Beetroot

[greenishfing]

I have always eaten a bit of beetroot but last year I decided that I really like roast beetroot either hot or cold. This year I would like to have it available for as long as possible so I am thinking of trying some very early under cloches and I have read that you can leave late sown beetroot in situ in the ground through Autumn. Has any one done this successfully without ending up with tough old plants? I know lots of people pickle it but for me the vinegar just ruins the sweet earthy taste.

[Chippy Minton]

We found the longer rooted version (we tried Cylindra) seemed to stand better in the ground without going woody. Globe rooted varieties early, long rooted later.

[happyhumph]

Any suggestions of tasty varieties? I've also really got into non pickled beetroot this year, and can't keep relying on customers growing too many!

[Can the Man]

I planted some seeds back in September and they grew into small plants which I then planted out in my raised beds in the poly tunnel, they have stayed growing over the winter, but no sign of any globes on them yet, but I’m still hopeful.

[ameno]

I've still got plenty of beetroot in the ground (both some from an early May sowing and some from an early July sowing), and none of it is woody yet. Don't know how it will fair once things start warming up and it starts growing again, though.

[mcdood]

Same as ameno I still have beet in the ground. I multisow so they dont grow too big. I grow standard boltardy and cylindra and find them both tasty roasted. I also grow chioggia which looks pretty with its pink concentric rings but I prefer the taste of the other 2 personally.

[Penellype]

I grow Boltardy and Boldor, a yellow variety that I particularly like - both of these are bolt resistant. I start by sowing under cover in the hotbed in late January mainly for baby beets and sow again in modules (to protect from slugs) in March and June for planting out. The 2nd sowing gets eaten during the summer and the later one is edible through the winter although it needs protecting if hard frosts arrive. The winter roots have much less flavour though. Some of them do bolt and these become woody and inedible as soon as the stem starts to lengthen.

[Snadger]

Mine still seem ok. I don't mind it pickled in small batches with sugar and vinegar.Did some last week. Nice on a cheese sarnie.

[Mark_Riga]

I've grown detroit for last about 30 years. Have tried some of the others but detroit is best in kitchen I find. Used to sow direct but can get decimated by slugs so now grow in modules, 2 or 3 seeds per module depending on size. Then plant out bunches of 2 to 5 seedlings about 3" apart. This year sowed in April but were decimated by rats when still quite small. resown and planted in a polytunnel in between melons. Still eating them but not too many left now.
When I grew Cylindra, they were very good to eat but had a lot of root above ground and so were a sitting target for rats. I find the round ones easier to earth up a bit to cover the roots.

[ameno]

Speaking of above-ground roots, I've noticed that beetroot of all root crops are especially prone to it.
Some of my beetroot this year were 100% above ground - they had been pushed out of the ground by the adjoining beetroot. They were still rooted, though; they had a long taproot which went down into the ground.
Fortunately, I don't have rat problems where I am.