Overview
Easy-to-grow beets come in a range of colors from deep red to yellow to candy-striped. The sweet roots are tasty steamed or cooled and added to salads. And you can eat their nutritious green tops, too, so they’re a dual-purpose crop. Beets are a good source of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A and C, calcium, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, and a very good source of dietary fiber.
Conditions
For soil, use a fertile well-draining potting mix that’s tailored for vegetables. In general, cool temperatures produce the best flesh color. For the best quality beets, provide full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight).
Planting
Use our grow calendar tool to find specific dates for your region! Seeds germinate in 7-21 days.
Plant seeds outdoors when soil has warmed to 45°F. Plant approximately 15 seeds per foot, ½" deep, and thin to one seedling every 3" as they sprout. Plant some every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest.
Pests and Disease
Keep beets well irrigated to prevent scab, the same disorder that affects potatoes, causing raised brown rough spots on the mature roots. Internal breakdown or browning is most likely to occur in alkaline soils after prolonged hot, dry periods. This is caused by a boron deficiency. Rotate crops to prevent Cercospora leaf spot and other soil borne diseases.
Harvest
Harvest beets as they reach your desired diameter, between 1-3". To harvest, insert a spade into the soil underneath the beet and push soil up, loosening the beet. Then grab the beet stalks and pluck the beet out from the soil.
