Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Unhappy beetroot!

Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
in Fruit & veg
Hi, I’ve planted a few beetroot. Initially they looked good but now the leaves are wilting and dying off. 

They are Burpees golden and Bolthardy. I showed them direct outside at the start of may. I’ve kept them well watered. The radish next to them have been fine and I’ve started harvesting those after 3-4 weeks.

Anyone know what the problem is and if I can do anything about it? Or should I pull them up and start again?

Thanks in advance.
«1

Posts

  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That looks like Beet leaf miner damage ... info here

     https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=859 

    Hope that helps  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Oh Womble that is so disappointing! I grow beetroot every year with no problems so I don't know what might have happened but I start mine as plugs and plant them out when they are about 2-3" high (sorry don't know what that is in new money).

    They don't like to be wet but they are thirsty and greedy. Mine get ravaged by pigeons if I don't net them but maybe yours have been attacked from underneath?

    Try again but in plugs or pots and they might do better if the rain ever stops!
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Looks like leaf miner to me as well, They will probably recover. You could pick off the infected bits and remove them, may help with the second generation of flies

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Ooops! I didn't realise there were pictures, Doh. Seeing the leaves Dove is probably right - as always  :)  
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They could do with thinning out a bit ... removing the more damaged ones should help a bit and give the others a chance to grow out of the problem. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Thank you everyone. That’s really helpful. 

    I’ve also found out that beetroot don’t like being next to tomatoes, which mine are.

    They’re pretty badly damaged so think I’m going to pull them up and plant something else there and try the beetroot in a different spot.

    Fingers crossed.

    On the plus side, everything else in the garden seems to be growing really well so far.

    Thanks
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Well, my beetroot are going to have to get used to being next to tomatoes ... I'm planting my toms out today and there's nowhere else to put them ... we shall see what we shall see ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I have beetroots growing under my tomatoes in the pollytunnel, neither seem to have suffered, I really wouldn't worry about putting things next to eachother.
Sign In or Register to comment.