{"id":11678,"date":"2020-04-18T04:27:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T18:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/?p=11678"},"modified":"2025-10-30T21:14:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:14:07","slug":"planting-growing-and-harvesting-beets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/2020\/04\/18\/planting-growing-and-harvesting-beets\/","title":{"rendered":"Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Beets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In times of scarcity or high demand, we can\u2019t always rely on supermarkets to provide us with enough to eat. If you look back to the world wars, governments encouraged households to grow their own produce to supplement what the state could provide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re aiming toward a measure of self-sufficiency, then you should consider the easiest, fastest growing vegetables and fruits to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Beet
Beet plants don’t need staking, pruning, or fussing and you can harvest them in a relatively short amount of time <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why\nBeets?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beets\nare among the easiest vegetables you can grow. They’re almost never troubled by\npests or disease. Beetroots are also an excellent source of fiber, folate\n(vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beet plants don’t need staking, pruning, or fussing and you can harvest them in a relatively short amount of time. You can eat their green tops, too, for added nutrition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beets\nare a cool season crop. If you are new to gardening, look for bolt-resistant\nvarieties, which have less of a chance of maturing too quickly in warm weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s\nhow to plant, grow, and harvest beets in your backyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sun,\nSoil, and Seasons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets\nare adapted to grow in cool temperatures, making them a perfect vegetable to\nplant both in spring and late summer. They grow best with full sun in loamy,\nacid soils with pH levels ranging between 6.0 and 7.5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your soil is heavy clay, rocky, alkaline, or hard, mix in an inch or so of compost. Good Housekeeping suggests adding a bit of wood ash, too, if handy, as the potassium in wood ash enhances root growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Beets
Beets are adapted to grow in cool temperatures, making them a perfect vegetable to plant both in spring and late summer .
(Photo: Liz West\/Flickr)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Planting\nBeets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Start\nyour first round of beets in early spring, as soon as the soil is workable. Plant\nthe seeds about 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart. You can make successive\nplantings every 2 to 3 weeks until mid-summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successive\nplantings are possible as long as daytime temperatures don\u2019t exceed 24\u00b0C. In\nsoil that\u2019s at least 10\u00b0C, the seeds will germinate within 5 to 8 days. In\ncolder soil, germination may take up to 2 to 3 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch your patch with a layer of grass clippings, shredded leaves, or straw to help keep the moisture consistent. That\u2019s essential for uniform root growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to mulch well in spring to protect your beets from unexpected hot spells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Be
Be sure to mulch well in spring to protect your beets from unexpected hot spells. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Caring\nfor Your Beets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Each\nwrinkled beet seed is actually a cluster of 2 to 4 seeds. You will need to thin\nthe young plants to 3 to 4 inches apart once the greens get to be about 4\ninches tall. Pinch or cut off the leaves. Pulling them out of the ground may\ndisturb the roots of nearby seedlings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch and water<\/a> your beet patch regularly. The plants will require about 1 inch of water per week. Beets need to maintain plenty of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\nshould weed your patch as needed but be gentle. Beets have shallow roots that\nare easily disturbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Beet
Beet plants require about 1 inch of water per week. (Photo: Local Food Initiative\/Flickr) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting\nBeets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\ncan harvest the beet greens at almost any time, beginning when thinning\nseedlings. Take one or two mature leaves from each plant, until the leaf blades\nare more than 6 inches tall and become tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your\nbeet roots should be ready for harvest within 55 to 70 days, depending on the\nvariety. For baby beets, harvest when the root is no more than 1 or 2 inches in\ndiameter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cook both the leaves and the roots – all parts of the plant are delicious. But if you want the most from your garden space, wait until the root has extended to several inches in diameter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the variety, most beets will still be tender and delicious, even when the root measures 4 or 5 inches across, according to Gardener\u2019s<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a quick video\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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