[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

Donna, I have had similar problems if too much nitrogen forces foliage 
rather than root. The same thing happens if the rooting medium is heavy on 
the compost side. Ammonium phosphate promotes root development, I percieve. 
Hold off on nitrogen, especially if grown in compost, and use ammonium 
phosphate instead or no fertilizer at all if you have reasonably rich soil. 
Isolate a couple of rows, experiment and share the results.

This analogy is, however, strictly from memories of a rather ancuient 
history. If any others have more concrete solutions, I too might learn, but 
I believe, until proved wrong, that the problem is be related to fertilizer.

Dick Gross, MGV
U of A Maricopa County Cooperative Eaxtension

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <farmerswife45 at global101.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:38 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> Donna Watkins
> 85328
> farmerswife45 at global101.com
>
> I planted three varieties of gormet beets early last fall.  not one of 
> them developed beets, only tops. I planted them in a barrel(I have 
> gophers) with organic bagged compost and planting soil and kept them 
> moist.  I even let them overwinter to see if they might still develope but 
> they just turned into a long root with lots of root hairs (great tops 
> though).  Any ideas on what happened?
>
>
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