Marianne's Response

Did I plant my beets too early?

Live north-side of Chicago. Garden is sunny (10 hours), great drainage (8″ raised bed), heavily composted, and produced like crazy in 2015. On 3/30/16 I scattered beet seeds from a “new” package, but so far no sign of life.
1. Did I plant too early?
2. Should I lay down new seeds?
3. Is there another possible explanation?

Posted by budofskokie on April 23, 2016

Marianne's Response

My best guess is you planted too early - or the seeds dried out. But if your nights have been cold - under 50 degrees it is possible the seeds are just lying dormant until the soil warms and they will sprout soon. Try this - sprinkle some seeds on a damp paper towel, place in a jar and see how soon they sprout. If they sprout indoors but not outside the fault is not the seeds, it is the cold soil or dry soil. Seeds are cheap, sow, sow and sow again. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti