Growing Beets in Your Garden
Growing beets in your own garden isn’t necessarily a difficult thing. Seasoned vegetable gardeners and novices alike can enjoy the pride that comes with maintaining their own vegetable patch, as long as you understand the needs of the vegetable you are growing. In this guide to growing beets, we are going to discuss the “must know” factors: the optimum environment for this root vegetable, how to plant and maintain your beetroot patch, and how to harvest your vegetables properly. Have you got your note-taking equipment ready?
Soil is one of the most important factors to take into consideration when growing any type of vegetable, especially for growing beets. The beetroot’s ideal soil type is a sandy one with loose texture. The beet is essentially a root and can have difficulty growing if the soil is too heavy or hard. If you believe your soil might be a little on the heavy side, you can still grow beets but you are going to have to supplement the soil with organic matter, such as a good quality compost. The area you choose to plant your beets in should also have “full sunlight”. This means that the area should receive at least six hours of direct sunlight during the day. It is worth bearing in mind that beets grow during the cooler seasons such as spring and autumn, so hunt for a spot that gets good sun during these seasons.
Beets should be planted as a winter crop, so you should be prepared to plant your beet seeds in early autumn. To prepare the site for planting, you will want to dig down at least ten inches into the ground. The area of the site depends on how many beets you intend to plant. Once the soil has been worked well, go ahead and add some compost to it. Rich soil is a must for growing beets and the seeds will appreciate all the extra nutrients while they take root. When the compost is well blended into the soil, you can start planting your seeds. If you’ll notice, the “seeds” are more of a cluster that are just a little smaller than your average garden pea. Each of these clusters contain several of the actual seeds, so you only need to plant one pea-sized cluster at a time. Make sure that each cluster is planted about an inch or two deep in the soil and space each seed cluster one inch apart. The clusters should be planted in rows. If you are planting more than one row, make sure that they are spaced at least 12 to 18 inches apart.
As the plants start to develop, you will probably need to “thin” the seedlings. This is because several seedlings with pop up with each cluster, making them a bit overcrowded. Ensure that you plant your beetroot seeds early enough that they won’t have to battle temperatures below 50 degrees F for the first four weeks of growth. Beets are very hardy during the winter and through periods of frost, but they first must become established in the soil, which is a fragile period of time for any vegetable. If you want to encourage speedy growth, try adding an organic fertilizer to the soil every three weeks or so.
Harvesting the beets is, by far, the best part about growing beets because you get to see the “fruits” of your labor. Harvest time really depends on the species of beetroot you have planted, but they are usually ready anywhere from 60 to 70 days after planting. Gardeners who have experience growing beets will often recommend that a beet be harvested once the root has reached one and a half inches in diameter. Try not to let your beets grow larger than three inches in width, otherwise they can become very tough and lose much of their sweet flavor.
Growing beets is not only a great hobby, but it can save you quite a lot of money if you eat beets often. A good thing to remember is that beets can be refrigerated for several weeks. If you want them to last even longer, go ahead and boil them as if you were preparing them to be eaten, and then seal them in an air-tight container for freezing. Best of luck with your beetroot patch!