How do I plant beetroot seedlings and why do I need to do this?

The seedling method is rarely used for beets. It's best used in northern regions or for early varieties (which I do myself), as it allows for a faster harvest.

Seeds are sown 21-25 days before transplanting into open ground. They are sown in wooden boxes, plastic containers, peat cups, or a greenhouse.

Proper soil preparation is important. What does a soil mixture consist of?

• I take 2 parts of peat;
• I use 1 part of turf soil;
• you also need 1 part humus or compost;
• 0.5 parts of sand is enough.

For every 5 kg of mixture, I add about 100 g of wood ash. Be sure to wash the sand before use, and bake the garden soil in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Sowing for seedlings: step-by-step instructions

My planting process goes like this:

1. Prepare planting material using the standard method.
2. Fill a box or other container with fertile soil.
3. Make holes 10-15 cm apart and 2 cm deep.
4. Pour warm water over it.
5. Press in the seeds and cover with soil.
6. Moisturize again.
7. Cover the container with polyethylene until the first shoots appear, after which remove the cover.

Caring for seedlings

The rules for caring for seedlings that I follow:

1. About two days after sowing the seeds, open the container and moisten the soil. Water as the soil dries. Avoid crusting or stagnant water.
2. The container should be located in a well-lit place (window sill, loggia).
3. Monitor the temperature. Before germination, it should range from 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. Once sprouts appear, the temperature should drop to 14-15 degrees Celsius.
4. Seedlings need to be pricked out if the seeds are planted too close together or if using varieties that produce multiple sprouts. When transplanting seedlings, use identical soil but add nitroammophoska (1 tablespoon per 5 kg of soil).
5. If you don't want to transplant, just thin out the plants.
6. After transplanting, move the container to a shaded area. Otherwise, the sprouts will become too elongated, which is undesirable for beets.
7. 2 weeks after planting, apply fertilizer (Krepysh, Sotka, Fertika).

Don't transplant into open soil until the seedlings have developed 2 or 3 full leaves. When I did this before, the seedlings died or seemed very weak.

How to plant seedlings in open ground?

The timing of beet transplants depends on climate and weather conditions. This is often in May (at least in the central part of the country, where I live). The soil should warm up to at least 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy weather or light rain is preferred. In hot, dry weather, plant early in the morning or evening.

Step-by-step instructions for transplantation:

1. Prepare the beds as you would when planting seeds in open ground.
2. Make holes deep enough to accommodate the root system. I never use rulers, so I just eyeball the holes.
3. Fill with plenty of water and wait until the liquid is completely absorbed.
4. Place the seedling bushes, making sure that the roots do not break.
5. Sprinkle with soil, compacting it lightly.
6. Water again.
7. Cover the seedlings with plastic or each plant with an inverted and cut plastic bottle for 2 days.

Water the planted seedlings daily. Once established, moistening the soil once every 7 days is sufficient. Pay attention to weather conditions – during frequent rainfall, reduce watering.

The bushes are taking root well, and I am also happy with the harvest.