Kitchen Garden Forum

Last year I had a very bad beetroot crop and leeks as well. I was told by an old allotment chappie to sow the seeds in small modules to plant out when it was slightly warmer. Has anyone else done this or is it better to plant straight in the ground when the weather is right? I thought beetroot would not transplant.

My leeks just did not grow and they are still the same size (I have not pulled them out yet as the bed is still very wet) as when I planted them? Is there anything I could do better this year?

Hi Catherine

I have grown beetroot in modules but have had a better crop from direct sown crops. Last year was a very odd year with all the rain, you may do better this year just doing the same thing. I'm sure there are others on here who will advise you.

As for the leeks, I always grow these in a pot in the greenhouse. When they are 4-6 inches high I shake them out of the pot and transplant into another big pot. I dib a deep hole and drop the leek into the hole, filling the pot and giving each leek about an inch of space all round.

When they are pencil thickness I plant them outside. Again, I dib a hole as deep as you can, drop in the leek and fill with water, not soil.

Good luck

Thanks Chantal I will try that. We have decided not to do onions this year so I will have more room for other crops and my husband loves beetroot. (I dont eat it something to do with my childhood). I love leeks.

I grow beetroot in rootrainers in singles and also multiples, in which case you get varying sizes of beetroot. They transplant without difficulty.
I sow the leeks in deep pots (lots of them, close together). when they are about 10cm high and the roots niecely matted, I plant the whole potful (in the shape of the pot but without the pot, if you know what I mean) outside under a cloche (usually where the seed-grown onions are already planted) and then, when pencil thick, proceed like Chantal.

I've always sown leeks direct into the ground. They seem to make space for themselves. Then I plant them in their final positions in June/July regardless of thickness, in the space freed up as I dig early potatoes. As they seem to grow throughout the winter I've always got some good sized ones right through til Spring. My really small ones are a nice size now and haven't started to go woody yet.
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Granny

If you sow beetroot into modules, make sure it never gets too dry or they will be ruined. Keep them just moist until you transplant them and they should be fine, but I do find the ones sown directly outside do much better.

Leeks are very adaptable and put up with anything (within reason) you want to do to them and still produce a good crop. I usually start them in a pot or deep seed tray so they don't need attention too soon, and when they are large enough dib a hole and drop them in and water them in the traditional way.

By the way, don't bother with all the snipping tops and roots that some books suggest, it is a total waste of time, and why damage a plant that is growing nicely anyway?

Thanks for that it is very helpful. I have just spent the afternoon planting seeds in the shed between hail showers. I have sown beetroot into a seed tray today and plan to do some more tomorrow. So I will try what you have all suggested. Many thanks again.

hello Catherine,

Beetroot like carrots, I sow them about 4 times during each season.
This gives me lots of "young" carrots and beetroot, rather than large woody ones.

Ps; and less carrot fly damage!

Cheers

I soak the seed for approx 1 hr before planting in a seed tray. The seed has a germination inhibitor coating, but if you soak first you will get 100% germination.

I never use root trainers, just any old seed tray or any old pot and they are always brilliant. I usually grow Boltardy.

Hope this helps

I sow my leeks in the deeper plastic supermarket containers which contain tomatoes or grapes and don't bother to pot them on into larger pots. When they're about 5 or 6 inches high I plant them straight out into their final positions using my leek hole dibber. They do look very fragile and vulnerable at this point but I always water them in and find they get off to a pretty good start as the roots of the young seedlings have plenty of space to spread out.
I sow beetroot in situ. When it has failed it has usually been because of poor/cold weather conditions. My one attempt at sowing in a tray wasn't very successful as most of the seedling leaves died back when transplanted. Those that survived didn't really produce good bulbs.

Well, every time I got a problem I call my aunt in London. It seems that she has found a London florist who gives here an advice everytime she needs it.

Therefore I recommend going to a flower shop or a gardening shop near you and tell them your problem. I'm pretty sure they will come up with an idea.