The chicken manure probably made it too high in nitrogen and the whole thing went to leaves. Eat beet greens.

Patience. Beets take two -3 months in the summer time. Winter growing is a lot slower. Just hang in there and you will most likely have roots at the proper time for them. Cultivar is also important, but I certainly would not worry about excess nitrogen unless the plants were pushing two feet tall.

Sorry but I have to agree with the initial poster - too much nitrogen. Chicken manure is far too N rich (hot) for beets. If you have 1 foot tall tops and no root development it isn't likely you'll get much now. But you'll have some great beet greens to eat.

Suggest you replant now as much of the excess nitrogen will have been used by the first crop. And in the future, go very easy with the chicken manure. ;)

Good luck.

Dave

And I agree with the follow-up that says it is just what you should expect in the winter.

BTW, I have forgotten, just asking, are there not some strains that are for greens and don't really develop large roots?

I can agree with everyone!! Beets usually do okay in soil without much fertility. Excess nitrogen will encourage top growth and that will probably be at the expense of root development.

You are, however, growing them in the coolest part of your growing season and if your garden is on the coast - probably with very little sunlight to pump up the carbohydrates and the roots.

One thing almost all beets need is to be thinned! Are they a little crowded? Thinning is better than a good excuse for beet greens on the table but those good greens should be a good enuf excuse!

Steve

Thanks everyone... I didn't put in only chicken manure, but compost from a mushroom farm that consisted of the manure. Probably is the culprit though like you guys said. I did thin them and the greens are delicious... I'll hold out for another month and see if I get lucky, then I'll move them elsewhere next season.