No Root on Root Vegetables

13 years ago

I have been having trouble with root vegetables, mainly beets. I get seedlings with what appears to be the beet part above ground and it never forms a beet. It gets leggy and lays down. I would like to know what I have to do to get the beet to form. I suspect I may have too much nitrogen in the soil causing the legginess. Also, I may be missing something that the beet needs to form.

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Comments (7)

laceyvail 6A, WV
13 years ago
Have a soil test done for starters.
wally_1936
13 years ago
You do not say where you live but by your username if you live down south you need to grow root vegetables in the fall season plantings.
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Cindy, your DH is a hoot. I wish peeling them would solve the problem. Beets are soooo pretty that I wish I could appreciate them. It just does not seem to be happening. I have grown other varieties to try as well such as the chioggia and the yellow and still have never been impressed. The first time DH made them, one our sons took a tentative bite and then just stared for a while and finally told DH that he thought they were poison. We just assume that we eat a wide variety of healthy foods so we can skip the beets.
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farmerdill
13 years ago
Beets do better for me in the spring. Too hot for consistant staring in late summer and they need to be started in early September. Planted in February, they do nicely in spring. Beets are not demanding, they do dislike an acid soil, but tolerate widely varying levels of ferility. They do need full sunlight to develop. No shade.
Blood Turnip {{gwi:27618}}
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Kestral {{gwi:27621}}
jolj
13 years ago
I am with you farmerdill, great photos.
Get a soil test that checks all essential nutrients.

Here is a link that might be useful: soil nutrients
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
MMMMM, farmerdilla. I'm coming to eat your beets! I don't have much luck with them - and I've been planting on your schedule times. Hoping that a new garden area will yield better delicious beets...
jollyrd
13 years ago
wow, that's at least 1 ft of root (below the actual root crop) - that begs a questions - how deep do you till your soil? 2 ft down?
farmerdill
13 years ago
8 inches. sufficient as long as long as there is no hardpan. Roots penetrate the subsoil easily.

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No Root on Root Vegetables

Comments (7)

laceyvail 6A, WV

wally_1936

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