[pol and mick]

Purchased 20 Beetroot Plants from Thompson & Morgan.
Planted them out today. No problem with the plants they look nice and healthy.
Once i had planted them. My hubby questioned if we should have planted each plug as a whole plug, which is what we done. Or divided each plug into separate plants which my hubby decided to do to 1 plug when my back was turned. After he separated a plug he had 10 individual seedlings which he planted individually.
My question is should i plant each of the plugs whole which is what i have done at the moment.
Or should i separate each plug and replant each seedlings, which i guess would make approx. 200 plants if i separated each plug.
Hope your not confused.

[Yorkie]

Don't know the answer, sorry, but did T&M describe them as 10 seedlings or 200?

[hindy]

I'd go with your hubby on this one. Each plant will grow into a large root and will need room, if each plug has about 10 seedings in you will end up losing a lot of plants.

[garddwr]

Hello,

What I would say is if there were 10 individual seedlings in each plug I would split them and plant out 3inch apart because if you would have sown direct this is what you would thin them to and with beetroot one seedling is one beetroot so this is what I would do but I'm sure you'll get different suggestions

[mumofstig]

Plants by post Beetroot
The vegetable plants are supplied as multi-sown cell grown plants that are ready to plant out into your garden or allotment. Although you may split the plug up into individual plants if you prefer, we suggest that you plant the plug as a whole as the beets will push away from each other as they grow.

Looks like it's up to you!!

[pol and mick]

Thank you all for the advice given so far. Hubby reckons we should do 50/50.
Leave some plugs whole and slit some of the others.
Might be a good experiment. We can only learn by our mistakes.

[Paul Plots]

I don't think you can make a mistake with this. I grow beetroot in very tiny individual cells and then plant out. This mostly works out as one plant per spot but, where there are several in a cell I put them in as they are.

As they grow they do, as it says elsewhere, push each other to make a space of their own. Once large enough you can thin out by pulling the larger beets leaving the rest to grow on and eating everything you pull. 

Happy growing 

[Faz]

I am with learner on this one. I have found beetroot to be fine when planted together - they simply push each other out of the way and they are easy to thin out when they reach an edible size without disturbing the other plants too much.

[Rangerkris]

When is beetroot ready to harvest, how do i know some are about 1.5 inch across

[barney rubble]

When is beetroot ready to harvest, how do i know some are about 1.5 inch across

You can probably harvest them now as baby beets, but leave them in for longer if you want more for your time effort and money!

[Faz]

Don't let them get massive though as they can get woody - some types are more prone to this than others, your seed packet may provide some guidance on this.

[Paul Plots]

If it were me I'd buy a packet of seed and sow in either 3" pots or, better still, in small cells. (Easier to plant out in small lots). This way you will have a few more to plant out and keep you going with small, sweet beetroot through till autumn. They are easy and cheap to grow from seed. 

That way you can use up the ones you have in the ground while they remain not too big as they can get a bit woody if some are left right through to the end of autumn. Just use them when you want them - you may well even have enough to give some away!! 

[Kristen]

I think I would be reluctant to split up a cell because the root disturbance may induce bolting.

Ten per cell is a lot though!

Pick some young to leave room for the others to develop.

[diggerjoe]

I grew mine in cells last year and they were great even when there were 3 to 4 per cell - this year trying direct and cells to try and get beets through the season - cells  planted so far seem to be ok even though they they had suffered by being almost drowned.

[Goosegirl]

I have to agree with Kristen that disturbing the roots may affect the end result; however, you are doing a trial so we may be proved wrong. I sow mine in small modules then nip out to leave one seedling in each, then plant out when appropriate. So far, it has worked. 200 beetroot seems a lot so you may have paid for plants you have to throw away in the end. See how it goes.