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Growing beetroot for first time

amberspyamberspy Posts: 382
in Fruit & veg
What variety would suit a beginner 
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    bolthardy is good and forgiving if there's not enough water

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    I grew Boltardy last year too, was really good, plenty of crops. 

    I planted using Charles Dowding's method, multi sowing into cells, then planting out after they've grown a bit. Kept the seedlings in a cold frame. You can find some videos of his methods on YT and on his Insta.
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Another vote for Boltardy, grow them every year always reliable and the seed lasts years if kept in the cool.  I grow mine in seed cells too and cage them when they are planted out as the pigeons love the leaves!
    "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
  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    I am growing beetroot from seed for the first time. The instructions say to sow outdoors and when I have read up on it, it suggests that beetroots dont.like to be transplanted from pot to ground. Is it ok the start seeds off indoors then transfer to ground once they have started off?
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I always start mine off in seed cells @PurpleRose and am very careful when planting out to preserve the root ball.  Advice is often not to transplant root vegetables as the storage part (the bit you eat) is part of the tap root which will not develop if damaged.

    Can still happen with beetroot but not so much as the root system is slightly different to carrots or parsnips, well tilled soil is a lot more important.
    "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
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Modules used here too, then planted out.  A few years ago I left a module tray of beetroot seedlings on the soil and forgot about them (hidden behind other veg.)  When I discovered them a few weeks later, they had rooted through the drain holes and produced decent sized roots. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    My first year growing beetroot and I've gone for Boltardy after lots of recommendations.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • amberspyamberspy Posts: 382
    Great 👍 looks boltardy it is 
    I take need sow and can leave in window sill and plant out in raised bed later on 
    do any pests like beetroot 
  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Thank you @herbaceous and @BobTheGardener when would I transplant them from modules to the ground?

    My whole thoughts on beetroot growing has now changed 🤣🤣

    Sorry @amberspy for hijacking your thread 
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    edited March 2021
    They will germinate in about a fortnight and at quite low temperatures, anywhere from 10C to about 20C, so I start mine indoors and then they go into a cold greenhouse.

    Because each seed is actually a cluster of seeds they can look like they are further on than they are, I generally wait until I can see proper leaves and the roots seriously coming out of the bottom. This has the advantage that they are easier to handle and sometimes the plants in a cluster can be separated and planted as well.

    Plant them out when the soil temperature is beginning to warm up properly.
    "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
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