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05 Jul 11 John Bee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi Gloria, There could be several causes of your problem but it is difficult to identify exactly from such a short request for help. The most likely cause is too much nitrogen right from planting time onwards. However, associated with that is commonly an outbreak of leaf diseases. If it is too much nitrogen I’d suggest side dressing the plants with a fertilizer mixture with very low or NO nitrogen, preferably dig it in and give a good watering. On another point, too much watering over time could also cause your problem. Also, another reason could be that some beetroot varieties are notorious for high foliage and small root production as they are specifically grown as leaf beets. The leaves of beetroot are very tasty and nutritious and it is shame ort not eat them either after harvesting or from on-growing plants. Hope this helps a bit. John Bee Master Gardener

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