Beets – How to Plant, Grow, and When to Harvest
Learn How to Grow Beets In the Garden
Beets – How to Plant Grow and When to Harvest. I have never been big on beets until I started growing them myself and making my hubs his favorite beet and onion salad. Now I can’t get enough of them as I blend them in smoothies, process pickled beets, make beet powder … I AM HOOKED !!
So if you are just starting out and want to hop on the beet train as well, here’s the low down on planting them in the garden. And the great thing about beets – they’re pretty easy to grow and they grow fast. Good luck
Beets – How to Plant, Grow, and When to Harvest
BEETS – take only 45 to 65 days to reach harvest. They love the cool weather, especially when temps range between 50° to 65°. So it’s best to sow beets 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost date in spring and cover them with a row cover, which will protect them from the cold temps and the wind. You can also start them indoors, 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, harden before planting, and then transplant them 4 weeks later. Do succession plantings every 3 weeks until temperatures reach 80°.F (26°C), and then start again in late summer 6 to 8 weeks before the first average autumn frost.
BEET COMPANIONS – grow very well amongst Onions, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cabbages, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Swiss Chard, Radishes, Catnip, Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Garlic, Tomatoes, Sage, and Chives. DO NOT plant with pole beans, field mustard, and charlock – which is a wild mustard.
TIPS FOR GROWING GROWING
HOW TO PLANT BEETS – beets require full sun or partial shade in warm areas, rock, stone, and clod-free soil (you don’t want split growing roots), and soil rich with aged compost and plenty of organic matter. Beets grow best when the pH level is 6.5, but will grow well when it’s between 6.0 to 6.8.
GROWING BEETS FROM SEED – presoak the seeds for 12 hours to speed germination, then sow them 1″ deep and 1″ apart, in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. When they reach 3″ tall, you can either thin the seedlings with a small scissors so they’re 4-6 inches apart or separate the seedlings and replant them (tho I’ve never had any success replanting them).
HILLING AND SIDEDRESSING – as they start to grow you will notice the roots might push up out of the ground, so it’s best to hill the soil up and around the beet roots. Sidedress the beets in midseason with compost. Keep them evenly watered and do not let the soil dry out. Mulching the beets will help keep the soil moist and help keep down the weeds. You really don’t want weeds around them as the weeds will compete for their water and nutrients.
HARVEST TIME – when they’re 1-3″ in diameter (depending on how you like them), lift them gently from the soil and twist the leaves off to prevent the juices from bleeding. Don’t toss the greens as they can be used in salads and smoothies. Store the the beets whole in the fridge for 1-3 weeks or in a cool area for 1-3 months. Or you can jar them (pickled beets), dehydrate them, make beet chips, beet powder – the list is endless.
So get ready if you’ve planted alot of seeds as one 10 foot row will yield you around 15 pounds. Don’t you just love it !!
And let me know of your beet plantings and how you’re planning on serving them. The more idea’s the better. Best wishes to you AND AS ALWAYS – HAPPY GARDENING 🙂
