Many hobby gardeners sow beetroot too densely and then prick out the seedlings later. This has several advantages. Below you can find out what these are and how best to proceed when pricking out beetroot.
If the beetroot is one to two centimeters large, it can be pricked out
Why prick beets?
Gardeners are often surprised when only half of their seed comes up in the spring. On the one hand, the failure can be due to the seeds, but hungry guests can also have had their fingers in the game. Therefore, experienced gardeners often choose to sow more densely and transplant later. You can also specifically promote the growth of healthy, strong plants.
When to prick beetroot?
Beets are pricked out when the seedlings are large enough to grab hold of, but not so large that they have deep roots and become tangled with other plants. This is when the plant is about an inch or two tall, which should be about three to four weeks after sowing.
Tools for pricking
In order to get the plants out of the ground undamaged, it is advisable to loosen the substrate around the roots a little. There are special pricking sticks or pricking sticks available in specialist shops. Alternatively, you can also use a shashlick skewer or a toothpick.
How to prick beetroot?
Beetroot can only be sown directly into the bed from mid-May, or they can be grown at home from the end of February. In both cases you can sow them very densely and prick them out later.
Prick out the beets in the bed
If the beetroot is already growing in the bed, you can simply pluck out the excess plants and use them to make a delicious salad. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Use a stick to loosen the soil around the root of the plant to be transplanted.
- Grasp the small, unwanted plant and carefully pull it out.
- Be careful not to damage surrounding plants.
- Now prick out the beets so that every seven to ten centimeters a single beet remains.
tips
You can use the pickled plants in salads or as an edible decoration for hearty dishes.
Prick the beets in the pot
Here, the transplanted plants are not thrown away or eaten, but planted again. Here you can find out how to proceed step by step when separating.