[amandaandherveg]

I grew beetroot this year - Golden Detroit and Boltardy.  All germinated well but took forever to grow and didn't reach a decent size.  For next year what do I need to do to beef them up a bit?  :?

I love them roasted, pickled and made into chutney and relish.

[gobs]

Stop looking at them? :?

Go on holiday, when you are back, they are handball sized, if you like that size, that is.

[amandaandherveg]

I went on holiday and they looked the same when I came back.  I still have some in the ground that I planted in May and they're still tiny!

I went to an open garden last month and theirs were huge and my neighbour, who is a Community Nurse was given some from one of her patients yesterday and they're monsters.  She's going to make chutney with them tonight! Humph!

[poppies]

we grow ours in modules, they come on much quicker, we experimented and planted a row straight in the ground  next to a row of module grown ones, the straight sown ones are still only golfball sized and we have eaten the others - worth a try

[gobs]

Sorry. Amanda, I have no clue why they did not grow. I just ignore mine every season.

When did you sow them?

[amandaandherveg]

I grew some in modules started off in the greenhouse and some directly into the ground, made no difference.   :roll:

[peterjf]

GIVE             THEM            PLENTY          OF          ROOM    4


INCHES           APART

[lucywil]

have you picked any? you need to pick some when small to leave room for the others to get bigger

[compostqueen]

I picked some last night for roasting.  I didn't thin mine, should have done, but there were still some whoppers in there

I prefer the small ones though. Golf ball size is fine  

Detroit are lovely and juicy  

[gregmcalister]

I had a similar problem last year with tiny roots but I dug un lots of compost this year before sowing and added a good amount of bonemeal. The difference is huge and the roots are are growing to cricket ball size with some bigger ones.

[Beetroot queen]

yummmmm beetroot

How do you roast it never done that, Not much help on making them bigger got side tracked into talk of eating them instead  :oops:

[jennyb]

best roasted whole on the BBQ  - wrap in foil first tho.

i use the same method for the oven actually.  takes a long time tho unless you microwave for a bit first i find. it kind of steams in the foil.

although last night i peeled first, cut into chunks/wedges put in a dish with some carrot of similar size and roasted.  a lot drier than baking in foil but still as tasty!

[Beetroot queen]

best roasted whole on the BBQ  - wrap in foil first tho.

i use the same method for the oven actually.  takes a long time tho unless you microwave for a bit first i find. it kind of steams in the foil.

although last night i peeled first, cut into chunks/wedges put in a dish with some carrot of similar size and roasted.  a lot drier than baking in foil but still as tasty!

I was always told you couldnt peel beetroot until they were cooked, is it possible I have been taken up the garden path for the last 33 years on this subject LOL  :roll:

[jennyb]

i don't see why you can't... i either do it with a knife or i found a peeler works fine too.  

it's true the skin does come off easily whn cooked but last night i didn't want to be bothering with skinning it once cooked as i wanted to roast the carrots with it. yellow carrots and purple beetroot looked fab together!

[compostqueen]

I peeled mine after I'd roasted the whole tray of veg, but I know what you mean, cos they're red hot  

Where they touched the sweetcorn pieces they turned them a gorgeous colour. The whole thing is a real feast for the eyes as well as the stomach of course