I planted beets about a month ago and they are just not growing too well, I've been tempted to just pull them out a couple of times just to plant something else instead but decided to live them and see if the cold spell would help them grow better, so far they are growing very slow.
I have to mention the same thing is happening to all the radishes I am growing, the greens come out but hardly any radish at all, and I even let them in the ground a little longer than when the instructions say to pull them out. I am not sure what I am doing wrong and I wonder if maybe I should plant all this when the real cold weather comes.
Any ideas why this is happening?
Beets not doing so hot.
Carminator1,
I did beets for the first time last fall. I planted seeds in my raised bed the weekend after Thanksgiving (which would be next weekend this year). My beets were Chioggia and Bull's Blood varieties (won't do the Bull's (purple leaves) again, 'cause I prefer the Chioggia greens). The root balls on both tasted about the same. They took their time coming up, and did so during the cooler weather. Then they took off.
A word of warning: THIN IS IN! I was so excited about my box full of beets, that I didn't want to thin them and this was a BIG mistake. I got nice 8"-10" greens, but the beet roots did not get big as they should/could have if I had thinned them to approximately 3" apart in all directions. And the greens probably would've gotten bigger as well.
I'll be sowing Chioggia and a different variety of beet seeds, purple top turnips, carrots, lettuce, spinach, collards and mustard greens seeds this weekend, and probably again next weekend.
Also, my root bed soil (beets, turnips, carrots) was VERY, VERY loose and fast draining. I used a box full of my homemade compost (decomp leaves, grass, coffee grinds, and veggie table scraps, confetti paper) which I sifted through a 1/4 wire screen. Very fine stuff. I mixed this with two 40lb bags of Black Kow Composted Manure. The medium was loose enough for me to dig into with my hands.
You still have time to sow more seeds. Go for it! Hope this helps!
Linda
This message was edited Nov 18, 2009 11:06 AM
I have Ruby Queen beets planted in two 14" pots. The first planting got mauled by cats digging and the second is just germinating. The cats left me 5 plants and they seem very slow for some reason, only about 3" tall. Everything is growing better in the recent cooler weather. I think the beets have grown a bit faster in the past week or so.
I planted Icicle radishes the same day as the first beets and managed to find 5 yesterday that were large enough for slicing into a salad. The tops are huge. Maybe beets are just much slower naturally. You might try some sort of fertilizer if everything is slow.
I thinned my Black Seeded Simpson yesterday and along with the radishes and a can of garbanzos marinated in Italian dressing, it made a nice salad.
I had planted some kohlrabi real thick in a big pot and thinned that out. I've been reading here about all kinds of cole crops leaves making good greens so I mixed the kohlrabi with the radish leaves, blanched them and sauteed with lots of garlic in olive oil. They were wonderful and the radish leaves made them taste faintly like turnips.
Except for the fried pork chops, it was very healthy and thrifty.
Linda I just saw your post and wanted to say thanks for the tip about beet greens. I agree that I probably planted beets too early and thinning is essential. That's something that gets me messed up every year because I hate to thin things properly.
Thanks Linda, twiggybuds I think I asked you the same question about the beets a while back but since i am so impatient I had to ask again.
The beets that I got are a mixture of beets that were sold bu Jungs seeds, I do remember replanting my beets continuously about 3-4 times because they just would not sprout and when they finnally did I was really happy. I am using the square foot method of planting so I planted about I think 6 beets per square foot as the book specifies, I did thin them out a while back so I don't thinkk that is the problem, it could be the fluctuation in weather though.
I think my soil is pretty loose and organic and just recently I have been making compost tea to feed my plants but I also have some fish fertilizer I could use on tehm as well if I ran out of compost tea.
I think next year I will start them a lot later, I have been trying to grow beets since September with no luck. I will definetely try the ones you are mentioning, my DH love beets so i am really doing this more for him but I also want to try and see if I change my mind about liking beets, so far the only ones that I've had are store ones in cans and I don't really care much for those.
Twiggybuds, I did not know you could eat the radish greens, boy I have thrown so many of those to my compost thinking that they were not edible, your recipe looks fantastic and I will definetely try it. I am practically growing the same things as you, thanks to you.
Carmen drain a can of whole beets and put them in a jar with some sweet pickle brine or left over juice from a jar of sweet gherkins. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple weeks before you try them. You can reuse the brine several times by adding a couple spoon fulls of new vinegar to each batch. I can eat them like candy and that's what I'm growing them for.
MaVieRose posted this on the preserving/canning forum and she gets the credit for the greens. She uses oyster sauce which I have in the pantry but I'm too chicken to try it. They were talking about freezing but it works perfect and now I know the secret.
"did u know, Chinese cooking of veggies are always blanch first to retain the veggie's integrity... veggies when blanch are not over cook when stir fried. they cook to the right consistency and not blah like we normal cook at home. the secret is blanching and freezing. once thawed are cook like fresh veggies. hth
i like it specially with green leafy veggies. stir fry in garlic and oyster sauce. they are yummy, no meat needed. plain and simple yet very tasty."
Twiggybuds, I just picked some Broccoli di Rappe leaves, they were getting huge, also some swiss chard, the swiss chard still has some more growing to do, but I thought I could try a couple of leaves, I am going to try your method of cooking them for tonight's dinner, I am sure they will be yummy!
I've also been wanting to try some green juices like mixing greens such as kale and juicing them with some for example apples, but I have to wait for my Kale to grow a lot bigger before I can pick the leaves.
The Bock Choi you gave me looks so cute in the garden, it is still small but it is taking form, I am deffinetely very impresed with this veggie, and thanks to you I'll get to try the Korlabi which is also growing good.
I'm so glad you're getting some results from my seeds. That Choi is a keeper for sure. I just transplanted some more last weekend. I think my first planting of kohlrabi is just starting to swell up. I've never eaten one before so that is one I'm looking forward to.
I've never tried chard before and I want you to tell me how it compares with the choi once you sample both. That bright colored chard is tempting just for ornamental value even if it wasn't edible. I'll also want to know if it keeps it's color when you cook it.
My cauliflower has all decided to head up at once so I'll see if those leaves are any good.
The chard that I planted is not the colorful Bright lights, is just a simple chard green leaves and white stem called swiss chard of geneva, the only reason why I got these seeds is because parks had some seeds on sale and so I decided to try this one,
I will definetely let you know about the taste. My plants are still too small so I just took a couple of leaves and was going to cook it along with the other leaves that I took out.
I grew Bright Lights Swiss chard for the first time this year and I love them. They are the only thing still producing in my garden, although I have young Monstreux de Viroflay spinach and Crapaudine beets coming. I don't know if I'll get anything out of them before spring, though, in my climate. We had grown chard many years ago and we didn't care for it; I think we were expecting it to be like spinach and it's not. This time we tried Bright Lights because they looked so pretty and I was trying for a potager effect. I have used them raw in salads and also cooked them with olive oil and garlic, and they're delicious. They have a naturally slightly salty taste so you don't have to season them much, either. I'm so glad I gave them another shot.
Thanks greenhouse I'll have to give them a try, they sure look pretty.
Greenhouse_Gal,
Please, what size do you pick those SC at? One I had growing for two summers just died, but I have seeds for new ones. I never quite got a hang for the taste, but think I was picking them two late. I eat all kinds of greens, and adding these would be nice, but I wanna experience what I'm supposed to.
Thanks!
Linda
Linda, I pick them at whatever size, mostly large, and I ignore any holes in the leaves, too. I just wash them well. I cut them up in sections with scissors or a knife and sautée them with olive oil and garlic. I don't cook them down too much; they still have some texture and crunchiness. We are just pleased to have something green from the garden in November! I try to leave the smaller leaves hoping they'll get larger and maximize their production that way.
Thanks!
gymgirl, I just tried some of mine yesterday for dinner, with some garlic and olive oil, I did not have much so I had to mix it with other greens, mine tasted a little earthy but still good, is this what you experienced in yours?
Maybe that "earthiness" you described is what I was tasting. I grew mine in a 24" planter in a blend of rich homemade compost and Black Kow Composted manure. Yeah. I guess "earthy" could be it!
thanks Carminator!
I just looked at my beets and the tops have grown more than an inch in just the last couple days. That clinches it for me. This is the first week I've had consistently cold nights and that has to be making the difference.
I think in the future I'll plant them around October 15 and they'll just sit there until they get happy.
Well, the cold snap night before last did a number on my newly planted broccoli seedlings. Although they'd been outside for TWO MONTHS in those 4" nursery pots and were pretty well hardened off, I neglected to factor in TRANSPLANT SHOCK right before exposing them to the dipping temps.
However...Upon careful examination this morning, down into the weee centers, I'm seeing signs of life! They've actually grown since two nights ago. Only the outer leaves have freezer burn...
"They want to live!"
Yaaaaaa. They will probably pull out of it. There's always a catch to this gardening thing. I'm so glad you didn't get wiped out. What variety did you plant? My Gypsy is heading up. I've got Packman just now germinating. I'm trying to have some all winter and this is my 3rd planting. Plant some more of all the cole crops Linda. It's a long time before we have to make room for tomatoes.
Twiggybuds,
For the first time as a veggie grower I actually feel like I'm right on target or ahead of the planting schedule! You don't know how overwhelmed I've been trying to get with the scheduling factor. That's a weakness in my realm of abilities, I believe, but not one that can't be overcome. I just have to use alternative means to keep up. Color-coded charts are working out just GREAT for me! And a chart from a grower in Zone 9a (Arizona) with a grid with big XXs on it is also working.
I'm even going to pick up two garbage bags of milk jugs from Starbuck's this evening, for the wintersowing of my spring veggies that'll start the first weekend in January! I've got all my seeds already (FRESH), the jugs, the coco coir, pest/insecticides, AND a drip watering system (waiting to be assembled). I also have a wood cage tomato trellis standing (er laying in pieces waiting to be constructed...) at the ready.
It seems I spent every day trying to visualize creative configurations for my limited growing space. By the end of Thanksgiving break, I'll have approximately 30 eBuckets going, 8 large planters, two raised beds with sowed seeds, and 9 EBs.
Have you guys sowed onion seeds yet? I watched the Cajun Gardener video on starting onions from seeds, and I'm going for it during the Thanksgiving break! I'll transplant seedlings come January.
Also, my DN has asked me to help landscape her front flowerbeds at her new house. So, I've started a thread in the Beginner's Landscaping forum called DESIGNER'S CHALLENGE!. Already we have a team of experienced landscapers fleshing out plans! And, now I have to divert some of my veggie jugs to growing flowers for my niece's flowerbeds! I'm soooooooooo excited about all this.
Ya'll keep me posted on your progress, too!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!
Linda
There sure aren't enough hours in my days lately. When we set the clocks back an hour, I think somebody stole one.
I followed LSU's instructions for starting onion seeds on Oct. 15. My seeds aren't germinating right and I'm still starting more. Last year I started them in Sept. on the window sill and they were still tiny when I transplanted them. I start feeding them with weak stuff as soon as they're up but it sure seems slow going. I think I need to go plant ALL my oniion seeds in big pots outside, transplant what I can and use the rest for green onion. My garlic is coming up good.
I ordered 3 muscadines and 25 strawberries from Ison's Nursery and was expecting them next week. They came today and I'm not ready. It's supposed to rain tonight so I better go hit it.
I'm wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I have many things to be thankful for and all you folks here are on the list. Your help and encouragement are treasured.
Twiggybuds et al,
Look at this onion growing video!
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=webcajun#p/search/0/Y7sXbzozjTs
Here's the update. I LOVE youtube and the webcajun. He's in my zone and I'm totally jealous of his farm and his toys. Looks like heaven to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy1mFlcc6sE&feature=related
I can see you are also a big fan of webcajun, I subscibed to his videos a while back, I too am jealous of his land and toys! Funny thing is sometimes when I look at the type of clay soil he's got I am amazed that all the plants do well on it.
He also make it look soooo simple.
Other people to check on you tube are: claires allotment, garden girl, Praxxus55712. I have learn a lot from them.
Those onions he has ready to set out are huge compared to mine. It's obvious that need to start earlier or feed more or both.
Yes twiggy, mine are definetely not as big either but at least they seem to be surviving. I planted a new set and they seem to be comming out, but I did place them under the grow lights instead of outside like he does. Truthfully as soon as I saw the second video of the onions I thought he was going to plant them out, I was surprised whe he said he wanted to wait about 4 more weeks to plant them out and that they were not ready yet for transplant.
Yes it is mystifying to me too. I can't help but think he started them waaaay early. He has a lot more experience than I have about how long it takes and when to plant out. Last year mine were tiny little things when I transplanted and they did fine although they didn't finish until mid May or later. I'm way behind this year. He said his were the Candy variety. I can barely cook a meal without an onion so I will keep at it until I get it right.
I've got Red Creole, Red Burgundy, Flat of Italy, the hybrids Texas Grano and Granex. The Red Burgundy you sent me are the only ones out of the lot that germinated well although all the seeds are for this year. I have planted Red Bottle twice with no germination at all.
Next year I will order from Gourmet Seeds because they have lots of variety and they're the best site I've seen for specifying short/long day info. I think it's very negligent when a site doesn't provide that info because it's very important to choosing correctly for climate. Their $ aren't bad either.
I think if my tops die down next spring before they make large bulbs that I can dry the small ones and have my own onion sets. My consolation prize.
So it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too late for me to plant my Candy onion seeds?
Linda just plant the #$%^ things. lol. I planted some more yesterday. We will get something.
I haven't gone back to read it lately but if I remember right, LSU says October 15 to start seeds and plant out mid January. I just don't see how they get so big in that length of time like those ones on the video. The good news is that everything seems to be going somewhat faster now that it has cooled down some.
Yes ma'm!
Heeehe. September and October were so hot that maybe being late will work just as well. When it was hot mine didn't seem to grow at all.
I agree with Twiggybuds, onion seeds are only good for a year so try to plant them and see what happens, you have nothing to loose.
I planted all my seeds in a big yogurt cup, by the way the seeds are from this year and believe me only less than half came out so germination rate is pretty poor.
This message was edited Nov 22, 2009 9:28 AM
Just want to throw my 2 cents in. With root crops if you are getting only tops you might have too much N and too little phosphorus. Phosphorus is good for root development also beets like a slightly alkaline soil, and they always seem to take forever.
"Nitrogen is for above the ground
Phosporous is for below the ground,
And Potassium is for all around!"
And there you have it! NPK.
Thanks 1Lisac!
Linda
I'll sow my onion seeds either tomorrow or Wednesday in two 24" containers. I'm gonna sow like the Bayou Gardener did, and then transplant in January.
I like your poem gymgirl. Phosphorus is also good for promoting blooms I say its good for roots and fruits
1Lisac,
Wish I could take credit for the poem, but I borrowed it off the Winter Sowing website (I believe it's Trudy's??)
I'd like to give her credit for helping ME to remember, too!
Linda
Thank you for the help, the poem really makes you remember as well. The beets are doing much better now that the cold weather is setting in so I am sure it was probably weather related but we will see.
Why in the world can't I grow beets? I am so frustrated with my beets, I left them in the ground and I am just waiting for them to grow more they grow but probably and inch per month no kidding, of all the beets that I planted only one seems to have a good size root ball, but the rest are still small and of course not many greens or rootball at all. I am almost thinking of just pulling them out and trying again with some golden beet seeds that I just got in the mail and see if I have better luck this time.
My soil is in good shape I think, I even saw some wormies today when I was planting my lettuce and I do feed my plants with compost tea everyonce in a while. I also think the soil is pretty loose so what in the world is going on. The PH is fine and everything else seems fine so please helpppppppppp!
Do beets really take more than 4 months to grow?
This message was edited Jan 21, 2010 3:20 PM
Carminator1,
Don't despair on the beets. I believe when I planted mine in November, I wasn't getting really huge beets by February. My beets never really did get huge at all. More like a 3" diameter, and I believe it's because I definitely had them too crowded. But, by then I had tasted beet greens, and that's all I wanted after that. I didn't care about the roots anymore!
I still haven't planted my beet seeds for this season, and I believe I'm too late, although my planting chart says I still can.
I'm gonna call my County Extension office and ask.
Linda
My beets are a joke and I'm not laughing. Apparently I need help too. The last ones I planted in late Nov or early Dec are just sitting there. The first ones got their leaves ruined by the freeze. No significant roots at all. I wonder if it's a potassium deficiency because I think that's the part of the essential NPK that grows root crops. I'll have to look it up.
I'm planting my Dixondale onions. I'm not complaining at all but they're endless. I just finished the Short Day Sampler and it had 102 when I was expecting 60. Now I will start on the Intermediate Day Sampler. It's a good thing I got some more beds ready.
Twiggy,
Send me some short day onions!