How to Grow Beets
Sometimes with beets it seems that people love them or… don’t love them. But we are of the belief that if you think you don’t love beets - you just haven’t cooked ‘em right! More on that later but we assure you the humble beet has earned its place in your garden. They can be stored long into the winter, adding much needed nutrition into our cozy, cold weather diets. They offer two crops in one (!) with delicious greens before you harvest the equally delicious roots. Not to mention how easy they are to grow! So let’s get started on everything you need to know about beets…
What About Beets?
Beets, or Beta vulgaris, are a sweet-flavored biennial root crop. While the beet will produce edible roots and greens in its first year, biennial refers to its seed production. Beets will produce seed only in the second year.
Beets are believed to have originated along the Mediterranean coast. By the 15th century, cultivated beets could be found throughout Europe. While these beets were typically black, white, or yellow in color, the beets we know and love today are typically red (though they come in other colors as well). Some of our most beloved heirloom beet varieties date back to the 1800s and have been stewarded through to today.
Beets and swiss chard are actually the same species. Swiss chard has been bred to have delicious, juicy stems and stunning leaves (of many colors) rather than large roots like beets. You can grow them at the same time and harvest crops that are true to type, however, if you are planning on saving seeds be sure to isolate them to the appropriate distance or grow them a year apart so that the seeds mature a year apart and do not cross. More on seed saving later.
Growing Beets
Beets are typically considered to be a cool weather crop as they are one of the first crops that can be sown when the soil just becomes workable in early spring. However, for a continuous harvest of beets and tasty greens, sow the seeds at two week intervals throughout the entire growing season. Unlike other cool weather crops, beets will germinate in soils up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Starting Beets from Seed
Fun fact about beet seeds; one seed you planted actually contains multiple seeds within it! Meaning that you may have multiple plants germinated from one planted seed. These have to be thinned in order for the plants to mature to their full potential - but don’t toss those thinnings! They make great microgreens on soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Beet seeds tend to germinate easily and reliably but if you’re having trouble, consider soaking the seeds ahead of planting for 16 hours or so. Watering well and consistently after planting is going to be the most important thing for adequate germination. Soaking your seeds is like insurance!
The gardening world is pretty split on whether or not it’s better to sow the seeds indoors and transplant or direct seed them. Lots of root crops are sensitive to transplanting but plenty of growers prefer this method with beets. Try both and see what works better in your garden!
When to Grow Beets
Direct seed or transplant beets as soon as the soil is workable in the spring. For a continuous harvest, sow successions two weeks apart throughout the growing season. Beets can be overwintered as well - either for a seed crop or a food crop - in many growing zones. They get sweeter with frost and will last in colder temperatures with a 12 to 18 inch layer of mulch over them. Beet and greens can be harvested throughout the winter at any time! They are most often grown in spring and fall but can be seeded again in August as well. Beets planted in early summer will result in unappetizing root textures in many cases.
Where to Plant Beets
As with all root crops, they’ll grow best in looser soils as they’ll be allowed to develop easier than having to push through clay soils. Amend your garden bed with mature compost and organic matter ahead of planting. Try not to use fresh compost or too much nitrogen fertilizer as this will result in hairy side roots.
Choose a location in the garden with full sun. While delicious greens will develop in partial shade, for full, gorgeous roots, they’ll require full sun. Beets will also appreciate soil that is neutral. Rough, brown patches on the skin and stunted growth of your beets are often signs of soil that is too acidic. Beets like neutral soil of a pH of 6.5-7.0 so stay as close to that as possible. Here in the Southeast, we run quite acidic. Growers in this area may need to apply lime fairly regularly to control acidity. Obtain a soil test for free, or very inexpensively from your local Extension Agency.
Caring for Beets
Beets are resilient crops that don’t need an intense amount of babying, but there are some things that will help them grow with success and vigor. If direct seeding, thin seedlings to two to three inches apart once germinated. This will allow them to mature to their full potential. Like any crop, once established, beets will need at least one inch of water per week. Beets don’t need much in terms of fertilizer, especially if you’ve amended the soil with organic matter before planting, but they will benefit from an application of a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer midway through the season, particularly if you’ve been succession planting in the same bed.
Companion Planting with Beets
There are lots of crops that make companion planting with beets particularly beneficial in your garden. Companion planting with alliums like onions and garlic will protect against mites, slugs, cutworms and maggots.
You can also plant in rows in between crops of brassicas like cabbage, kale, or brussels sprouts. Beets also love to be planted right after a planting of beans due to the nitrogen fixing that legumes do in our soils!
Pest and Disease Management with Beets
While a resilient and rewarding crop, beets have their fair share of struggle when it comes to pests and diseases. In most cases, you won’t lose your harvest entirely, but issues can certainly make a dent. Follow these tips and you’ll be roasting sweet beets all winter long.
Leafminer
Leafminers are common garden pests that especially love beet greens and swiss chard. Their larvae tunnel through the leaves leaving behind trails of dying foliage. While they don’t usually kill the beets, enough damage can definitely affect root crop development. They also can make greens inedible and affect that harvest as well.
If you start to notice leafminer damage on your beets, remove the affected leaves. Early in the season you can also consider covering your plants with frost cloth so that eggs cannot be lain on the leaves. Because beets do not need to be pollinated to produce, you could leave a light layer of cloth over them all season long. Encouraging parasitic wasps in your garden is always a good idea as parasitic wasps will help to handle your leafminer problem.
Cutworms
Cutworms are nasty little pests and they aren’t limited to your beets, however they can decimate an immature crop or cause some serious damage to mature beetroots. Larvae tunnel through seedlings right at the base of the stem, leaving them with the appearance of being “cut down.” In mature beets, the larvae can tunnel through the roots and cause scarring or rot.
If you don’t find out about cutworms until they cut down your seedlings, before replanting, check the top two inches of soil around your cut-down seedlings for the larvae and remove them (you chickens will thank you for the tasty snack). If you already know you have a cutworm problem, you can make collars out of toilet paper rolls and stick them in the soil around your seedling. This will block cutworms from being about to reach the stem of your plant - most toilet paper rolls will compost in your soil as well!
Flea Beetles
Flea beetles are found on all kinds of crops including eggplants, brassicas, and - you guessed it - beets. They cause tiny, round, holes on leaves. One is not a problem, but many can cause a lot of issues. They tend to show up early in the season and are aptly named for the way they jump like a flea when disturbed.
One of the best ways to protect against flea beetles is to plant a trap crop. A trap crop is an early planting of something that is meant to lure the pests. This entire planting, once infested, is then removed, thus removing a huge portion of the population of the pests in your garden. Either after the fact, or simultaneously under row cover, your true crop is growing - shhhhh, it’s a secret. This can help to remove pest pressure from the vegetables you are actually trying to grow.
Bacterial Leaf Spot
Bacterial leaf spot causes imperfectly shaped leaf spots containing dead tissue. The color can range from tan to dark brown. The bacteria is typically spread through water or insects, though it can also spread through seed so take care to purchase your seed from a reputable seed company. Watering from below can help limit splashback and wetting of foliage which limits the spread of the bacteria. Managing weeds in the bed your beets are growing in can also help to limit the spread. Following mature planting guidelines for beets allows for airflow and will limit the spread of disease. Affected leaves can be removed - but do not throw them in the compost as this can spread the disease.
Downy or Powdery Mildew
Downy or Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that causes a fuzzy gray to white-colored mildew on the foliage of plants. It spreads via the air as the spores are carried on the wind. It typically won’t kill plants but can block out the plants ability to photosynthesize if severe. It also certainly makes foliage unappealing for harvest. The spread can be stopped similarly to bacterial leaf spot. Follow mature planting guidelines, allowing for airflow between plants. Water at the base of plants and/or in the morning to limit the amount of time and number of leaves that stay damp. Early on in the spread you can also remove affected leaves - these can be composted as the composting process should kill the fungus.
Harvest and Storage
Harvest your beets for the root crop within the first year of growth. They can be harvested at any size but check the days to harvest information on your seed packet for the optimum harvest time considering size and texture. When growing for seed, you’ll be growing your beets for two years, however in the second year the root can get tough and woody and therefore inedible.
Beets can be harvested with a garden fork. Stick the garden fork in the soil at least eight inches from the base of the plant, angling the fork below the beet to lift it up and loosen the soil around it. Not all beets have to be harvested at once, they can be left in the soil during the growing season and harvested as you eat them. Towards the end of the season, when it comes time to harvest all of your beets, they can be stored for winter eating!
Greens should be cut from the roots, leaving about a half inch of stem still attached, and eaten fresh or chopped up and frozen where they’ll keep in the freezer for a few months. Do not wash your roots with water but do brush off any stuck or wet soil. To store in the fridge, place your beets into plastic bags with a few holes poked in them. Keep them in the fridge for up to two months. Beets can also be frozen but we recommend boiling or roasting them ahead of time as they’ll defrost much better than raw beets.
Beets can also be stored in a root cellar in crates and buried in sawdust or sand. This will help them from spoiling each other. Only attempt to store beets this way if they are unblemished and firm, but in the best circumstances they can store for three to five months.
A root cellar is not commonly found in many modern homes. It is a storage space that is typically dug into the ground and uses the earth's temperatures to regulate the temperature of the space. It stays cool enough in the summer and stays warm enough in the winter. These spaces are typically humid and insulated as well. If you don’t have access to a root cellar, you can also use a dark, insulated space in your home where you can control the temperature and humidity levels.
FAQ
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
What growing zones will beets grow in?
Beets will grow in any USDA growing zone depending on whether you are planting them at the correct time for your zone. Do research on your growing zone to ensure that you know what to plant and when depending on your climate.
Can I grow beets in containers?
Beets do very well in containers! Be sure to use a container that is at least 18 inches deep and leave enough room around each seedling to allow for the mature spacing distance between the plants as well as from the edge of the container. Plants grown in containers tend to not overwinter as well as plants in the ground so just take care to harvest before frost or insulate your entire container very well.
How do I know when my beets are ready to be harvested?
Beets can be harvested at any stage but barring any environmental complications you should be able to harvest in 50 to 70 days. The shoulder of the beets should be peeking out of the ground. The beet should be at least one inch in diameter, this of course depends on the variety as well.
How can I overwinter my beets?
Beets can be overwintered for a spring harvest or second year seed production. You’ll need to protect your beets from frost by covering them with 12 to 18 inches of straw or leaves. You can also, or alternatively, cover them with a thick row cover to protect against frost. Beets use sugar as a natural anti-freeze so your beets are actually tastier after the cold!
Beets in the Kitchen
What’s the point of growing all those beets if you aren’t going to enjoy them? Beets are delicious in every meal but here are some of our favorite ideas.
Beet Hummus
What’s not to love about beet hummus? The gorgeous beet offers a beautiful coloring and slightly sweet flavor to the chickpeas and tahini making a gorgeous - and nutritious - snack for the whole family.
Beet Chips
And serve up your hummus with beet chips! Sliced thinly and dehydrated to the perfect crunch, beets make an eye-catching crunchy snack.
Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese
Our personal favorite are beets roasted to perfection in the oven with a little salt and pepper and topped off with a goat cheese crumble. It’s the perfect easy side dish for any day of the week.
Beet Soup
Pink soup! Whether you’re thinking borscht or a butternut/beet puree, beets are the perfect ingredient to throw into the soup pot on a cold winter’s night.
Pickled Beets
You may not know this but beets make excellent pickles! Use your favorite ferment or quickle recipe for a salty/crunchy and delicious snack.
Best Varieties of Beets
There are a ton of beet varieties out there for you to choose from. These are some of the varieties we consider the best beets for home gardens.
Cylindra
The Cylindra variety is an heirloom bred for its thick, elongated root. This makes them particularly easy to chop up and stick in a jar for pickling! This beet hails from Denmark and is also called the “Butter Slicer” for its tender and smooth texture. They can grow up to six inches long for pickling but are best harvested at three to four inches long for fresh eating.
Bull’s Blood
This heirloom will grace your garden with the deepest, purple-red leaves of any beet around! The sweet and tender young greens look and taste great in a salad and the pink-ringed roots are delicious in any recipe.
Chioggia
One of our favorite beets for its look alone. The heirloom Chioggia has a candy cane pink and white bullseye pattern when cut open. It’s festive and delicious - what more could we ask for?
Rainbow Blend
This mix of beet seeds of various colors is sure to bring some cheer to your garden and your meals. Grow deep red, purple, golden, white, and striped beets side by side for a sweet surprise at harvest time? The only thing better than roasted beets are roasted beets of various fun colors.
Early Wonder
This heirloom is aptly named. At just 48 days to harvest, this beet will produce faster than most other crops in your garden. It offers abundant greens and high-quality three-inch roots. It’s short time to maturity makes it perfect for succession planting.
Lutz Green Leaf
This heirloom beet is beloved for its huge greens, long-storage ability, and tender roots even when large. It’s also called “Winter Keeper” and has red fleshed roots with pale green tops.
Detroit Dark Red
A long-time customer favorite! This heirloom beet is a consistent produce for canning, juicing, picking, or roasting with uniform three inch burgundy roots and bright green leaves. This variety was introduced in 1892 and has been beloved and trusted by gardeners ever since.
Golden Detroit
A standout if we ever saw one, this stunning golden, orange beet is extra sweet, tender, and mild-flavored compared to the classic dark red beets. It's favored for juicing or raw eating - and won’t stain your kitchen red!
Ready to get growing? Check out Sow True Seed’s wide variety of curated heirloom and open-pollinated seeds to find the perfect beet (and everything else) for your garden.
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Article Written by: Hannah Gibbons |
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About the Author: Hannah Gibbons, an employee at Sow True Seed since 2020, has nearly a decade of experience in the agricultural industry. Their passion for environmental education and regenerative agriculture has been the cornerstone of their work, aimed at making gardening accessible to all. |