I CAN understand how some dedicated gardeners struggle with the desire to grow a good vegetable plot at the same time have a beautiful, ornamental garden.
Usually, the basis of the problem is limited space.
We can have both. I've been pushing the concept for years.
At this time last year I even tried an experiment by growing beetroot as a ground cover on the edge of a mixed border of perennials and roses.
I chose a variety of beetroot with leaves that were so dark purple-red they were almost black. However, these large leaves were also marvellously glossy and looked brilliant.
And I harvested a steady supply of extra-sweet, delicious beetroot right through summer and autumn.
The variety I used happens to be my favourite, although it has the weird name of Bull's Blood Harvest. This is an old-fashioned, heirloom variety that is really worth growing in any sunny part of the garden.
If you are going to grow beetroot, it is better to sow seeds directly where the plants are to be grown. They are cheaper and far more reliable than bought seedlings, which do not transplant well.
We see these strange, top-heavy and wobbly seedlings in punnets in some garden centres. Resist the temptation to grab the biggest ones. These over-grown plants are almost certain to bolt immediately to seed and become a waste of space.
Beetroot seeds are oddly angular and woody. Each seed looks a bit like a dried-up berry. It is a cluster of seeds, which is why we often see two or three seedlings emerge where one single seed has been sown.
I simply pinch off the surplus rather than try and pull them out, otherwise the whole lot can come out of the ground.
The best fertiliser to apply to soil before sowing beetroot seeds is pulverised cow manure or well-rotted sheep droppings.
A bucketful spread over two square metres and dug in deeply is enough. Use a pointed garden stake to drag out shallow grooves in the surface of the soil. Then sprinkle in the seeds, spacing them about 20mm apart, and backfill.
We should also add the mineral boron, which is loved by the beetroot tribe. Boron is available at almost all garden centres in small packets for a few dollars. Only the tiniest amount is needed.
In fact, a packet I bought in 1994 is still half-full and I've been using it to grow lots of beetroot every summer since that year.
If there is not enough boron in the soil, beetroot plants won't grow properly.
They always appear to be lacking water, even if kept well-watered.
Although the plants eventually grow, the roots fail to develop to a decent size and lack flavour and sweetness.
About a teaspoonful of boron added to a full, brimming watering can of water is enough. It dissolves immediately.
The trick is to apply it as early as possible, and that means as soon as the seed has been sown. This allows seeds to take it in with the water as they swell before germination. This tiny but vital amount is all the plants require for the rest of the season.
The results, especially on sandy, impoverished or coastal soils, can be astonishing. Growth is rapid right from the start and beetroot leaves take on enormous proportions.
My own boron-stimulated beetroot plants invariably finish up with leaves well over knee-high and glistening with health. And the roots are massive, tender, packed with flavour and beautifully sweet.
