Beetroot from seed.

[sarahscottdavies]

I get so frustrated with beetroot. I have had years where i.ve had wonderful gluts. But whilst people say it is almost impossible to fail with beetroot, i've always found that most years i get at least one entire batch (i normally sow at least three to four batches a yr) that will grow to a seedling, produce 2 leaves and then stubbornly fail to grow anymore. Despite the fact it will be the same seed type grown in the same way in the same soil. And i have found i am not the only one. I've have friends who say they don't bother with beetroot as they just can't seem to grow it...it seems it is not as fail safe as people make out. Thinking about it perhaps the only variable is the weather, the earlier ones produce lovely round bulbs,, the summer and autumn ones either don't get passed the seedling stage, (although they don't die they just sit in the soil the same size for months until i eventually pull them up), or they grow good leaves but when you investigate under the soil you find they haven't formed into a bulb. Can anyone shed any light on this observation?

[Johnboy]

Hi Sarah,
Inadvertently you almost answered you own question because the plants are not getting enough light. I suspect that your trouble may lie with the shortening days.
I have never tried to grow Beetroot at the back end of the year but suggest you might try growing a double batch with an earlier sowing.
By the tone of your posting you prefer small round ones and if you grow the last batch with one half very close sown. Growing very tight and not thinning may just be what you are after. Working on the assumption that the fittest will prevail and these might be exactly what you are after.
JB.

[glallotments]

Rather than pull them up you could always use the leaves in salads.

[alan refail]

Hi Sarah

A couple of years ago I sowed beetroot late summer and experienced precisely what you describe.

I suggest this is what is happening:

Like other plants, beetroot have one function and that is to produce seed and perpetuate the species. To produce good seed in their second year they need a good root to overwinter. As Johnboy suggests, the light levels are important in producing this. If they can't grow to a reasonable size they simply stop, overwinter and produce a poor seed head the following spring.

[sarahscottdavies]

Yes this is interesting. The reason I didn't think of day length is because this yr i started my first batch in deepest darkest feb in a hot bed in the greenhouse and they grew very successfully, harvested in May. More specifically, I wonder do they grow better whilst hours of daylight are increasing in the first half of year than decreasing daylight in second half.

[Nature's Babe]

A belated welcome to the forum Sarah, I missed your first post, but enjoyed reading it. I am interested to learn more about your hotbed in the greenhouse, I am guessing that your beetroot were finnished quite early ? How does that fit iin with other later crops like tomatoes and peppers? I had actually been considering a hotbed under a cold frame which would leave the greenhouse free. Does it need to be fresh manure to get the heat? If so how does that affect follow on crops? Excuse my ignorance but I wish to learn. Our local supermarket had an unusual beetroot and I bought some to see if it was worth buying seed of it, they were orangy coloured roots with loads of green leaf in excellent condition, the leaves made a tasty greens like spinach and the roots tasted just like normal beetroot, very good value beet and greens for £1.45 if I can find the same variety i will be growing some next year.

[oldherbaceous]

I think it definately has more to do with weather conditions than day length. My reason for saying this is because, i have had this same problem with the three sowings i make each year, over the years.
And it has happened at any of the three sowings times, it can be the early, mid, or late sowing.

So, i think it has a lot to do with a poor root funtion at seedling stage, either from getting to dry, or to wet for that matter. I have found that in dry years it helps to take out a shallow drill next to the row of beetroot, and water into this.
And in very wet years, try to keep the soil aerated a little.
If you can sow when showery weather is predicted will help.

Aphids under the seedling leaves, are often worth checking for too.

[sarahscottdavies]

Yes fresh manure is the order of the day, we have an abundance of fresh chicken manure at home, you won't believe how much 2 little birds can produce!! Over that i put a mix of my homemade compost and some general purpose compost and planted the beetroot seeds direct in that. This was in the greenhouse and as extra protection i put a polythene cloche over them too till it warmed up. Its the first yr i've tried it. They weren't ready early enough to replace with my toms, but luckily i had another big container for them. in the end the harvesting time coincided lovely with planting my melon plants, so in they went..i'm guessing the manure has pretty much rotted down now, but the melon plants are loving it all the same

I'm beginning to think beetroot seeds are just fickel little things!!

[Nature's Babe]

Yes, that's a good idea, I usually plant melons and cucumbers, that would suit them too. I do believe you, I also keep chickens and ducks, mostly indian runners.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I think the main problem with beetroot not growing is lack of water. Swedes are the same. If they get off to a good start and not let dry out at the seedling stage they are usually OK.