Growing Beetroot, also Beets

Beta vulgaris : Amaranthaceae / the amaranth family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P P          

(Best months for growing Beetroot in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 45°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-10 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Onions, Silverbeet (Swiss Chard), Lettuce, Cabbage, Dwarf Beans, Dill, Peas. Strawberries
  • Avoid growing close to: Asparagus, Carrots, Sweetcorn, Spinach
  • Young beetroot
  • Seedlings before thinning

Soak seeds in water 24 hours before planting so that you can separate the seeds. Thinning is nearly always required as seedlings emerge from a seedball of several seeds. If you don't thin them, you will get a number of rather pathetic plants which don't grow to an edible size. Harvest in 55 - 70 days but will keep in ground for longer.

Keep well-watered as dry beetroot develop a woody and inedible core. Tip from the Italian Gardener "Make sure the top of the beet's bulb is covered with soil; this keeps the entire bulb the same color and prevents 'corkiness' at the top of the bulb." For tasty and tender beetroot, start harvesting at golfball-size.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Beetroot

Apart from boiling whole for salads, beetroot roast well, cut in wedges.
They also make a tasty salad grated raw with carrot and a little fresh orange juice.

Your comments and tips

20 Dec 23, Marilyn Treon (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Planting little at a time. in Zone 9 I have Beets to go in wondering when I see May is a good time?
02 Jan 24, (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Check the planting guide for zone 9.
06 Jul 23, V (USA - Zone 6b climate)
I'm planting beets for the first time & I keep seeing conflicting advice on how far apart to space/thin beet seeds/seedlings. This website says 8" to 12", Botanical Interests says 4", Burpee says 3", etc. Do I just follow the packet & hope for the best? There's a big difference between 3 and 12 inches.
11 Mar 24, Russ (USA - Zone 5b climate)
They should be thinned to 3 inches apart, I plant mine about an inch apart. The reason for an inch apart is not all seeds germinate/emerge and some are weak. If you let them develop enough the ones you thin out taste good in a salad. Good luck
16 Sep 22, Teresa Mccullar (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Can beets survive winter in ground in 4b? I want seeds . (Midwest Minnesota)
01 Jul 22, Susan Lauer (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Any tips for growing beets in the south? Also why does it say not to grow them near corn? I had thought the corn could provide some shade and lessen the heat. Thanks!
05 Jul 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 4a climate)
I don't know the reason but if planted beside the corn and it shades the beetroot then the beetroot won't receive enough sunlight and you will have weak thin plants. Corn needs sun and heat.
24 May 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I'm in Zone 7a (Maryland). I regularly plant beet seeds September through November, then cover them with a plastic sheet (support the middle, weigh down the sides) after the hard frosts start. I uncover them again about March, and they are ready to harvest in April and May (done by the end of May).
28 Oct 23, Noemia (USA - Zone 7a climate)
Thank you.
27 Feb 23, G (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Thank you for the information.
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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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