Kitchen Garden Forum

I have some beetroot(Boltardy) grown in modules. Although I planted one seed only in the module I have 2/3 plants in each one. Do you advise planting the whole cluster or reducing to one plant in each. Also what spacing would be best for each transplanted module plant
Regards Brenjon

I always sow several seeds to a module and plant out about 6-9" apart in a clump. I find I then can pull the first small ones leaving the others to fill out. This works well with spring onions to. Although with the onions You have an instant 'bunch'.

Beryl.

If you want baby beet (and who wouldn't?) space them quite densely and do not thin the clusters. Space them as wide apart as the diameter of the size of the roots you require. Grown in clusters, the roots flatten slightly where they contact their neighbours. This stops them rolling off the plate.

Brenjon wrote:I have some beetroot(Boltardy) grown in modules. Although I planted one seed only in the module I have 2/3 plants in each one. Do you advise planting the whole cluster or reducing to one plant in each. Also what spacing would be best for each transplanted module plant
Regards Brenjon

I always seperate each seedling and transplant about 4" apart.
There is no need to lose some by thinning out.

Boltardy is a cluster seed, so you would be disappointed to get just one seedling from each sowing.

As suggested, you need to decide whether to separate and grow on each seedling or to use the group to create early small beetroots and leave the rest to mature.

Both are good. I also grow some just for the micro leaves.

Beet seeds, as you have found out are not a single seed but a cluster of seeds. Cheers, Tony.

Thanks for all the help on this subject
Regards brenjon

Hi Brenjon,
As Tigger has said Bolthardy are a cluster seed but there are now varieties if Beetroot that a no longer cluster seeds and you can grow single plants per module should you prefer.
I have never tried the single seed varieties because I have tried many different Beetroots but always end up with Bolthardy. I think the taste simply suits my pallet and have now grown them for many years and wouldn't dream of planting any other variety.
JB.