If you want to harvest beetroot in June, you can plant the plants at home on the windowsill. Below you will find out how to do this and which cultivation containers are suitable.
When and how to prefer beetroot on the windowsill?
Beetroot can be grown on the windowsill from the beginning of April to harvest in June. Use growing containers such as eggshells or egg cartons, fill them with growing soil and sow two to three seeds per container. After about two weeks the plants will germinate.
Why prefer beetroot?
If you prefer beetroot at home, it has several advantages:
- The harvest date has moved forward significantly, so that you can harvest the first beets as early as June.
- You save yourself the hassle of pricking out the bed.
- The risk of disease or pest infestation is reduced.
When can beetroot be preferred?
Beetroot is only allowed in the bed when no more frost is expected. The Ice Saints, an important gardening date in mid-May, are used as a guide date for this. This means that the beetroot must remain in its cultivation pot until this date. So that it doesn't get too big for the pots, you should start sowing at home at least six weeks before planting out, i.e. at the beginning of April.
It looks different if you have the opportunity to put the young plants in a cold frame or raised bed. Then planting out can take place earlier and you can start pre-growing at the end of February.
Prefer beetroot in egg cardboard or eggshells: instructions
You need:
- two or three 12 egg cartons or eggshells
- growing soil
- Beetroot seeds
- Watering can
- Plastic film
- clear plastic boxes
- Toothpicks, scissors or another sharp object
- Rubber
How to proceed:
- Cut the egg cartons apart to make individual bowls.
- If using eggshells, use a needle to poke a hole in the bottom of each shell. The hole serves as drainage and allows the roots of the plants to reach the garden soil.
- Fill these bowls with potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon).
- Place the filled bowls in the plastic boxes.
- Press two to three beetroot seeds per bowl one to two centimeters deep into the soil and cover them with soil.
- Water the soil lightly.
- Now cover the plastic boxes with cellophane film and attach it to the edge of the boxes with the rubber bands.
- Prick several holes in the foil with a pointed object so that some air and moisture (but not too much) can escape.
- Place your homemade growing dishes in a bright, warm place.
- The first little plants can be seen after ten to fourteen days.
- When they are about two to three centimeters long and you can grab them easily with your fingers, it's time to prick them out. You can find out how to do this here.
Tip
You can add the delicious sprouts to a salad as sprouts.
Growing containers for beetroot
Various containers can be used for pre-breeding, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is an overview:
| Vessel | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled plastic bowl with lid, e.g. packaging of tomatoes | Cheap, environmentally friendly as it can be reused; can be closed, which protects against drying out | The plants are sown together and have to be laboriously separated |
| Eggshells | Cheap, environmentally friendly, can be placed individually in the ground including the bowl | Preparation: Prick the bottom of the bowl and should be individually covered with foil to protect against drying out |
| egg carton | Cheap, environmentally friendly, can be placed individually in the ground together with the cardboard box | Preparation: Cut boxes apart, should be covered with foil to protect against drying out |
| Coconut swelling tablets | Simple and practical, can be planted completely in the ground, no potting soil necessary | Expensive, imported and therefore less environmentally friendly |
