Who’s been eating my beetroot?
By Fleur
@Fleura (34927)
United Kingdom
August 14, 2023 7:07am CST
My beetroot were doing well this year, and since we like beetroot either fresh or pickled, and there has been some recent evidence that eating beetroot is really good for you and even enhances performance during exercise, I thought I would capitalise on the damp summer we are having, and I sowed some more.
Everything was going well until early last week, when we had a whole day of steady heavy rain. And when I went out the next day to see how my beetroot were doing, something had been eating them! Beetroot tend to grow kind of half on the surface, and all the exposed parts had been eaten away.
No idea if it might be giant slugs or (my partner’s biggest fear) rats. But why would rats suddenly start eating beetroot and why would they do it just after a really wet day?
Anyone else experienced this problem or have any ideas?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2023.
13 people like this
13 responses
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
14 Aug 23
If you were in the US, I'd say that looks like turtles are helping you eat your beets. Since you don't have land turtles there, I'm wondering if voles are eating the beets for you?
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
5 Sep 23
@Fleura Unless you have a fence around your garden, then turtles could be helping you.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
2 Sep 23
Don't know what happened to your beetroot.I just know sugar is made from beetroot and sugarcane,but haven't seen beetroot myself,which isn't indigenous to here.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
3 Sep 23
@Fleura Sorry!I didn't know Sugarbeet is different from beetroot.I looked up the beetroot online and lt looks like turnip.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222275)
• United States
15 Aug 23
Could be a woodchuck. They love to nibble on stuff and then leave it. Sorry your beetroot was the victim.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 23
@LindaOHio Yes, practically every one that was left in the ground, although some they only took a small nibble and others they ate away almost all and just left a sort of C-shaped shell!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222275)
• United States
15 Aug 23
@Fleura Sorry! Did they nibble on all of it?
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
14 Aug 23
Oddly enough, I dreamt last night/this morning of digging up deformed/rotten beets...
As for why the rats would suddenly start eating beetroot, they read the same article re: enhancing performance during exercise... like runnung away from cats. 
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
15 Aug 23
We have the mongoose(s) that dig out whatever grows under ground
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
15 Aug 23
Something definitely is chowing down on it.
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18025)
• Torrington, Connecticut
14 Aug 23
Most likely squirrels, they tear through my gardens and eat the squash and broccoli
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18025)
• Torrington, Connecticut
14 Aug 23
@Fleura Yeah I thought it was rodents as well and sat out on my backyard deck one weekend and was watching them run through my plants and veggies
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
14 Aug 23
When I read the title of this discussion I thought I was in for a vegan re-boot of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
The only problem I've ever encountered with beetroot is my mad panic when urinating a few hours after drinking a bottle of beetroot juice.
That photo looks like way too much carnage for slugs. I understand rabbits are fond of the odd beetroot.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Aug 23
Sorry, no ideas at all unless the rats have been exploring a bit further afield than usual and have found the beetroot. Do you Brownes crates there? They are used to hold x number of Brownes milk cartons. I used to put these over the pumpkins to keep the 'roos away. But they probably wouldn't keep rats out. If you have any netting scraps, perhaps you could make coverings.
1 person likes this
