Grow Your Own Magazine

Just went for my daily wander round the veg and the beetroot leaves are not looking too healthy. I sowed them directly in the ground about 2 months ago and up till now have been doing really well. Today some of the leaves have turned white in parts and one has turned a wee bit black. It has been really wet and windy over the past few days.

I have thouroughly inspected them for wee beasties, but none to be seen. Any suggestions as to what this is and what i can do to make them better

Has anyone been spraying weedkiller nearby ?

Nope, no weedkiller on the go.

Chopped the offending leaves off last night and will keep and eye on them.

At a guess, white leaves could be sun- or wind-burn.
Black leaves usually rot.

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Thanks for that is has been very windy. I will keep a close eye on them.

I have a recurring problem with the leaves being very red when the plants are small and then having "white" patches when they eventually get bigger. Also, both beetroot and carrot patches have very quick growing short scrubby grass popping up between the plants. Do you think my soil may be a bit too acidic?

Terryr

My Beetroot leaves also look blotchy and battered, but the rooty bit is still growing away nicely, wouldn't panic too much.

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If it is only the outer leaves that are affected then don't worry, as long as the centre leaves look healthy then they will be alright. You didn't say if the roots had started swelling into beetroots yet.

Ian

Didnt check if they were swelling until I dug up some potatoes last night and fell bottom first into the beetroot

Squashed one and when I pulled it out there was a wee beetroot there. So all is looking good. Fingers crossed.