Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Late beet planting challenge-calling for comments!

It has been a challenge in many ways, this old beet challenge.




Who knew we'd get this crazy heat and drought after the record setting wet of the spring.


I guess if you are going to have a challenge, make it a real challenge.


As for me, I'm loving my clay, which is holding onto the water beautifully well.  This characteristic I could have done without in the spring.  But me and my clay, we're back on again.


I planted my beets for the challenge on July 15th and up they popped on the 18th.


Remember now I soaked some, others I didn't.


And the ones that came up first were the ones I had soaked, and scattered on the soil, just to use them up, because they didn't fit in my neat little rows (15-10 foot rows.)


They are all up now and it didn't seem to matter if they were soaked in water or kelp solution...they just grew more rapidly when soaked.


I'd love to hear from everybody else now...how long was it till germination?  Even you late planters..keep tabs.


And most importantly, keep watering.






                                       Calling all beet growers!





8 comments:

sherilaugh said...

mine came up the day after yours. All I did was stick them in the ground and water them, I planted in the evening on the 15th as well. The first to come up were the ones in the Alpaca Poo garden, next were the ones at the corner of the deck where the compost pile was last year, then the ones in the area where I just cleared out the first crop of beets. The extra poop in the soil seemed to speed things up regardless of which type of manure it was (chicken or Alpaca).

Unknown said...

The ones in the pot have come up wholeheartedly after a day. They are on my front step, which gets more sun, plus the radiant heat from the interlocking brick of the walkway and steps. The ones in my garden in the backyard have also surfaced, though I'm still waiting for a few. So, four days for me.

Ian said...

I planted mine late on the 15th, almost at dusk and they were starting to "lift" the soil on the 18th and truly "up" yesterday, the 19th. Also some of your Blue Ribbon beans are germinating like CRAZY in this heat. Up in only 4/5 days!

CallieK said...

I planted mine in a bin of mushroom compost (commercial - it was the only thing I had!)They were up by Sunday- 2 days after planting! Crazy!lorp

Lisa said...

Yes mine came up the morning of the 19th. I just put them in my garden amongst all the other veggies and they are looking good, I've been watering in the morning. It's always fun to watch things grow.

thesunnyabyss said...

nothing yet :( We planted two days late, family got in the way, so Sunday, we've been watering but nothing yet.

Cathy V said...

About half of the seeds were up this morning--as if trying to get away from the record breaking 37.5 degree temperatures in Toronto. I also water in the morning before the sun hits the pots. Hoping the rest will be up tomorrow!

Kris Mo said...

I'm on day 2 after planting, and no sign so far - I'm thinking tomorrrow might be the magic day! I've planted in one of my dug clay beds with a hearty topdressing of sheep compost. Water will definitely be a challenge, but like you said, Linda - what's a challenge without a CHALLENGE? If nothing else, taking care of my future beets forced me out of the house today, and I found myself relishing the dense heat and the trickle of the hose.