Nothing beats knowing how to plant beets

In the past few years, I have been having trouble planting beets correctly. Two years ago, they were too crowded, and thinning took forever. Last year, I spaced the seeds much farther apart (two to three inches). There were a few empty spots, but the beets still grew thick, just like weeds. Some did not germinate, and that left holes in the planting area. How do I prevent this?

-- F. L. of Belleville

If you look closely at your beet seeds, you will notice that each has many little chambers and is actually a cluster of single seeds. These do not separate even after drying.

Not every seed in the cluster will germinate. Sometimes none germinate and you end up with a hole in your planting bed. But usually many seeds germinate, and thinning the plants to one every three or four inches is required.

Do not throw those thinned seedlings away. They can be used as greens in salads as long as you thin the plants while they are small.

I have been reading about phytochemicals, which are supposed to help fight cancer. What are they and which common plants supply them?

-- B. F. of Glen Carbon

Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants. The general compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, indoles, lycopene and phenolic acids.

Carotenoids are antioxidants and are found in vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, parsley, spinach and kale. Flavonoids block receptors for hormones that promote cancer and are found in broccoli, eggplant, peppers, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, parsley, squash and tomatoes.

Indoles help prevent DNA damage and also decrease the influence of estrogen. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards and kale are the vegetables containing indoles.

Lycopene fights cell damage from carcinogens. It is found in tomatoes and watermelon. Phenolic acids increase activity of cancer-fighting enzymes. They're contained in broccoli, cabbage, carrots, eggplant, parsley and peppers.

We want to use flowers as decoration on food plates. Are there any dangers that we should be made aware of?

-- P. B. of Collinsville

First, if you want to place flowers next to food on a plate, you want to make sure that they were organically grown and are not carrying any pesticide residue. Do not use them if the person growing or selling them cannot tell the details of how they were grown.

Second, many plants'flowers are poisonous, especially if consumed. Some plants positively known to be dangerous are azalea, crocus, daffodil, delphinium, foxglove, hydrangea, jack-in-the-pulpit, lily-of-the-valley, rhododendron, sweet pea and wisteria. This list is no means meant to be complete, but these flowers are commonly used in non-food-related decorations.

Third, make sure to inform people of the plant type, as some are allergic to certain pollens and will want no flowers near their food.

DO IT NOW

CHECK to make sure repeated freezing has not pushed any newly planted shrubs or perennials up and out of the soil, exposing the roots.

DON'T WORRY if you find tops of daffodils or tulips above the soil, as they can withstand any hard freezes, but the leaves can be damaged.