Your comments and tips

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

I'm sub tropical Australia - Bundaberg Qld. I grown beetroot from March to Sept. Too hot to grow in summer - need a lot of watering. I plant March and May. Temps from May-Aug day 23 to 30 and night 3-6 to 11-15.

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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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24 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)

If it is a rabbit or rats you would see soil disturbance around the plants. It could be grubs such as cutworms in the soil. Mix up a Bt spray such as Yates 'Natures Way' and water it along both sides of your row around the beets. This is a sfe insecticide and only affects chewing pests. Birds could eaat the grubs after with no effect. Trust this helps.

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30 Sep 14, NANCY (New Zealand - temperate climate)

what is eating my beetroot bulb? Would this be slugs and snails Nearly all of my tennis ball size beetroot has disappeared !

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11 May 14, Rana (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

How is it that some of us can't grow beets? I( and some of my gardening friends) follow all the advice and all I get is luscious leaves and thin dry beet. only about 0.01% grow to something less than a golf ball size and that takes much longest that the 7- 10 weeks mentioned.

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