The roots tend to get a battering when you transplant, and beetroot, as has been said, dislike that. Sowing or transplanting into peat pots, prior to eventual planting outside, would help this. Recent rough weather doesn't help either. Yours should recover as the weather gets warmer. Watch out for slugs!
It's partly because of slugs (and wanting an early crop) that I go for modules. I tend to find the slugs aren't so bothered when they leaves get bigger.
I think the reason people like Monty Don say modules for beets are ok is because, unlike say carrots, the bit you harvest isn't actually at the end of the tap root. With carrots, you definitely end up with mis-shapen veg.
Anyway, like I say, it's now a case of making sure none of these bloomin' white dots hatch! If I can stave off the leaf-miners, I'm hopeful I'm only a few weeks off from having baby beets...
I start most of my veg off in modules apart from the one's with a tapering root, in part due to having previously grown in a small space. As you harvest stuff you have something to take it's place which is already part grown.
I've not planted out beetroot yet but have at least forty seedlings ready. I'm being over cautious and watching what other plot holders do. Most seem to sow straight into the ground though, I've not plucked up the courage yet, it looks harder to do than modules and back breaking stuff.
Boltardy is usually fairly hardy, I've not known the leaves go purple but it sounds like they are coming through. Good luck...
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The roots tend to get a battering when you transplant, and beetroot, as has been said, dislike that. Sowing or transplanting into peat pots, prior to eventual planting outside, would help this. Recent rough weather doesn't help either. Yours should recover as the weather gets warmer. Watch out for slugs!
It's partly because of slugs (and wanting an early crop) that I go for modules. I tend to find the slugs aren't so bothered when they leaves get bigger.
I think the reason people like Monty Don say modules for beets are ok is because, unlike say carrots, the bit you harvest isn't actually at the end of the tap root. With carrots, you definitely end up with mis-shapen veg.
Anyway, like I say, it's now a case of making sure none of these bloomin' white dots hatch! If I can stave off the leaf-miners, I'm hopeful I'm only a few weeks off from having baby beets...
I start most of my veg off in modules apart from the one's with a tapering root, in part due to having previously grown in a small space. As you harvest stuff you have something to take it's place which is already part grown.
I've not planted out beetroot yet but have at least forty seedlings ready. I'm being over cautious and watching what other plot holders do. Most seem to sow straight into the ground though, I've not plucked up the courage yet, it looks harder to do than modules and back breaking stuff.
Boltardy is usually fairly hardy, I've not known the leaves go purple but it sounds like they are coming through. Good luck...