can you transplant beets and chard?

TZ-OH6 · June 20, 2009

My beets sprouted but then over time dissappeared. The soil is pretty course and the slugs probably got them before they could get true leaves. Only two are left out of a 15 foot row. Can I plant them in potting mix in cell flats and then transplant? Or do they need to be direct seeded for taproot development? I think I still have time to get a crop in, but direct seeding again isn't going to work

**nctomatoman** · June 20, 2009

Chard absolutely - I always start it early then divide it, and it grows like a weed. I was told with beets you can't, but moved some of my thinnings to another area, watered them well and they are doing great - so I discovered you can transplant beets. (or at least I did successfully!)

TZ-OH6 · June 20, 2009

Great, I'm of to do some plantin'

phicks48 · June 21, 2009

ive done beets lots of times to paul

jhp · June 22, 2009

Beets are the only root crop that I know of, that you CAN start indoors and transplant. That's how I've been doing it last year and this year. My transplanted beets always do better than my direct seeded beets. I plant one seed per cell and then thin to the one strongest seedling per cell. Then transplant the entire cell, without disturbing the starter mix, into it's planting hole. Works for me.

Medbury Gardens · June 23, 2009

Beets are not a root crop but have a swollen stem above ground.
Chard and beets being very closely related, in my experience both easy to transplant

shelleybean · June 23, 2009

Thanks for this info, all! I always have trouble direct seeding beets. I will try this for my fall crop!

Tomstrees · June 23, 2009

for beets I direct sow and then thin them out -

~ Tom

shelleybean · June 23, 2009

Tom, that's how I've always tried to grow beets in the past, too, but like someone said above, they germinate and then that's it, they don't grow very well and then they're just gone. Weird. I may as well try to start them indoors. Seed is cheap.

shelleybean · July 21, 2009

Okay, it's almost time to do this. How many weeks before planting out do we start the beet seeds indoors? I'm starting one flat for myself and one for a friend. Thank you, beet growers.

TZ-OH6 · July 22, 2009

I forget if it has info for beets, but this site might be useful

http://www.veggieharvest.com/vegetab...ng/zone-5.html

You will have to change the zone though.

shelleybean · July 22, 2009

That does help. Thanks. The time is NOW!

June 20, 2009	#1
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 850	can you transplant beets and chard? My beets sprouted but then over time dissappeared. The soil is pretty course and the slugs probably got them before they could get true leaves. Only two are left out of a 15 foot row. Can I plant them in potting mix in cell flats and then transplant? Or do they need to be direct seeded for taproot development? I think I still have time to get a crop in, but direct seeding again isn't going to work

June 20, 2009	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Chard absolutely - I always start it early then divide it, and it grows like a weed. I was told with beets you can't, but moved some of my thinnings to another area, watered them well and they are doing great - so I discovered you can transplant beets. (or at least I did successfully!) __________________ Craig

June 23, 2009	#7
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Thanks for this info, all! I always have trouble direct seeding beets. I will try this for my fall crop! __________________ Michele

June 23, 2009	#8
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	for beets I direct sow and then thin them out - ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

June 23, 2009	#9
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Tom, that's how I've always tried to grow beets in the past, too, but like someone said above, they germinate and then that's it, they don't grow very well and then they're just gone. Weird. I may as well try to start them indoors. Seed is cheap. __________________ Michele

June 21, 2009	#4
phicks48 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lakeland FL Posts: 74	ive done beets lots of times to paul

June 22, 2009	#5
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Beets are the only root crop that I know of, that you CAN start indoors and transplant. That's how I've been doing it last year and this year. My transplanted beets always do better than my direct seeded beets. I plant one seed per cell and then thin to the one strongest seedling per cell. Then transplant the entire cell, without disturbing the starter mix, into it's planting hole. Works for me.

June 23, 2009	#6
Medbury Gardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Medbury, New Zealand Posts: 1,881	Beets are not a root crop but have a swollen stem above ground. Chard and beets being very closely related, in my experience both easy to transplant

July 21, 2009	#10
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Okay, it's almost time to do this. How many weeks before planting out do we start the beet seeds indoors? I'm starting one flat for myself and one for a friend. Thank you, beet growers. __________________ Michele

July 22, 2009	#11
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 850	I forget if it has info for beets, but this site might be useful http://www.veggieharvest.com/vegetab...ng/zone-5.html You will have to change the zone though.