Why can't I grow Beets?

Discussion in 'The Green Patch' started by HamGunner, Dec 6, 2010.


  1. HamGunner

    HamGunner Monkey+

    One of my favorite veggies are pickled beets! No one else in my family will touch them, but for 2 years i've grown beets with the expectation that I'd can them and enjoy them throughout the winter. For two years in a row... I've been foiled! First year, the rabbits ate the tops off the young beets just when they were starting to grow. In the 2nd year, they just never took off. Not sure if it was too cool, too dry, too wet or something else. Frustrating, considering I had beans growing out the wazoo and pumpkins encroaching into the garden from the other side of the yard!

    So.... anyone have any foolproof secrets to growing beets? :)

    HG
     
  2. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Perhap's a fence for starter's ???
     
  3. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Short of shooting the rabbits and posting little cardboard cut-outs of Wile-E-Coyote on the lawn...

    can't help ya, sorry.
     
  4. HamGunner

    HamGunner Monkey+

    Did that one year but the buggers dug under it -- I didn't bury the fence deep enough in the garden. However, didn't have rabbit issues this year. My ESS Jake caught 2 baby rabbits and I took care of the rest. Mama rabbit made a nest under my daughter's picnic bench/playset. Oops.

    HG
     
  5. fish

    fish Monkey+

    mate you need to prepare the soil,beets will need rich soil,and a dusting of Phosphate from your gardening store will help,personally i recommend organic pasteurised chicken manure pellets.I grow 70% of my family of 6 veg needs so if i can help just shout,(no ime not offering to double dig yer plot!)
     
  6. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    Aren't you supposed to soak the seeds in water before you plant them? Mine sprouted but a possum got em.
     
  7. vja4Him

    vja4Him Monkey+

    When we moved almost a year ago, I quickly found out that there were rabbits running around the neighborhood, destroying my garden!

    I put up fences around three separate garden areas. Just make sure the critters can't dig under your fence!
     
  8. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Hamgunner, You just need to have Rabbit Stew, with your Beets, once you get them growing...
     
  9. fish

    fish Monkey+

    get some ferrets,when you clean them out scatter the dirty bedding about the perimiter,get some spring traps set and snares,better still buy a Hunter catapult!
     
  10. Illini Warrior

    Illini Warrior Illini Warrior

    I always soak my root crop seeds (beets, carrots, ect) in water to help break down the hard outer shell ..... some people put a slight cut in the bigger ones like beet seed ......

    I apply the seeds to a length of paper strip and cover ever so little with wet sand ....... I pull beets bigger than soft balls every year ........

    You have some very hungry rabbits ...... I never have to fence off my beets ...... but they love my green beans and tomato plants
     
  11. HamGunner

    HamGunner Monkey+

    I should have kept a few of those baby rabbits... I hear they make good eatin'... but I had no cage prepared or anything like that. Plus the wife would probably have freaked out.

    HG
     
  12. HamGunner

    HamGunner Monkey+

    Maybe i'm the only one in the neighborhood with a garden and the rabbits know where to find the good food? :)

    I have heard of the soaking of seeds, but never tried it. How long do you soak? Just overnight ? Do you personally put a slight cut in the beet seeds?

    HG
     
  13. Clatonious

    Clatonious Monkey+

    i figure beets are nutrient hogs, mine were all tiny last year in a newly turned area that was obviously lacking organic material for food.
     
  14. Illini Warrior

    Illini Warrior Illini Warrior

    Crease and Soak Seeds

     
  15. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    My beets didn't good last year, but I had a bumper crop of radishes. I thought maybe it was where I planted them.

    I had 2 rows of tomato plants, in between the tomato plants I did one row of beets & one row of radishes, figuring that by the time the tomato plants were big and fruiting the root crops would be done and pulled from the ground. Worked great on one row (radishes) but not the other. I thought it might be an incompatibility between the tomatoes and beets.
     
  16. sunshine

    sunshine Monkey+

    Try sprinkling cayanne pepper around your beets, crop rotation ( so you wont deplete nutrients for the beets, & ho up your beets like potatoes. I didnt ho this year & I had holes in my beets & rabbits hopping around with bright red teeth! I plant more than we need as bugs & critters will be getting their share.
     
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