How to Grow and Care for Beets

Beets (Beta vulgaris), also known as beetroots, are fast-growing, earthy root vegetables, additionally grown for their edible leaves. They are a cool-season crop that thrive in sunny areas in a range of soils, preferring well-draining, neutral soil. Beets tolerate frost, and it's possible for their seeds to germinate at temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit, making them a potential option for growers in many regions.

How to Plant Beets

When to Plant

In most regions, there are two windows of time when you can grow beets: in the spring and again in the fall. For spring beets, you can sow seeds as soon as the soil has warmed up after winter, a couple of weeks before the last frost, and you can plant more beets every few weeks for an ongoing harvest, until afternoon temperatures start to reach around 75°F. Then, inmidsummeror early fall, once the temperatures begin to cool below that same temperature again, you can plant fall beets. You will want to plant beets ideally about five weeks before thepredictedaveragefirstfrost date for your area.Any time less than a month before the first frost may be too short of a window.

Selecting a Planting Site

Beets need full sunlight to grow to their potential, so choose the sunniest spot you can. Try to choose a site that gets at least six hours of unfiltered sun. If possible, avoid planting in an area where beets have recently grown, as well as other Beta vulgaris crops like Swiss chard, so that your new beets won't suffer from any prior planting's pests or diseases.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Initially, sow seeds in rows a couple of inches apart and 1/2 inch deep. Keep your rows of beets separated by about a foot. Once the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin the beets so that there isfour inchesa four-inch spacebetween each plant. Use a pair of scissors to thin your beets instead of plucking them by hand, which could disturb the roots of the beets you aren't thinning. Fortunately, beets do not need a trellis or any kind of support.

Beet Care

Light

Beets prefer to grow in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. However, they can tolerate some light shade.

Soil

Alight, rich, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH is best. Rocks, clay, weeds, and anything else that can interfere with root development should be removed. Moreover, beets need boron in the soil to prevent black heart, a condition that causes deformed leaves and corky black spots on the roots. You can provide boron by using compost or seaweed extract as a soil amendment.

Water

Provide at least one inch of water every week. Mulching will help to keep the soil from drying out and getting too warm.

Temperature and Humidity

Beets are not quite as cold-tolerant as some cool-season vegetables, such as broccoli, but they can tolerate a light frost. Temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal. Humidity also typically isn't an issue as long as proper soil moisture is maintained and there's air flow around the plants to help inhibit fungal growth.

Fertilizer

If your soil is not rich in organic matter, supplemental feeding will be necessary starting about two weeks after the beets emerge. Any good vegetable fertilizer will do, following label instructions.

Pollination

Pollination is not a concern when growing beets, since these plants are grown for their edible taproot and leaves. In fact, beets will only flower when grown at the wrong time of the year.

Types of Beets

• 'Burpee Golden' beets have a beautiful yellow-orange color but are relatively temperamental when growing.
• 'Chioggia' is an heirloom beet with concentric red and white circles.
• 'Detroit Dark Red' is great for fresh eating or canning and pickling.
• 'Mini Ball' produces individual-sized beets and is great for growing in containers.

Beets vs. Swiss Chard

Beets are fairly easy to identify and are rarely confused for any other vegetables when looking at the harvested, round root. However, when the plants are young and only leaves above the soil line are visible, beet greens can be confused with Swiss chard, a subspecies of Beta vulgaris. While beets are grown primarily for their taproot, though their greens are often eaten as well, Swiss chard (and rainbow chard) are grown for their large, colorful leaves. Chard will not form a large taproot like beets do, instead putting energy into leaves.

Harvesting Beets

Beets take around 55 to 70 days after planting to mature. You can start harvesting beet greens once the plants reach around 3 to 4 inches tall. The greens are most tender before they reach 6 inches, and they can be eaten raw or cooked. Be sure to leave some leaves on the plants, as they’re necessary for root development. Beetroots are ready to harvest when they’re around 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Larger roots will be tougher and more fibrous. Harvest the beetroots by loosening the soil and gently pulling them out. Leave at least 1 inch of the stem to avoid bleeding during cooking. Beets are ideal root cellar vegetables and can be stored for three to four months packed in sand or sawdust in a cool, dry spot. Beets can also be canned, pickled, or frozen. Fresh beets will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

How to Grow Beets in Pots

Beets can be grown in pots in the exact same manner they would be grown in the ground. If you don't have access to a garden but do have access to lots of sunlight, growing beets in pots can work for you. When choosing a pot, you will want a pot that is at least 10 inches deep, or preferably deeper, with excellent drainage. The roots will need lots of room to grow. In terms of pot diameter, decide how many beets you want to grow and then consider the math, knowing that each beet will eventually need about four inches of space around it.

Pot in well-draining soil—a potting mix formulated especially for vegetables is ideal for beets. It's best to pot beets in a container that will accommodate their mature size to avoid having to repot. That way, you won't have to disturb the sensitive roots. Placeyour pot in an area that gets at least six hours of unfiltered sun, and water regularly without letting the soil get soggy.

Pruning

Beets do not need pruning, and their leaves should not be cut until large enough for harvesting as greens. Beets will need to be initially thinned, however, after the seedlings first germinate. Each beet needs four inches of space around it to grow. Use a pair of small scissors to remove the excess seedlings without disturbing the roots of the beets you want to keep growing.

Propagating Beets

Beets are not really propagated from plant tissue, as each individual plant is usually eaten in its entirely. Beets are easily grown from seed, and beet seeds are both easy to find and affordable.

How to Grow Beets From Seed

Beets are usually grown from seeds, which are readily available and affordable. Follow these steps:

1. Choose a location with as much sun as possible.
2. Prepare neutral, well-draining soil. Consider amending it with compost; otherwise, you may need to fertilize the beets more often as they are growing.
3. Sow seeds 1/2-inch deep and about one to two inches apart, in rows that are at least a foot apart.
4. Cover the seeds loosely with soil, and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.
5. Once the seeds have germinated and the greens are a few inches tall, thin the beets so that there is about a four-inch space between each plant.

Overwintering

Fall beets that have not been harvested yet can stay in the ground during winter, offering you fresh beets in the colder months. The above-ground beet greens will not survive freezing temperatures, but the taproot below will. You can even leave your beets in the ground all winter long and harvest them in the spring. Cover your winter beets with straw or mulch to provide some protection from the elements.

In zones 9 and above, they often can be grown over the winter months.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Many of the common problems with beets are shared by other root vegetables, such as potatoes. In addition to black heart, caused by a boron deficiency (described above), be on the lookout for:

• Bacterial infections: A variety of soil bacteria can cause discolored spots on leaves, which can gradually infect the roots. Affected plants should be removed, and rotate crops the next season. Do not plant beets in garden space previously occupied by potatoes.
• Viral infections: Various viruses, often transmitted by leafhopper insects, can cause twisted, distorted leaves. Combat viruses by planting resistant varieties and fighting leafhoppers with pesticides.
• Fungal infections: Similar to bacteria, fungal infections cause small brown or gray spots to cover the leaves. To prevent, rotate crops every two to three years. At the first sign of infection, apply a fungicide.
• Root rot: Usually caused by the Fusarium fungus, root rot causes the above-ground foliate to wilt, as though in need of water, while the underground roots begin to rot away. Root rot tends to appear in cycles; two or three disease-free years might be followed by a bad season where many plants are affected. Root rot can be minimized by keeping your garden weed-free and by avoiding overwatering. Affected plants should be removed.
• Insect pests: Watch for leaf miners, leafhoppers, flea beetles, aphids, and caterpillars. Pests usually are identified by ragged holes left when they feed on leaves. Use an appropriate pesticide, or pick off pests by hand.

Common Problems With Beets

Yellowing Leaves

Yellowing leaves on a beet plant can be indicative of a nutrient or water deficiency. Make sure the soil is not dried out. If getting appropriate water, fertilize with a vegetable fertilizer, following package instructions.

Not Producing Vegetables

If your beet plant is not producing, it could be due to a lack of sunlight. Beet plants need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If getting enough light, make sure your plants aren't overcrowded and are getting enough water.

From: thespruce