Quote:
Originally Posted by upcountrygirl
GoDawgs...is this your first year with the beet seed? I'm interested in growing some this year but this is my first year of trying and so far from the research I've done beets aren't crazy about our hot, humid, southern climate. Are there varieties of beets that like our climate better than others..what time of year would be best to plant? etc....
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Heavy sigh. This is about my 5th or 6th or whatever time trying to grow beets. I keep trying but you probably got it right about the climate. It's crossed my mind but I just hate to fail so I keep trying, thinking there's *got* to be a sweet spot somewhere in the timing. I've tried early fall and spring and late fall and spring. You might have better luck if you're in the upstate where you're a tad cooler than here.
The first cause of failure, non- or just scattered germination, has been fixed when I read you have to soak the seed. I now soak it about 24 hours before sowing. So now it at least germinates. But I can't get them to grow more than about 4" tall before they fail. It can't be the darned nematodes because they're asleep when the beets go in.
This past fall I planted on Oct 2, soil temp 71. They grew nicely to 4" and then I forgot to cover them on one of those early freezing nights and they got blasted. Operator error.
I use the old standard Detroit Red and get it at the feed & seed where a palmfull cost me $1.00. If I ever get the hang of beets, then I'll spend more for other varieties.
One funny story. Fall of '16 (Oct 21) I planted 8' of seed along the side of a bed and they never came up. Come February I planted peas in that bed. Late April when the peas started to flower I was walking along the bed, pulling an occasional weed when lo AND behold.... what's this? BEETS? Yep, about a 4' stretch of healthy beet plants!
They eventually made really nice beets and as a bonus, there must have been a few stray seeds in with the reds because two of the plants were lighter in color and made beautiful golden beets! I've never been able to duplicate this feat.
And here are the first ones I pulled... proud of those suckers! Oh that I could do that again! Ya think I' holdin' my mouth wrong?
