Beetroot Bolting...???

[SusieG]

Does this look like this beetroot is bolting? It looks as if there is a 'flower' forming in the middle of the tallest leaves ......
Do I pull it up, or cut the 'flower' off or what?
Ta!

[Scoot]

Yeah, it looks like it.

I gave up growing beetroot this year. It's just one of those things I can NEVER grow.

[Bigmallly]

Yes it's bolting Susie, best pull it as it will go woody.............unless you want to save it for flower & seed.

[Cadalot]

I've never had such a bad year with beetroot they are just not growing as fast as they usually do. My neighbours look fantastic but when you look close it all leaf an very little root, I'm having problems getting good looking leafs this year!

[Bigmallly]

I've had the same problem with radish, I pulled them all up yesterday as they had bolted & not a single one was fit to eat.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I'd cut out the growing tip & harvest it a little sooner, as a baby beet before it chance to go woody!

[bario1]

Ive got bolting beetroot (Boltardy, as well!) for the first time ever this year.

[SusieG]

Ive got bolting beetroot (Boltardy, as well!) for the first time ever this year.

Yup, bario - mine in the photo are Boltardy ..........

[KairdiffKid]

My beetroot are under the same enviromesh that my carrots are under so you can't really see what is going on. It looked as if I was going to have to do some weeding this weekend, looking at that photo it looks more like I'm going to be doing something about my bolting beets (as well as weeding).

[Lumpy]

Yet again we are just eating the beetroot leaves. I have only managed to grow beetroot once in all the years I've been trying.

Likewise the carrot and parsnip tops are huge so yesterday thinking I would pull a few carrots for tea I found that the roots were tiny.

I think that both veggies are going to be rootless this year.

[SusieG]

Yet again we are just eating the beetroot leaves. I have only managed to grow beetroot once in all the years I've been trying.
I think that both veggies are going to be rootless this year.

Lumpy, that's a great idea! How do you cook the beetroot leaves.....? And if I cut off the leaves and leave root intact, do you think they'll still grow?

[Lumpy]

Beetroot along with radish and turnip etc all have edible leaves,

I picked the smaller leaves from the middle and shove them in sandwiches or salads. The larger, tougher outside leaves can be steamed like spinach or shoved in a veggie soup etc.

The out leaves, especially on radish can get quite spiney so I always cook them. The the centre rib feels a bit tough just rip it out like you would for a large leaf kale.

If you intend to use just the leaves you would do best to treat the plant like a cut and come again because if you strip all the leaves off I don't think much else will grow.

However, I might be wrong in that assumption.

[SusieG]

Cheers, Lumpy!