Beetroot
Beetroot is a wonderful root crop with a variety of uses. Traditionally it has been eaten cooked and picked in sweetened vinegar. More recently it has gained favour as a roasted vegetable. However the latest use is as a raw vegetable grated (or similar) and used as the basis of a sweet salad.
Growing beetroot is not difficult provided you follow a few simple practices.
Beetroot is best grown from seed although today some garden centres sell punnets of beetroot plants. Not all these may grow well. It is cheaper to buy the seed and sow directly in to the prepared soil.
In planning to sow beetroot understanding crop rotation is important. Beetroot should not be sown in soil that has fresh compost added to it. The beets will fork and not grow well. Choose land that has been manured the previous year.
Choice of shape is also important. There are two common shapes. The Globe or the Cylindrical shape. Check these out with you seed supplier. If you are considering slicing beetroot then the cylindrical one is quite good but not as fat. There are now a number of varieties available so read the label and choose one you mlike and will grow in your district.
Cultivate the soil down to at least 125mm and bring to a fine tilth so the roots will grow easily.
Beetroot is a spikey looking seed and fairly big. It is actually a cluster of 3 - 5 small seeds and all of these may germinate.
Prepare the area well and mark out several rows about 250mm apart so that when growing they make a ‘bed’ of beetroot.
Sow seed in the rows about 15mm deep and if possible about 75 mm apart. Cover well and water.
When the seedlings have germinated and grown about 30mm high remove all but one seedling from each cluster. You can carefully transplant good ones.
Let them grow with plenty of water until they reach the size you want. When harvesting cut the leaves off about 25 mm above the beet or else the beet will bleed red sap.
Use in your favourite ways.
Growing beetroot is not difficult provided you follow a few simple practices.
Beetroot is best grown from seed although today some garden centres sell punnets of beetroot plants. Not all these may grow well. It is cheaper to buy the seed and sow directly in to the prepared soil.
In planning to sow beetroot understanding crop rotation is important. Beetroot should not be sown in soil that has fresh compost added to it. The beets will fork and not grow well. Choose land that has been manured the previous year.
Choice of shape is also important. There are two common shapes. The Globe or the Cylindrical shape. Check these out with you seed supplier. If you are considering slicing beetroot then the cylindrical one is quite good but not as fat. There are now a number of varieties available so read the label and choose one you mlike and will grow in your district.
Cultivate the soil down to at least 125mm and bring to a fine tilth so the roots will grow easily.
Beetroot is a spikey looking seed and fairly big. It is actually a cluster of 3 - 5 small seeds and all of these may germinate.
Prepare the area well and mark out several rows about 250mm apart so that when growing they make a ‘bed’ of beetroot.
Sow seed in the rows about 15mm deep and if possible about 75 mm apart. Cover well and water.
When the seedlings have germinated and grown about 30mm high remove all but one seedling from each cluster. You can carefully transplant good ones.
Let them grow with plenty of water until they reach the size you want. When harvesting cut the leaves off about 25 mm above the beet or else the beet will bleed red sap.
Use in your favourite ways.
- Young beets may be roasted whole
- Young fresh leaves used in a salad
- Beetroot soup
- Beetroot chutneys
- Older beetroot may be pickled usually sliced
- Grated beetroot salad
- Check out other ways as well in cook books.