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Vegetable Gardening

Question about beets.

10 years ago

I am a first time beet grower with a question or two.

I have a raised bed (4x4) of beets planted about 3-4 inches apart in rows 4-5 inches apart.

My beets on the east side of the raised bed are growing very well while the beets on the west side of the bed are short and scrawny (these are the greens I am describing). I prepared the whole of the bed the same way, using a modified Mel's mix). The raised bed is 12 inches deep, but the soil only comes up about 7-8 inches (this is a new bed and I will add more compost at the end of the season to fill up).

I am wondering if the beets on east side of the bed get more afternoon sun than the beets on the left side and this is contributing to the growth disparity?

Any thoughts/experience is appreciated!

Tom

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Comments (4)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
10 years ago
Well, if one part of the bed is getting more sun than the other, that could definitely be why.
nugrdnnut
Original Author
10 years ago
they both get the same amount of sun... the east side just gets more sun when it is warmer.
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If interrupted for any reason then you reheat the foods back up to boiling before putting them in the jar. So if you had to stop to peel more then you process the jars you have already filled and capped, the rest go back into the ppt to wait for the rest to be peeled and heated. If company or phone interrupts you turn them off, then re-heat them back to boiling before filling the jars. If you have to turn the BWB or PC off before all the times has run then you have to start over with the timing. Only fill the number of jars that will fit in the canner at one time. Don't fill extra jars and let them sit on the counter waiting for the canner to be available. The point is, the processing time in the recipe is based on hot foods in hot jars going into hot water. Cold foods or cold jars or cold water means the processing time in the recipe would be invalid. It would have to be increased by who knows how much just to get the center of the beets back up to the processing temperature. So any interruptions in the process requires reheating the food and only then filling the jars. Ok? Dave
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Melissa, I have never done them in foil packets. I cut the greens off leaving a half inch or so. Scrub them and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave the peeling on. Put them on a pan, uncovered in the toaster oven @ 400 to 425. Roast them until tender. Let them cool enough to handle and pull the peelings off. I like to cook the greens separately then slice the beets and place them on top of the greens. Delicious! I have never had the experience that you had. The peelings do get dark, but don't burn. I wonder if it is because I oil them and you leave them dry, maybe it's the foil??? Or maybe what Ken said, the difference in sugar or variety. I use the same open pan/olive oil method for, asparagus, beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. They all end up a little browned, but it is just the sugars carmelizing. (spelling?) They all sweeten and are delicious.
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Slimy_Okra
10 years ago
Do you have a large tree near the west side?
naturegirl_2007 5B SW Michigan
10 years ago
Just some thoughts and observations, not entirely sure of the science, tho....

I've noticed much earlier snow melt on the east side of fields bordered by trees both to the east and west. As I see it, both receive equal sun, but due to warmer air temps during the afternoon sun times there is greater warming and melting of the snow in the areas that are sunny in the afternoon.

I've also noticed frozen soil longer in the spring on the west edge of a high sided, incompletely filled raised bed that I attribute to similar causes.

Perhaps your soil temps on the east side are higher even during warmer weather because of a similar effect and give faster growth. Might try sticking a soil (or meat) thermometer into the soil to check temps in the different areas.

I wonder if this also dries out the soil on the east side faster. This could increase growth during wet times and cold times (again partly from warmer soil.) Once summer heat or dry conditions come, it might not be an advantage, though.

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