Your comments and tips

25 Feb 17, James (Australia - temperate climate)

Thanks John.

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18 Feb 17, Sam (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi just wondering if anyone has ever let their beetroot go to seed & might know whether it's worth trying to pickle them..?? or do they go woody, etc... Just seems a waste to do nothing with them...?

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19 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Beetroot, like carrots, is a biennial, that means it grows one season and flowers and seeds the next. Root vegetables do go woody in their second season but there is no reason that you couldn't cut it up small or grate it and make pickles. You could also blend it to make beetroot dip. If there are a lot of beetroot and you like the dip idea just freeze it in recipe quantities. Don't forget to save some seed to use or share.

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04 Jan 17, onkutule (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)

Is beetroot plant safe from Tuta absoluta disease.

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30 Dec 16, Michael (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Hi there, we have had beetroot growing for about three years now and had very good crops. This year however, we applied compost very heavily & the bulb is not very big & in some cases not at all. What have we done wrong?

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19 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

If the compost wasn't completely broken down it would take N from the soil to break it down. Very little left for the beetroot. On the other hand heaps of good compost and soil could be too rich. What I try and do is when mixing in compost etc - do it 4 weeks before planting anything. Turn the soil over several times and wet it to mix it all up and help break it down. Don't have too rich a soil to start with - you can add fert as they grow depending on how they are doing. I use inorganic fert - 2-4 teaspoons to 9 L of water in a watering can.

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19 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Try to grow after a previous crop that has reduced the N. Also apply a bit of P.

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13 Jan 17, Jean Beardsall (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I could hazard a guess that your compost contained too much nitrogen. Anything with bulbs or roots doesnt respons well to nitrogen. Maybe add a little lime to bring it to the correct PH. Google says: Beetroot prefer a soil pH of 5.8-7.0 but can tolerate a pH of up to 7.6. Acid soils are likely to create nutrient deficiency problems and should be avoided or limed to raise the pH.

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19 Jul 18, carl Freeman (New Zealand - temperate climate)

It could also be variety, some like 'bulls blood' are primarily for leaf. But yes probably too much nitrogen.

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19 Dec 16, Mike Chester (New Zealand - temperate climate)

What is eating my beets? The bulb is gnawed through from the side often leaving the plant top on the soil and the underground part of the beetroot flush with the soil. Rabbits? Can't be possums because they have been exterminated in Miramar, Wellington. Please advise.

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