Tall Beetroot and tied up Carrots.

[Madame Mucksprout]

Hi.

Ive taken a peek at my beetroot yesterday and noticed that under all the lovely leaves seems to be tall thin beetroot protruding from the soil?? Beetroot in the shops are fat and round.
Is something wrong with them?

Also - my carrots have started to tumble and squash thier younger fellows sown next to them so I have tied up thier greenery - is this ok? can I do any harm to them by doing this?

Thank you

[zazen999]

Are the beetroot Cylindra? these are longer and not as round. Lovely with it though. Perhaps if not, the seeds got muddled up in the seed factory.

Carrots, they will be fine. The only problem will be if the foliage is being brushed with the ties they can release carroty smell which will attract carrot fly - so I'd get some fine netting over them pronto.

[Madame Mucksprout]

Beetroot are Boltardy, they are a bit odd shaped though arnt they ? - look a bit like a carrot poking out -oh well, Ill be glad of whatever grows.

Should the carrot fly net be special carrot fly net?? how fine should the mesh be if I cant find anythign specifically to ward off the flies?

Thank you

[zazen999]

Enviromesh is good, but very fine muslin type net curtains from a second hand shop might be the cheapest way.

[Two_Sheds]

next time, you might want to sow your carrots a bit thinner

[butter fingers]

last year i grew boltardy and some of my plants did the same thing. i put it down to the beetroot pushing them selves out of the ground.any way they still grow and eat ok.

[Madame Mucksprout]

Thankyou Butterfingers - Its nice to know Its not someting that Ive done :-) and Yes Two Sheds, my inexperiance has lead me to planting them a bit too close together - Its hard to tell untill they have grown.
I planted some later, next to them a lot thinnner so fingers crossed they will be better.
Thanks for pointing these things out, its helpfull info like that that should keep me on the straight and narrow (rather than the crowded and wiggly as I am at present ;0))
Kind Regards

[Two_Sheds]

a bit too close together - Its hard to tell untill they have grown.

think of how wide your final carrot will be (about an inch?) and sow your seeds that far apart.