Beetroot Trial Report 2016

Transcription

1 Beetroot Trial Report 2016 Written by Eva Erhart Trials Office, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

2 RHS Trial of Beetroot Introduction: Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a herbaceous plant grown for its swollen root and leaves. The most common garden beetroot is red, but orange and white cultivars are available too. Beetroots can be eaten raw, cooked and pickled, and young leaves are increasingly used in salads. Trial No. 2 Bettollo Trial Location The trial was held on the Trials Field at RHS Garden Wisley and a duplicate trial was hosted at RHS Garden Rosemoor. Objectives The objectives of the trial were to assess a range of cultivars and to recommend the Royal Horticultural Society s Award of Garden Merit (AGM) to outstanding cultivars for garden use. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

3 Judging The Beetroot Trial Assessment Forum viewed the trial on 25 July 2016 and assessed the plants using the following judging criteria: Taste Colour Shape Skin smoothness Uniformity Quality Maturity date The members of the forum were: P Dawson, M Day, J England, I Gillott, A Hughes, S Mercer, B Newman, C Randel, S Wain, R White. Entries There were 44 entries in the trial, submitted by various seed companies in the UK and the USA. Cultivation: The bed was prepared early May and fertilised with sulphate of ammonia (100 g/m 3 ) and sulphate of potash (40 g/m 3 ) on 9 May. Following bed preparation the seeds of entries TN1 - TN21 were direct sown on 12 May and seeds of entries TN22 TN44 on 13 May: three rows per cultivar, with 15 cm between rows. A weekly irrigation was carried out between May and June to aid germination and development of beetroots. Entries were thinned on 3 June to allow cm spacing between developing roots. The crops which reached golf tennis ball size were harvested first on 21 July and continuously later on as they reached the mature size. *Yield and Number of harvested beetroots were recorded until 25 July 2016 at Wisley. All harvested when they reached tennis ball size. RHS advice on growing your own beetroots can be found here: Recommendation for the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) The following are the plants which fulfilled the Award of Garden Merit criteria during the trial and were considered to be worthy of receiving the award. The criteria which a plant needs to fulfil in order to receive the award are: excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions available of good constitution essentially stable in form and colour reasonably resistant to pests and diseases The plants which already had an AGM had to be re-confirmed to keep it; and if they didn t fulfil the above mentioned criteria and are out-classed by newer varieties, their AGM was rescinded. Hardiness rating H3 Temperature range: -5 ºC to 1 ºC Category: Half-hardy unheated glasshouse/ mild winter Definition: Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK except in severe winters and at risk from sudden (early) frosts. May be hardy elsewhere with wall shelter or good microclimate. Likely to be damaged or killed in cold winters, particularly with no snow cover or if pot grown. Can often survive with some artificial protection in winter. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

4 THE BEETROOT TRIAL ASSESSMENT FORUM RECOMMENDED THE SOCIETY S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT TO THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES: Bettollo AGM (H3) 2016 (Trial Entry 2) Sent by D T Brown. Number of harvested beetroots: 17* Yield: 3360 g* Average weight/crop: 198 g type. Late, but good size. Smooth skin. Little bit tapered. Available from: D T Brown, Elsoms Seeds, Mr Fothergill s Seeds. Bona AGM (H3) 2016 (Trial Entry 5) Sent by Thompson & Morgan. Number of harvested beetroots: 12* Yield: 1850 g* Average weight/crop: 154 g Forum comments: Open pollinated. Round red type. Even size. Skin looks very smooth. Lovely and tender to cut. Available from: Kings Seeds, Medwyn s of Anglesey, Thompson & Morgan. THE BEETROOTRIAL ASSESSMENT FORUM RE-CONFIRMED THE SOCIETY S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT TO: Action AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 1) Sent by Elsoms Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 15* Yield: 6155 g* Average weight/crop: 410 g type. Smooth skin. Available from: Dobies of Devon, Elsoms Seeds, Suttons Seeds. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

5 Boltardy AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 4) Sent in by Kings Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 15* Yield: 3540 g* Average weight/crop: 236 g Forum comments: Open pollinated. Round red type. Been around for quite some time. Most popular beetroot in gardens. Good size. Good colour. Available from: Chiltern Seeds, Dobies of Devon, D T Brown, Kings Seeds, Marshalls Seeds, Mr Fothergill s Seeds, Sarah Raven, Select Seeds, Suttons Seeds, Thompson & Morgan, Unwins. Rubidus AGM (H3) 2005 (Trial Entry 12) Sent by Thompson & Morgan. Number of harvested beetroots: 13* Yield: 2440 g* Average weight/crop: 188 g Forum comments: Open pollinated. Round red type. Quite good looking. Smooth skin. Available from: Thompson & Morgan. Pablo AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 20) Sent by Elsoms Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 13* Yield: 2800 g* Average weight/crop: 215 g type. Large. Still a good variety. Something was affecting this cultivar. It looks better usually. The forum agreed that this is a good variety and still AGM worthy, therefore it should keep its AGM. Available from: D T Brown, Elsoms Seeds, Johnsons Seeds, Kings Seeds, Marshalls Seeds, Medwyn s of Angelsey, Mr Fothergill s Seeds, Robinson s Seeds & Plants, Select Seeds, Suttons Seeds, Thompson & Morgan, Unwins. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

6 Red Ace AGM (H3) 2001 (Trial Entry 21) Sent in by Kings Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 12* Yield: 2440 g* Average weight/crop: 203 g type. Good colour. Fairly uniform. Available from: D T Brown, Kings Seeds, Mr Fothergill s Seeds, Robinson s Seeds & Plants, Sakata, Select Seeds, Thompson & Morgan. Solo AGM (H3) 2005 (Trial Entry 23) Sent by Thompson & Morgan. Number of harvested beetroots: 17* Yield: 2570 g* Average weight/crop: 151 g type. Monogerm. Good variety. Good colour. Nice round beet. Available from: Dobies of Devon, Marshalls Seeds, Suttons Seeds, Thompson & Morgan, Unwins. Wodan AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 25) Sent by Thompson & Morgan. Number of harvested beetroots: 14* Yield: 2230 g* Average weight/crop: 159 g type. Few elongated ones. Smooth skin. Quite even. Available from: D T Brown, Kings Seeds, Thompson & Morgan. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

7 Alto AGM (H3) 2005 (Trial Entry 39) Sent in by Kings Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 12* Yield: 1730 g* Average weight/crop: 144 g Forum comments: Hybrid. Red cylindrical type. Good long shape. Available from: Dobies of Devon, Kings Seeds, Suttons Seeds, Thompson & Morgan. Cheltenham Green Top AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 44) Sent in by Kings Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 15* Yield: 970 g* Average weight/crop: 65 g (This is a late variety and it was harvested quite early, therefore the crop can weigh more if harvested later.) Forum comments: Late variety. Traditional long beet. A unique type. Vigorous variety. Traditional long beet. For its type there is nothing to match it in flavour. Available from: D T Brown, Kings Seeds, Select Seeds, Simpsons Seeds. THE BEETROOT TRIAL ASSESSMENT FORUM RECOMMENDED THE SOCIETY S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT, SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY, TO THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES: It is the sender s responsibility to notify the Trials Office that the cultivar has become available for home gardeners to buy. Monodet AGM (H3) 2001 (Trial Entry 18) Sent in by A L Tozer. Number of harvested beetroots: 15* Yield: 2650 g* Average weight/crop: 177 g Forum comments: Open pollinated. Round red type. Older monogerm variety but still looks good. Damaged a bit (probably with hoe). Available only wholesale from A L Tozer. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

8 Subeto AGM (H3) 2016 (Trial Entry 24) Sent by Elsoms Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 15* Yield: 2920 g* Average weight/crop: 195 g Forum comments: Hybrid. New hybrid. Round red type. Good foliage. Exceptionally smooth skin. Available from: Elsoms (only wholesale), Thompson & Morgan (only in a mix). Taunus AGM (H3) 2016 (Trial Entry 43) Sent by Elsoms Seeds. Number of harvested beetroots: 10* Yield: 1710 g* Average weight/crop: 171 g Forum comments: Hybrid. Cylindrical type. Smooth skin. Good, even size. Uniform long shape. Available only wholesale from Elsoms. THE BEETROOT TRIALS ASSESSMENT FORUM RECOMMENDED TO RESCIND THE SOCIETY S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT FROM: Bonel AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 6) Sent in by Kings Seeds. Forum comments: Open pollinated variety. Round red type. Doesn t look good. Superseded. Monogram AGM (H3) 1993 (Trial Entry 19) Sent in by A L Tozer Ltd. Forum comments: Monogerm. Round red type. Gardeners don t mind if it is monogerm or not. Smooth skin. Whitish rings, not nice. Variation in size. Superseded. Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

9 Index of Plants in the Trial TN Name Sender Round Red Types 1 Action AGM (H3) 1993 Elsoms Seeds 2 Bettollo D T Brown 3 Bolivar Thompson & Morgan 4 Boltardy AGM (H3) 1993 Kings Seeds 5 Bona Thompson & Morgan 6 Bonel AGM (H3) 1993 Kings Seeds 7 Boston A L Tozer 8 Cardeal Sakata UK 9 Crimson King Kings Seeds 10 Detroit 2 Darko Hazera Seeds 11 Detroit 2 Crimson Globe Thompson & Morgan 12 Rubidus AGM (H3) 2005 Thompson & Morgan 13 Detroit Dark Red 2 Pro-Veg Seeds 14 Kahira Thompson & Morgan 15 Grenade Hazera Seeds 16 Manzu Elsoms Seeds 17 Moneta Thompson & Morgan 18 Monodet AGM (H3) 2001 A L Tozer 19 Monogram AGM (H3) 1993 A L Tozer 20 Pablo AGM (H3) 1993 Elsoms Seeds 21 Red Ace AGM (H3) 2001 Kings Seeds 22 Red Titan Johnsons Seeds 23 Solo AGM (H3) 2005 Thompson & Morgan 24 Subeto Elsoms Seeds 25 Wodan AGM (H3) 1993 Thompson & Morgan 26 Bull s Blood Pro-Veg Seeds Round Red and White Stripy Types 27 Chioggia Pro-Veg Seeds Round Orange Types 28 Boldor Thompson & Morgan 29 Burpee s Golden Suttons Seeds 30 Golden Boy Pro-Veg Seeds 31 Golden Detroit Western Hybrid Seeds, Inc 32 Golden Detroit Pro-Veg Seeds 33 Golden Globe Pro-Veg Seeds Round White Types 34 Albino Pro-Veg Seeds 35 Albina White Pro-Veg Seeds 36 Avalanche Elsoms Seeds 37 White Detroit Western Hybrid Seeds, Inc 38 White Ghost Pro-Veg Seeds Cylindrical Types 39 Alto AGM (H3) 2005 Kings Seeds 40 Cylindra Pro-Veg Seeds 41 Forono AGM (H3) 1993 Kings Seeds 42 Monorubra Mr Fothergill s Seeds 43 Taunus Elsoms Seeds Vigorous Types 44 Cheltenham Green Top AGM (H3) 1993 Kings Seeds Final Report for Trial No Beetroot

10 Sender details: A L Tozer, Pyports, Downside Bridge Rd, Cobham KT11 3EH, Tel , D T Brown, Bury Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7PQ, Tel , Elsoms Seeds, Pinchbeck Rd, Spalding PE11 1QG, Tel , Kings Seeds (EW King), Monks Farm, Colchester CO5 9PG, Tel , Hazera Seeds, J.N.R.C., Rothwell, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6DT, Tel , Johnsons Seeds, Gazeley Rd, Newmarket CB8 7QA, Tel , Mr Fothergill s Seeds, Gazeley Rd, Kentford, Suffolk CB8 7QB, Tel , Pro-Veg Seeds, 6 Shingay Ln, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3SS, Tel , Sakata UK, Spalding Rd, Boston PE20 2EW, Tel , Suttons Seeds, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7NG, Tel , Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3BU, Tel , Western Hybrid Seeds, Inc, PO Box Hamilton City CA United States, Tel. +1 (530) Please note: Sources of seed for these cultivars may vary from year to year. Acknowledgements All photographs were taken by Liz Cowan. Cover photographs: Top left: TN 10 - Detroit 2 Darko ; top right: TN 36 - Avalanche ; bottom left: TN 30 - Golden Boy ; bottom right: TN 27 - Chioggia. Source: Horticultural Trials and Relations, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB Tel: & trials@rhs.org.uk More information about RHS Trials and other Trials reports can be found on the RHS Website at Final Report for Trial No Beetroot