Why large and small

[Ruth M C]

Hello
Does anyone know the reason why some of the seeds I've planted have developed into large crops and some haven't done more than grow leaves? For example I planted a row of beetroot (from the same seed packet), thinned them appropriately, provided the same amount of water, and kept the row carefully weeded. About one third of them are larger than golf balls the others have no swollen root at all. The same has happened with my onion seeds/sets, turnips and carrots. There is no obvious sign of pest or disease so I'm a bit perplexed. I know that nature doesn't work all the time to provide text book veg but I would like a better return on my hard work with roots.

KR
Ruth

[Shadylane]

Varied results with folks on our site with beetroot, carrots and onions. At a guess I'd say it's to do with the drought we had in June. A lot of our carrots never even showed. Our neighbours had to re-sow their beetroot. Sometimes some stuff just does better than others I think. Next year will be different

[BeatTheSeasons]

Could they be too close together? If you don't thin them out the the ideal spacings then there will only be enough light, nutrients, water etc for some of the plants. This would leave some growing healthily and others not developing at all.

[zazen999]

Why do some kids grow big and some little; why some fat and some thin; why some have red hair and other not....

genetics!

[maytreefrannie]

Last year I planted out three courgette plants, from the same seed-pack, into one bed that had been prepared evenly.

One plant produced loads, couldn't stop giving; one gave a small number; one just grew two or three small ones whose tops were already gone soft.

Don't ask me why - maybe, like people, you have plants who are workers, plants who do just enough to get by and plants who just want to chill out and let their pals do the producing!

[gojiberry]

It is just a fact of life that you have to accept. Onions are notorious for fading off sometimes at the end of the row other time in the middle. A block of sweetcorn did it this year the height was like a sloping roof and so precise. There can be various reasons but it is down to growing conditions of one sort or another.

Ian

[Ruth M C]

Thanks everyone, its given me something to think about.
KR
Ruth