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Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:23 am
by JohnN
Is anyone else having a problem with their beetroot (Boltardy) maturing properly? The foliage looks fine and using Enviromesh I seem to have dodged leaf miner, but the actual roots are very small, no bigger than golf ball size, instead of the usual tennis ball. There's time yet, I suppose, but this very dry weather hasn't helped. Should one water them or let them dig for it?!

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:34 pm
by Pa Snip
Ground is so dry here any damp soil is way way below beetroot root depth so I am watering regularly
You are looking for a nice bulbous round beetroot with Boltardy, not ones with long roots that are too thin to be edible.

Water regularly, give the beet a good soak once, then just enough to keep ground moist but not soaking wet

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 2:57 pm
by PLUMPUDDING
Yes beetroot need watering. They don't like it dry. Mine in the greenhouse are swelling nicely. Most of the outdoor sowing have vanished.

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 6:55 pm
by Westi
Ditto - give them a water, you'll note when you pull them there is one deep root but lots of fine hair roots. Don't let the plant waste energy putting that deep root down to the water instead of bulking up. I take mine quite small, smaller than tennis ball to roast in foil with balsamic & herbs, but do let some get bigger to pickle as well.

Westi

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:45 pm
by Pawty
My beetroot are still quite small, but I don't mind as they'll mature at some point and often find they give me a good Autumn crop. I also sowed an additional row quite late. I keep my watered.

Pawty

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:37 pm
by Westi
I'm going to put in a late sowing this week, that will be 4 different ones. I have one I am harvesting, one up & just starting to swell, one just leaves to date with no swelling yet, so one more could see me through if the weather is kind.

Fingers crossed!
Westi

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:52 pm
by robo
Westi have you tried planting more than one maybe a row at a time :lol: :mrgreen:

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 7:19 pm
by Westi
Good one! Finally the problem is solved! :lol:

Westi

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 4:40 pm
by JohnN
And another thing… several of my beetroots are "albino", some totally white, others white with a red skin. Cause? OK to eat??

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 6:12 pm
by oldherbaceous
Evening John, if they were the free Boltardy seeds from KG, i have had the same thing......i did pull the white ones out at an early stage, as i think they look rather insipid when cooked, but the other mix i left and they were fine.....so a mixture of seed, packed as Boltady, i think.

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 7:53 pm
by Pawty
I've planted a rainbow mix of beetroot seeds before. Husband loved the white ones. They were very sweet, but equally could have been a different variety.... I now specifically plant some white ones (sorry, I don't remember the variety).

Pawty

Re: Beetroot maturing

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:40 am
by JohnN
Mine are Johnsons Boltardy, purchased from the Crawley gardening society.