[gavinjconway]

Hi Guys 'n Gals - I want to try beetroot in modules this year as I had a terrible germination at the plot this year.. My question is:  From one seed cluster that I grow per module I will obviously get a few plants... so how do I plant them out when they are ready. The exercise is also aimed at making it easier to plant out - ideally the plan is to dib a hole and plonk the module in - simples..

[mumofstig]

That works, easy! you just get smaller roots that push themselves apart 

Not so good if you want whoppers for autumn storage though.

[arugula]

That works, easy! you just get smaller roots that push themselves apart 

Quite. And take them as thinnings. I'm still doing this and some are getting to a decent size now.

[gavinjconway]

Not wanting monsters... just bottling size.. was just worried about the number of plants per cell..

[sunshineband]

I grew mine in modules, and got between two and five plants per 'seed', and they have been very good.

They were the round Boltardy.

Still got some to eat too 

Last year I had some cylindrical ones grown in the same way and they were very successful too

[gavinjconway]

Thanks Sunny...

[sunshineband]

Thanks Sunny...

You're very welcome Gavin 

[arugula]

Last year I had some cylindrical ones grown in the same way and they were very successful too

One of the types we are growing this year, very successful like this.

[compostqueen]

I sowed my Detroit beetroot seed singly into peat free Jiffy type mini pellets from Wilko (unheated greenhouse in late March) and they have done very well for me

[sunshineband]

and if anyone shold know about beetroot this year, it is Compostqueen 

She has masses and masses of them 

[Madame Cholet]

I grew some bulls blood in modules which I uesd to fill in the gaps where they didn't germinate the modules work well.

[allotmentann]

I tried an experiment with beetroot earlier this year. I  read in Joy Larkcom's book that some old gardeners sowed seeds into used teabags. I tried this with beetroot, (I also sowed some of the same seed in trays in the polytunnel at the same time - which didn't germinate), and I got 100% germination. A little fiddly to sow, but it worked amazingly well and I transplanted the germinated seed including the bag into a bigger pot to grow on before planting out. I am planning to experiment with other seeds in the spring

[surbie100]

Ann, how do you do this - scissor open the top and bung in a seed or something more complicated? Sounds like a really good idea and we get through stacks of tea....

[chrissie B]

that is a good idea we also get through some tea .

i did beetroot for the first time i bought my seedlings and they grew well i thought not massive i have to say and some of them the centre stalk was solid as a rock and so was that beetroot , have i done something wrong
chrissie b

[stompy]

I tried beets in cells to try to get an earlier crop, to an extent it worked and i got good germination and good beets.

I have always had good luck with beets, i used to soak the seed capsule in water the night before until sowing, they used to germinate within a week and i very rarely got gaps, i used to sow them 2" apart and thin them as they grew eating the small ones in salads and storeing the larger ones at the end of the season

The key with beets that i have found it soaking them the night before as the seed pod takes quite a bit of water to soften it so the seeds can push through.

Andy