BEETROOT

 

Soil Preparation 

• Any time between September and mid February, dig a shallow trench 3cm deep.
• Give it a dig over and break up any big clumps of soil and remove stones. (If your soil is heavy or sticky clay, go here)
• Mix in sheep manure or compost mix to give the soil a boost in nutrients. 

Planting the Seed

• Any time between September and mid February, create a shallow trench 3cm deep.
• Place 3 seeds together every 10cm apart along the trench, giving 30cm between rows.
• Water seeds morning and night every day for 10 days, then once a day after that (no need to water if it rains!).
• Seedlings will emerge in 7-10 days

More Tips

• Choose a spot with plenty of sunshine.
• After 20 days, thin out the beetroot crop by carefully pulling out the weaker looking seedlings, leaving only 1 or 2 plants in each place. This will allow them to grow larger.
• Weed carefully between the plants without disturbing them.
• Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
• They will be ready to harvest after 2 months, from when they are the size of a golf ball onwards.