Beetroot

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Beetroot will grow in most types of soil. Free draining, sandy to clay with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 is ideal. Manuring should have been done in the previous year. A well balanced nutrient content is needed for optimum growth. Rake in a base dressing at sowing time. Further feeding shouldn't be required. An open and sunny position is best.

 

Sow the seed between April and July. Rake the soil down to a fine tilth and make drills 2cm deep and 30cm apart. Sow thinly. Later when the seedlings are large enough, thin out to 3cm apart for baby beet. A further thinning by taking every second beetroot will allow the remainder to develop.

 

Successional sowing will give a regular supply of young beetroot. Fortnighly sowing will be often enough. Later sowings can be lifted and stored in dry sand or frozen. Tops should be screwed off, not cut. This helps to prevent bleeding.

 

Care and attention of the crop is very easy. There is no need to water as long as we get an average rainfall. Keep the rows weedfree. When using a hoe be very careful to not damage the roots with the blade. Better to handweed close up to the plants.