[viettaclark]

I've got some beetroot seedlings ready to go in and wondered if anyone can help with answers to these questions? I've never tried growing it before but it's so delicious fresh and everyone seems to do alright with it.....
!. Will it like freshly manured soil....(I ask because carrots don't)
2. Do slugs like it? Butterflies don't seem to!
3. Can you eat the greens?
4. Can I plant quite closely and thin out for baby beet?
5.When will they be ready...cloched/uncloched?
Sorry if this info.is elsewhere on the site. Hope one of you lottie experts can help please!

[Novice but totally hooked]

I'm no expert and I'm sure you'll get more qualified replies than mine but for what it's worth (and some of your questions I don't know the answers to).

I wouldn't plant them too closely as they tend to push each other out of the soil.  I usually plant direct into the gound (why didn't you do that?) and then thin out to about 4 or 5 inches apart.  The ones I thin out I replant as another row (can't stand wasting them LOL) and then water well in.  Within a couple of days they've perked up and done well.

If you want baby beet just pull them early before they get too big.

Shouldn't think you need them under cloches as they do well al fresco.

[viettaclark]

Didn't sow direct because sugar peas in there but now peas are finished I can plant in beet  seedlings and they'll get a good start! (Am I doing this right?)

[Yorkie]

Worth a try!

Might also be worth protecting against slugs, as I lost all my second sowing 

[Faz]

I germinated mine in modules this year and they did as well as when directly sown last year.

It is a good idea to thin them out a bit for baby beets, as if they lift out of the ground too much I find they tend to get a bit woody and thick skinned on the top half.

[Plottered]

is it to late to direct sew some now or not?

[Terrier]

I lost my first two sowings of beetroot this year to what I thought was slug damage, In fact it was birds eating the young shoots. I caged the third sowing and they are OK. I also sowed some more about two weeks ago but it's getting a bit late now so I don't expect them to get very big, but it is always worth a try (if you don't sow, they won't grow).

[savbo]

the tops are lovely as greens - if some bolt the greens are still OK even if the roots are woody...

[viettaclark]

That's all my questions answered  :Dexcept for the manuring. Just need to know whether to pile in some horse muck! I'm sure I read somewhere that carrots don't like a recently manured bed and they're roots too?
Thank-you so much everyone.