How do you grow BEETS?

Mornin'...

The best recommended soil temps for beets is 50-75º, so although they can germ at lower temps optimum germination will happen faster at an average of 60 or 65. I sowed some beets on the 22nd, stacked the trays on a heat mat in the greenhouse and several days later the tray that was directly on the mat had germination; the mat was set to 65º. I was shocked to see they germed that fast.

If you have a digital food thermometer that works for checking your soil. I have two, one for the kitchen and one for the garden. I like the probe types that give an instant read-out. I think I got mine pretty cheaply, $12.00 if I remember correctly. (I cook a lot of chicken and rely on one for that perfect never-overcook-poultry!)

Hope this helps.
Shoe (who actually has some seedlings outside, basking in the sun!)

Horseshoe - I have an instant read thermometer, but didn't realize it would go that low. I stuck it into a few pots, and it barely read 60F - so that's probably my problem.

They say: "Necessity is the mother of invention" - I've set the trays where the seeds have not sprouted on top of the shop-lights. If they slide off, I'm going to have a right-old mess!

I've left the ones that have already sprouted under the lights. They are beginning to show their true leaves.

Wow! Sounds like you're on your way! And congrats on not having to go out and buy a thermometer, too! Holler back sometime and let us know what temp the soil gets to from the shop lights.

Hope it has been nice and sunny over your way today like it has been here.

Shoe (who's gonna be achy-breaky sore tomorrow from all this "spring time work")

The weather was perfect today, Horseshoe. Daughter and I took the dogs on a long walk along the local greenway.

I'll keep y'all posted as to what temperature the soil gets from the shop light.

I plan to warm the water a little next time the beets need some - that should help, too.

Well, I checked the soil temperature of the soil in the pots sitting on the shop lights, and it hadn't changed. So I removed them before they got knocked off.

Aw shucks, maybe sitting them on your water heater would be warmer.

Course now that I think of it, some years back I would germinate seeds in my oven. It was the kind of oven that had a light inside, I could put a couple trays in there, turn on the light (NOT the gas!) close the door and it was plenty warm enough to germinate many seeds. I wonder if you have that kind of oven. It worked like a charm for me!

Shoe

Shoe - our water heater is in an outside room (not my idea!) My oven doesn't have a separate light switch, but maybe I could rig-up something...

Yeh, I moved our water heater outside, too. It's in its own little building but I doubt would stay warm enough to stay consistently warm.

Good idea on rigging something up in your oven. Wonder if you could put a single hood light or something on an extension cord in there.

We're gonna get you some beets this year, no matter what!

Shoe

Shoe - this morning there were several new shoots. YAY! There was also one seedling that had died :(

I'm guessing it's "damping off". I usually sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite on top of the soil after I sow seeds, but I forgot this time, darn it!

I sowed some broccoli seeds yesterday, and this time, I remembered the vermiculite!

I noticed the interior of our house was a little warmer this morning. The "garden room" faces East, so it gets early morning sunshine. I have the lights on for 16 hours beginning at 9 pm to help keep the seedlings warmish overnight.

Thanks for all your help. If I don't get beets this spring it certainly won't be for the want of trying. I'm taking notes, because I plan to grow more beets this fall.

I've always grown beets in the fall/winter. Direct sowed in a small raised bed and lightly covered. Then, waited forever for the seedlings to "declare." I think I've always sown the seeds around November, but I've since learned I should start them in September. Seems they settle into the soil until the temperature is right for them to peep (declaring with attitude...) Then, they take off. If I ever get around to thinning them in the future, I might actually have a nice batch. But, I have enough beet greens to keep me happy.

P.S. They are pillbug and snail magnets, so arm yourself with a perimeter of Sluggo Plus, and a sprinkle some in the bed as well.

Hope you get those beets. You're working awfully hard!

Hugs.

Thanks, Gymgirl. I have September 16th marked on my "to do" list for sowing beet seeds outdoors - although I might start them indoors if it's really hot outside at that time. The inside of the house will be cooler.

Thanks for the tip regarding snails and pillbugs I don't have too many of the former, but of the latter I have more than my fair-share! Sluggo-Plus will work if it doesn't rain!

One note of caution: Beets don't like to be transplanted, and usually don't grow well when they are thinned and replanted. They might produce some edible greens, but the root is very sensitive to being "uprooted". If you do try to replant after thinning, be sure to water well the night before and water well after transplanting.

HoosierGreen - thanks for your very timely tip. I was thinking of trying to separate some of the beets next week. Each has one or two seedlings. Do you think it would be better to leave them alone? I'm thinking they will be able to form two beets - nature must have made them that way for a reason! Although I like the greens, I prefer the roots.

Your reminder about making sure they are watered well before and after transplanting is a good tip, too. I always make a point of doing so.

If beets are not thinned when young, they will form smaller and misshapened roots. You could wait until they are the size of marbles, then thin them and cook the thinnings, tops and all. They are delicious and look so pretty when cooked that way. "Baby" vegetables are all the rage in restaurants and command a premium price!

The beet seeds are actually a seed capsule containing many seeds. Probably an evolutionary thing when originally beets were more tops than bottoms, before being selectively bred for "big bottoms". But the thinnings do make a healthy and delicious meal, especially when gently sauteed in butter or olive oil, then drizzled with a good balsamic vinegar. Yum! It'll be a few months before I can eat them here in frozen Indiana, but they are worth the wait.

I hadn't thought of beets originally being more tops than bottoms. That makes sense now you've mentioned it.

I'll cogitate over the weekend about everything I've learned so far, and make a final decision as the whether or not to risk transplanting some on Monday.

You'd probably have a shot if you planted them as the plugs they are, rather than trying to separate the root systems...they'd not be disturbed...

I have thinned beets and planted the "thinnings." They did okay. They were about 3 inches tall when I did this.

Calalily - thanks for the info. I did some research on the www about separating seedling beets and the advise was about 50/50.

I think I might separate a couple and see how they do. I won't know if I don't try.

I try to transplant on cloudy or rainy days, I water well and cover with remay for a few days. It always seems the rows have too many beets in one section and not enough in another.

Calalily - my seedlings are still under fluorescent tubes. I'll set them outside to harden off once they get about 2" tall. I didn't sow too many seeds this time. I'll grow more in the fall when there will be much more room in the garden once the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and beans are finished.

My hoops and Agribon arrived yesterday.

Here's a photo of the beet seedlings as of today. I'm going to separate a couple tomorrow and see how it goes.

Nice! Those are big enough to set out, or at least start hardening off.

Mine in plug trays are coming along. I'll have to take pics.

Shoe

Those look good enough to EAT!

This morning, I separated two 3oz cups into four 7oz cups. I covered each cup with another smaller cup (up-side-down) to hold in the moisture.

I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed that they will survive! If they still look okay in a few days, I'll transplant the rest.

If anyone would like to follow along with what I'm doing - here's a rudimentary web site I'm building:

http://ncgarden.hobbies.homepagenow.com/about_us.shtml

Nice website, Honeybee! Way to go! And you sure got your share of snow over your way, too!

Shoe
(By the way, your site mentions you are "organic" but I see you use Miracle-Gro and triple superphosphate, neither being considered organic. You might want to post a disclaimer on those so others won't be inadvertently mislead.)

Shoe, good point! I've taken down the reference to being "organic"

It's supposed to snow again mid-week here.



This message was edited Feb 7, 2011 3:59 PM

Well, I like the idea of promoting/teaching organic, especially if emphasizing "soil health". That's why I mentioned doing a disclaimer about those two ingredients. I think you could use your site as a great teaching tool to others, giving lots of guidance, mentioning the use of both organic and non-organic, etc, then let others choose. You have quite a bit of knowledge and experience to easily teach. Could be fun, ya know!

And yep, I heard about the snow...what a winter we're all having this year!

Shoe

Thanks for the nice comments, Horseshoe.

I will be expanding the web site as time passes. Once in awhile I get an idea and quickly write it down - unfortunately my best ones seem to arrive just as I'm falling asleep, and by morning they're gone!

I could turn on the light and scribble, but I don't think hubby would approve.

Honeybee, OT to the thread but- I heard about a light up pen and wish I could find one, I really haven't shopped. But I so feel for you on those nighttime ideas! Sometimes I can get enough of a scribble in the dark that I remember...)
Your beets look super!

I have one 'a those pens. It was a company giveaway, and yes, waaaaaaaay cool in the dark!

What great idea! I'll have to look for one of those pens.

I transplanted another beet this morning. I put a bunch of photos on my web site showing how I did it.

If I got it right, this link should take you to them.

http://ncgarden.hobbies.homepagenow.com/photographs.shtml?filter=beet

I couldn't get the slideshow feature to work.

Bee,
Looks like you're about as determined about those beets as I am about my tomatoes!

Gymgirl - I love a challenge! Now that I'm home all day, I'm up for just about anything new.

HoneyBeeNC,
How comparable are your temps to Atlanta, Georgia? I have a young cousin that way who's getting all excited about Dave's Garden, and guess whose wing she wants to fly under? But, I know NOTHING about Zone 7b and thereabouts.

So, could you kinda take us both under YOUR wing, and keep me posted on your planting schedule? She says she usually plants tomatoes out at the beginning of May -- which is when I'll start harvesting mine!

I'm trying to help her set up an eBucket and container garden and get all her seeds going so she can start her springtime? garden.

Lemme know if you can help us with the planting schedule in your neck of the country!

Hugs!

Linda

GG - just gave planting information for zone 7B to 2racingboys in the tomato forum...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1157610/

I'm always happy to share info :)

I don't know how our temperatures compar with Altanta - I know they send a lot of their weather this way. My daughter is always saying: "What Atlanta gets, we get"

I can send you a Word document of my planting schedule if you like. Not sure if Dave's allows email attachments - I'll give it a try

Honeybee, you have inspired me on the beets! Those pictures make me really want to have some beets. I'm going to try a variation of something Shoe suggested. I'm going to put a small trench down one of my rows, then fill that with potting mix. Then I'll plant the beet seeds, water, and cover. The potting mix will prevent the problem I usually have, which is a hard crust forming after any sort of moisture. Once sprouted, the normal garden soil should support the beets just fine.

David

David - thank you :) Did you check out the photos on my web site? I'm curious as to whether or not it works.

Keep us posted as to how your beets do using the method you mentioned.

Gymgirl - you have mail!

Evelyn - I am so glad you posted about your success splitting beets. I've divided each of mine as they have produced their true leaves and, so far, they seem to be doing well. I just hope they produce beets as well as leaves.

I think that HoosierGreen was emphasizing the necessity of keeping them moist. If they dry out, there may be problems. So that is good advice from him as well. Of course, that is good advice in any transplanting.

However, I would not try to transplant carrots, unless just for the sake of saving seed since it is a biennial.