[MOLUSC]

One of the old boys on our site said that if i sprinkle salt ("even rocksalt will do") around the beetroot but not on the beetroot it will make it sweeter .
He reasons that beetroot originally grew on the coast and it likes salt.
Any thoughts?
Sounds a bit risky to me.

[Salmo]

Beetroot was originally bred from seaside plants,  Beta maratima wild beet, and will tolerate salt.
I have no idea if salt improves sweetness but it will make your soil sad, especially clay.
If sugar beet crops were being overtaken by weeds farmers used to spray them with a saturated salt solution on a hot day. The weeds were scorched but the beet survived.

[Aunt Sally]

I have always sprinkled a little salt around my beetroot and they are delicious.  Couldn't tell you what they'd be like without though 

[Paul Plots]

I have always sprinkled a little salt around my beetroot and they are delicious.  Couldn't tell you what they'd be like without though 

I'm not so sure I'd want to add salt to my soil.....it'd be costly too if you want to grow a lot of beetroot.

Mine are perfectly sweet - especially if they are harvested small. I think I'd take that advice with a pinch of salt!