Beets are an easy and healthy vegetable to grow in your garden. Whether you're new to gardening or have some experience, beets grow quickly and are fun to harvest.

With a little preparation and care, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of this nutritious root vegetable.

This guide will show you step by step how to plant, care for, and pick your beets. You'll also get additional tips to help you grow the best crop possible.

Why grow beets?

Beets are a great addition to your meals. You can eat the root cooked in soups, mashed like potatoes, or roasted.

Their leafy greens are also delicious, with a peppery flavor that's great for salads or stir-frying. Beets grow quickly – some varieties are ready in just 30 to 60 days! They grow well in cooler weather, making them perfect for spring and fall gardens.

Additionally, they are versatile, easy to care for, and can even improve your garden's soil quality by loosening compacted areas and adding organic material.

First steps

Choose your beet variety

Here are some popular beet varieties to try:

• Purple Top White Globe: A classic with a mild taste and large roots, ideal for soups and roasts.
• Golden Ball: Sweet and delicate yellow roots that add a touch of color to dishes.
• Tokyo Cross: Fast growing and ready to harvest in just 30 days.
• Seven top: Known for its delicious greens and not its roots.
• Hakurei beets: Small, sweet and tender roots from Japan that are often eaten raw or lightly cooked.

Choose the right place

Beets like soil that drains well and gets plenty of sunlight. They can tolerate some shade, but more sunlight will help them grow better.

The soil should be loose and soft so that the roots can grow large and straight. Avoid planting beets in heavy clay soil as this can result in deformed roots.

Prepare the soil

1. Loosen the dirt: Dig or till the soil about 12 inches deep to give the roots room to grow.
2. Clear the area: Remove rocks, sticks, and anything that could block roots or inhibit growth.
3. Add compost: Mix in compost or well-rotted manure to make the soil rich and loose. This increases nutrients and improves water retention.
4. Check the pH: Use a soil testing kit to ensure the pH is between 6.0 and 7.5. Adjust with lime or sulfur if necessary.

Planting beets

Best time to plant

• Spring: Plant seeds 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Planting early will help them mature before hot weather sets in.
• Traps: Plant the seeds in late summer or early fall so they will grow in cooler weather. Fall beets often develop a sweeter flavor due to the cooler temperatures.

How to plant seeds

1. Prepare the area: Smooth the soil and form flat rows or scatter seeds over the bed.
2. Plant the seeds: Sow the seeds in rows about 1 inch apart, or scatter them evenly if planting in groups.
3. Cover them up: Lightly cover the seeds with about a half inch of soil to protect them while allowing sunlight to fall on them.
4. Water carefully: Moisten the soil with a fine sprayer without washing out the seeds.

Thinning the seedlings

1. Watch them grow: Seedlings germinate in 7-10 days. Keep the soil moist at all times during this time.
2. Dilute them: Once the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin them to about 3 to 4 inches apart so each plant has room to grow.
3. Save the Greens: Use the diluted seedlings in salads or sauté them as a delicious addition to your meals.

Caring for beets

irrigation

1. Water regularly: Beets require about an inch of water each week. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
2. Mulch: Place a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
3. Avoid overwatering: Too much water can cause root rot. Make sure the soil drains well and only water when the top inch feels dry.

Feeding the plants

1. Use balanced fertilizer: If the plants need additional nutrients, use a low-nitrogen fertilizer to focus energy on root growth and not just the leaves.
2. Compost tea: For a gentle boost of nutrients, apply compost tea or organic liquid fertilizer every few weeks.

Keep pests away

• Flea beetles: Protect young plants with row covers and sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the soil.
• Aphids: Spray the leaves with a mixture of water and a small amount of dish soap to get rid of aphids.
• Spacer plants: Maintain adequate spacing between plants to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Harvest beets

When to harvest

1. Check the size: Harvest beets when the roots are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Larger roots can become tough and woody.
2. Taste test: Pull out a test beet to see if it is tender and flavorful.
3. Harvest greens early: Beet greens taste best when they are small and tender, usually 4-6 inches long.

How to harvest

1. Loosen the soil: Gently loosen the dirt around the roots with a garden fork or small shovel.
2. Pull carefully: Grasp the base of the greens and pull the turnip up.
3. Trim greens: When storing the roots, cut off the greens to prevent moisture loss.

Store your beets

1. Short term: Store fresh beets in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator. They stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
2. Long term: Store beets in a cool, dark, moist place such as a root cellar. If stored correctly, they can last for several months.
3. Preserving greens: Blanch and freeze the beet greens to enjoy later in soups or sautéed dishes.

Helpful tips

1. Crop rotation: To avoid developing pests and diseases, do not grow beets in the same spot every year.
2. Weed regularly: Remove weeds to prevent them from competing with beets for water and nutrients.
3. Extend the season: Use row covers or mulch to protect plants from frost and continue growing into fall.

Why grow beets?

Beets are a gardener’s delight! These cool-weather plants are incredibly versatile, providing both aromatic roots and nutritious greens.

Whether roasted, pureed, or added to salads, beets are a delicious and healthy addition to any meal. Beyond their culinary uses, beets are also a fantastic choice for improving garden soil.

They help break up compacted dirt, add organic material, and grow quickly, often in just a few weeks. With proper care, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest and the joy of growing your own food. Let's start growing your best beets yet!