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  • #1

    Multi-sowing seeds

    Has anyone tried multi-sowing seeds (i.e. leaving several seedlings clumped together then harvesting them individually as they ripen)? I saw it on some videos about no-dig gardening, where there were onions, beetroot and leeks grown this way. I'm tempted to try a small patch of multi-sown beetroots as you can apparently get a higher yield that way. The beetroots won't grow massive, but you fit more of them in. So, have any of you actually tried this - and does it work, or will I just end up with loads of minuscule beetroots?

    There's some information about this here: https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/multisowing/
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  • #2
    I've done it with spring onions and lettucey things.
    Unless you buy monogerm beetroot seeds , one seed will produce several plants anyway - normal recommendatipon being to thin them down to the strongest. I don't bother with all that - just leave them to get on with growing.

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    • #3
      I grow Long Red Florence onions (the torpedo shaped ones) like this, it works for them. But I don't like beetroot

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      • #4
        I've grown beetroot like this, 2 or 3 coming up in modules and planted out 3 inches apart. Harvest the bigger ones carefully (try not to disturb roots) as needed when starting to get crowded. A raised bed 12 feet long had a double row planted in the middle with strawberries on the outside. The beds had been filled with home produced compost from a heap. We had more than enough for the 2 of us starting with walnut sized roots and finishing with roots about 1/2 to 1lb Jan/Feb this year. Variety was detroit. I planted some cylindra also in a smaller bed but din't really harvest any (some rats did tho). I tried some of these just to see what they were like. When the roots get larger, I cover with soil (hide them) as it seems to deter rats.

        edit: There were 40 module sown, (small post from Aldi) with 2/3 seeds in each. If a lot of strong seedlings in a pot i split in two otherwise planted out the pot. So somewhere between 60 and 70 clumps.
        Last edited by Mark_Riga; 27-04-2019, 08:48 PM.

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        • #5
          That should obviously be about 100 clumps.

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          • #6
            I multisow Spring onions approx 8 to a module and beetroot 4 to a module. Works well for me.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by mcdood View Post
              I multisow Spring onions approx 8 to a module and beetroot 4 to a module. Works well for me.
              I do the same
              Location....East Midlands.

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              • #8
                Seems to me that as beetroot are multigerm seeds they must be happier growing up snuggled against each other. I've put 4 seeds in each module and whatever comes up is how they'll be planted out.
                Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
                Endless wonder.

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                • #9
                  I've always done it with spring onions and it works really well. This year also tried onions (~8 per clump) beetroot (~4 per clump) and peas (2-3 per clump) which is working well.

                  I think one key is getting the right sized module / pot to ensure that when you plant the clump out it is filled with roots and therefore doesn't fall apart.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by andypagett View Post
                    I think one key is getting the right sized module / pot to ensure that when you plant the clump out it is filled with roots and therefore doesn't fall apart.
                    Good point Andy it is crucial otherwise everything falls apart in a mess

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                    • #11
                      Just reading the RHS book "Gardening week by week", that recommends multi-sowing seeds of round veggies this way. Beetroot, turnips, round carrots and most of the onion family.
                      Sow 3-5 seeds in each module (week 4 - January). Transplant the whole module, without thinning, when the seedlings have one or two true leaves. Plant out at the normal spacing to produce a group of baby veggies.
                      I like baby veg so will try this.

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                      • #12
                        I did it with spring onions this year. They transplant really well. I actually had them in their initial modules far too long (about three months), but then when i finally planted them out they shot away.

                        I've also read it's really good for seed-sown shallots. It gives you a clump of shallots just like you get from sets (same size and quality, too), but far cheaper and with a wider choice of varieties thanks to growing from seed.

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                        • #13
                          I did this with onion, beetroot, carrot, turnips, leeks and radishes last year. All did well and grew to decent size apart from turnips and leeks that dried to a crisp on one of the few sunny days last summer, before they got planted out. I found that the cluster-sown plants were easier to manage in size, rather than when grown individually and all of a sudden appear to be the size of a football and woody. I will never stop multi sowing now
                          https://nodigadventures.blogspot.com/

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                          • #14
                            Gonna try this with beetroot, turnips and radish this year. It's a faff transplanting some things to SFG spacing. I've never had a good crop of SFG beetroot, possibly due to too much root disturbance. Much easier to transplant modules full of roots.

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                            • #15
                              Lots of talk of modules but what size are they?

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