beetroot

[pepper]

Is it too early to start beetroot seed in cell trays in a greenhouse, I am never quite sure when i should be starting things off.

[Patchninja]

What does it say on the packet? My packet says to sow outside from April to June.

[alex-adam]

I did post this earlier as a separate entry, but worth repeating the link if it helps:

BBC Two - Gardeners' World, 2011, Episode 1, Monty Don sows beetroot and plants shallots into cell trays

a-a

[zazen999]

Mine are sown and starting to come up.

[KittyColdNose]

Zazen, are they outside?

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'm not a fan of starting beet in cell packs or trays. They do transplant readily but instead of developing a single tap root,there will be two or more. No use on the showbench ifmore than one. More than one tap root isn't a problem if growing solely for culinary use.

[KittyColdNose]

AP, when would you sow them outdoors in our sunny part of the world?

[Aberdeenplotter]

I don't normally sow till close to the end of April. That's because the older varieties used to bolt if they got frosted. It's not such a problem with modern varieties but I do an awful lot the way my Dad did. Grumpy auld git set in his Dad's ways. Not ashamed of that. My Dad was a super veggie grower. Had to be in his day out of necessity.

[KittyColdNose]

Nothing wrong with that AP Think I'll hang on till it warms up a bit more then. -2ish at night is a lot warmer than it was but not there just yer eh?

[zazen999]

Zazen, are they outside?

No - in two unheated greenhouses. One was sown into compost cubes [I got a new toy this year] and the others were chitted in kitchen roll by my students from my own saved seed and germinated within 2 days. So they are now unrolled and in a seed tray under half an inch of compost.

you can succession sow beetroots and they will come up when they are good and ready so you could sow indoors, and put into a greenhouse/coldframe as soon as you seed some leaves coming up.

I've always tranplanted mine and always get lovely roots. Even last year I got loads of beetroots. But you are miles North of me so probably best to leave it a while.

[VirginVegGrower]

Done same as ^^^Zazzy - get some going!

[Garvey]

Sowed beetroot seed last weekend.Coming up well on the window sill in an unheated room in the house. Never had a problem starting beetroot this way last year - they were show quality. However transplanting the parsnips turned them into Edward Scissor hands. Tasted brilliant but looked nothing like parsnips!

[Alison]

Bit early for me to be sowing them, probably do a few in modules (if I get round to it) in a couple of weeks time and then sow some direct at the same time as I plant them out. Hopefully will do better than last year when I had the worst year ever for beets, they looked healthy enough above bulb level but just didn't swell much

[Normans Mum]

Same here with mine last year, Alison. All top and no bottom ! Have sown 2 different types in modules about a week ago. We'll see.......

[vikkib]

Inspired by this thread on Sunday I filled a tray of modules with MPC and bunged in half Chioggia and half Cylindra... will stick them outside in the unheated GH once they get some leaves on as per Zaz's suggestion.

Also just noticed a small length of guttering by my folks' garage so I've nabbed that and plan to start some radishes in there!