growing beetroot question

hi,
another learning curve question from this years not-so-successful growing season - I planted about a dozen small beetroot shoots id bought from a garden centre, but as they have grown I hadn't realised there were 3 or 4 beetroot per plant and they haven't really grown to a usable size. several plants produced a good size beet, so its not been a total disaster, but as ive pulled them up ive realised there are 4 or 5 plants bunched together.

my question is, is there any way to avoid this next time? im sowing them from seeds this time and have tried to sow them as thinly as possible - is it just a case of thinning out the seedlings? and not buying plants from garden centres!?

thanks
Sue

 

Recently I've grown four or five seeds to a cell and planted out when about 2in high.
I used to direct sow.

Apparently beetroot produce more than one plant from one seed, so they do bunch up.
But they do grow as separate plants.

I just pull what I want, leaving the others to grow bigger, the ones on the outside usually form the best roots first.

 

This year I thought I'd try a Monogerm variety 'Solo' ...still needed thinning out though but maybe not as much.Still worth growing from seed though