Each beet seed can produce up to 6 separate shoots due to its structure. In conditions of dense planting, a situation is created in which the sprouted shoots do not have enough space for growth and development, which makes the thinning process vital.
There are several obvious advantages of this event:
- free space will allow the beets to grow to large sizes;
- fewer sprouts - more nutrients for each shoot;
- the distance between the stems will give an abundance of sunlight and a place for the arrangement of the leaves;
- natural selection during thinning will help to keep only the strongest plants in the garden.
With all the useful qualities, the thinning itself must be carried out wisely - pulling only in those places where it is really necessary. Pay attention to those parts of the garden where the thickening of the planting is striking, and the shoots themselves require space for growth. I often notice that gardeners are trying to thin out the beds, when it is especially not required by the beets.
I carry out thinning in several stages throughout the season, since the beets themselves germinate unevenly. The first stage occurs during the growth of the second leaflet. The next - on average after 3-4 weeks, when the bulk of the grains hatched, and 5-6 leaves have already grown on the most "adult" stems. I usually focus on the visual appearance of the garden and the approximate distance between the shoots. The third stage is carried out as needed, usually a month before the final ripening of the fruits and harvest.
I try not to delay the manipulation, especially with the first stages, since otherwise the plant will give all its strength to the growth of the stem in height, and there will be no useful ones left for the formation of the root crop substances.
Do not rush to throw away the removed tops - excellent salads and dressings are obtained from it.
The basic rules for competent thinning of beets can be determined by the following list:
- before removing sprouts, the soil should be well moistened, so the process will be easier and less traumatic for seedlings;
- leave the strongest shoot from the common bush, carefully pull out the rest or cut it to the very root;
- the first stage determines the distance between the stems at 6 cm, the second - 8 cm, and the third - 10-12 cm;
- when large pits are formed, fill the voids with soil;
- after the procedure, gently level the ground and repeat watering.
Do not try to thin out the garden too much, as very large roots lose their taste as they grow.
During the removal of sprouts, you have to pull out quite strong sprouts, which are a pity to throw away.
I plant such shoots on a free area of the same bed:
- I determine in advance the need for such a procedure and prepare the place - I water the soil, fertilize with potassium and phosphorus and loosen the top layer;
- I prepare the landing holes, observing a distance of 10 cm between the holes;
- I carry out the separation of the shoots as carefully as possible and immediately transplant the extracted shoots;
- I shorten the long roots by a third and remove the tops, except for the youngest leaves;
- when placed in the hole, I level the roots, fill the free space with earth and slightly compact.
After all the measures taken, I shade the treated beds for a couple of days with the help of improvised materials, while avoiding complete cover. Usually I just put garden umbrellas over the beets. Thinning does not tolerate bright sun at all, and the procedure itself is best done in cloudy or cloudy weather.
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