If you want to harvest beetroot in June, you can grow the plants on the windowsill at home. In the following you will find out how to proceed and which culture vessels are suitable.

In mid-May, the young plants are planted out in the garden

Table of Contents

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  1. Why prefer beetroot?
  2. When can beetroot be brought forward?
  3. Preparing beetroot in egg paper or eggshells: A guide
  4. Cultivation vessels for the beetroot

    5. Why prefer beetroot?

    Preparing beetroot at home has several advantages:

    • The harvest date has moved forward significantly, so that you can already harvest the first beetroot in June.
    • You save yourself the tedious pricking out in the bed.
    • The risk of disease or pest infestation is reduced.

    When can beetroot be brought forward?

    Beetroot should only be put in the bed when frost is definitely no longer to be expected. The ice saints, an important date for gardeners in mid-May, are used as a reference date for this. This means that the beets must remain in their seed pots until this date. So that it does not get too big for the pots, you should start sowing at home at least six weeks before planting out, i.e. at the beginning of April.

    The situation is different if you have the opportunity to place the young plants in a cold frame or raised bed. Then planting out can take place earlier and you can start pre-breeding as early as the end of February.

    Preparing beetroot in egg paper or eggshells: A guide

    You need:

    • two or three 12-egg cartons or eggshells
    • potting soil
    • Beetroot seeds
    • watering can
    • plastic wrap
    • clear plastic boxes
    • Toothpick, scissors or other sharp object
    • rubber

    How to proceed:

    1. Cut the egg cases apart so that they have individual shells.
    2. If using eggshells, poke a hole in the bottom of each individual shell with a needle. The hole serves as drainage and allows the roots of the plantlets to reach the garden soil.
    3. Fill these bowls with potting soil.
    4. Place the filled bowls in the plastic boxes.
    5. Press two to three beetroot seeds per bowl one to two centimeters deep into the soil and cover them with soil.
    6. Water the soil lightly.
    7. Now cover the plastic boxes with cellophane foil and attach them to the edge of the boxes with the rubber bands.
    8. Poke several holes in the foil with a pointed object to allow some air and moisture (but not too much) to escape.
    9. Place your homemade seed trays in a bright, warm place.
    10. The first little plants can be seen after ten to fourteen days.
    11. When these are about two to three centimeters tall and you can grab them with your fingers, it's time to prick them out. You can find out how to do this here.

    tips

    You can add the delicious sprouts to a salad as sprouts.

    Cultivation vessels for the beetroot

    Various vessels are suitable for pre-breeding, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Here is an overview:

    vessel benefits disadvantage
    Recycled plastic bowl with lid, e.g. packaging of tomatoes Inexpensive, environmentally friendly because reused; can be closed, which protects against drying out The plants are sown together and have to be laboriously separated
    eggshells Inexpensive, environmentally friendly, can be placed individually with the shell in the ground Preparation: Prick the bottom of the shell, they should be individually covered with foil to protect them from drying out
    egg carton Inexpensive, environmentally friendly, can be placed individually with the box in the ground Preparation: Cut boxes apart, should be covered with foil to protect against drying out
    Coconut source tablets Simple and practical, can be planted completely in the ground, no potting soil required Expensive, imported and therefore less environmentally friendly

Category:

Vegetable garden