely gave it a second look until i noticed it was the size of a tennis balls.i harvested it with a big smile on my face,bought it home triumphantly and set about cleaning it up ,laying it out on a foiled baking tray with a few cloves of garlic & a few sprigs of rosemary,covered it over & roasted it for 1 1/2 hours,let it cool,slipped of the skins,thickly sliced it (not to mention eating a slice or two drizzeld with balsamic vinegar yumm..) packed it into jars with vinegar and waited... until today when i couldnt resist trying it and its fantastic.i still have half a jar of the shop bought  and tasted it at the side of it.and guess what yep its now in the bin never to be bought again .i am now in the process of planting another 3 rows its a packet of "cylindra " the last lot was "boltardy"  it will be ready for autumn harvest,and will be in jars for crimbo cant wait, i wish i'd grown some more now(lesson learnt) hope the rest of my stuff will taste as good!! has any body grown  the cylindra vareity?

[AndyRVTR]

WOW!!.... that sounds amazing... I think my OH will be tryng this method 

[Lee G]

I know exactly what you mean, I only grew about a dozen last year but loved it so much I've done 2 sowings of 4 different varieties, probably around 200 plants if the 2nd lot germinate as well as the first lot 

[Lardman]

All round your place for dinner then?

I was late to discover fresh beetroot, having been brought up on supermarket pickled stuff. Have to admit not many of mine make it beyond the kitchen let alone into pickling jars. I like them just boiled and eaten like an apple. If you pull them the size of an egg they're so nice its a shame to do anything to them.

[azubah]

What is your secret? Our beetroot are tiny and looking sick. They never germinate very well or grow very fast. I don't  think we have had any larger than a golf ball ever even in a good year.

[beansticks]

Golf ball size is fine,i love beetroot, and fortunately i am fairly successful at growing it.

[maxie]

I love beetroot myself but after spending a good bit of time boiling and pickling it all one year,for most of it to end up going off  i now store it in peat in the shed and just do a boil when i need it,it lasts right through till the next years is ready.
If only i could sort my pickled onions out as well 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Well I thought this sounded great and decided to give it a go.

Amazing!!! And pickled beetroot is not usually my favourite thing. Definately be making a lot more of this next year.

[purplejaguar]

I love beetroot myself but after spending a good bit of time boiling and pickling it all one year,for most of it to end up going off  i now store it in peat in the shed and just do a boil when i need it,it lasts right through till the next years is ready.
If only i could sort my pickled onions out as well 

Fresh beetroot is absolutely gorgeous, I love the stuff and not much gets as far as the pickling jars lol  .

Can other root veg be stored in dry compost as well?? Also, does it not go off or wrinkly with being in the shed in the warmer months? Thanks  .

[maxie]

Not compost mate ..peat..i havent a clue if you can store it in compost,but the peat has lasted for years 
To be honest it will not be as soft and juicy as the fresh stuff you boil now,but it is still perfectly good beetroot in May,take it from a year round beetroot eater,i havent bought any bottled beetroot for about five years now.
Im sure carrots would be ok this way as well.

[purplejaguar]

Thanks Maxie, maybe I will pickle some beetroot as well then  .

[Parsnip]

I've grown it for the first time this year.. It's not quite ready to harvest, but I shall be pickling some and then making beetroot chutney with the rest..

[yummy]

After three years of trying we finally got some beetroot this week. I bought two chioggia home, sliced em and shoved in straight in a cheese sandwich 

[sazzy123]

I dug up 2nd lot of beetroot today, all a bit smaller than golf ball sized but yummy!  going to pickle it tomorrow....

1st lot pickled and o/h has just finished it off tonight.... im not allowed to buy shop stuff anymore so i have planted loads more in tray and spaces......

how long does it last once you pickle it??  and can it be stored in compost in the shed or does it have to be peat?

[potty sue]

It's great to see that other members are successful at growing beetroots. It's a very different story in our garden. They never seem to grow beyond a plumpish looking root ..... same goes for radishes. Opted for the Boltardy variety of beets this year ... same old thing.    .... They were sown inside a large cold frame in full sun and partial shade. The only thing I can come up with is that our entire garden is surrounded by very large trees who's roots probably extend over most of the garden .... just a thought, I could be way off.