Thinning Beet Seedlings: A Guide to Getting it Right

When it comes to growing beets, there's a common debate among gardeners about whether or not to thin beet seedlings. Some people swear by letting nature take its course and allowing the seedlings to grow in clusters, while others believe that thinning is essential for a healthy crop.

Personally, I do prefer the bigger ones as it’s less labour intensive come processing time. If you like baby beets, then don’t – it’s not like the baby beets are costing you anymore in seeds. However, if you like big beets to slice for your hamburgers, thinning is a must.

With solo beets becoming humongous and clusters staying at ‘baby beet’ size, it's easy to see why some gardeners might opt for the former. But what about the size difference? The vast majority of my beetroot seedlings continued to grow in clusters of 2 to 3. However, nature had other plans, and some ended up living a solo life.

Initially, I had intended not to thin any of my beetroot seedlings. If you’re one to let nature take its course it makes sense not to thin. But as the seedlings grew, I realized that it was near impossible to thin and move them without damaging them once they had germinated. So, I decided to sacrifice by snipping off the extras carefully with scissors.

Interestingly, beetroot seeds look more like bubbly clusters because they are actually clusters of multiple seeds. This got me thinking – what would happen if I didn’t thin my beets? Would it affect their growth and overall yield?

After watching a YouTube clip from fellow YouTuber Mark from Self Sufficient Me and his beetroot harvest, I noticed that he doesn’t thin his beets and still manages to produce a bumper crop. This got me wondering – does thinning really matter?

I've found over the years that plants do better if they're not competing with resources (sun, water, nutrients). So, I decided to test my own theory by leaving some of my beetroot seedlings unthinned.

To my surprise, the thinned plants were usually a little more resilient from bug attacks – particularly aphids. This made me realize that thinning might be more beneficial than I initially thought.

So, what's the takeaway? Thinning beet seedlings is not necessarily a hard and fast rule. It ultimately depends on your personal preference and what you want to get out of your beet crop. If you're looking for bigger, healthier beets, then thinning might be the way to go. But if you're happy with smaller, more abundant harvests, then leaving your seedlings unthinned could be the better option.

Ultimately, it's all about what works best for you and your garden. Whether you choose to thin or not, make sure to do so carefully and humanely – after all, those extra seedlings will still make great additions to your compost pile!