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Growing Beetroot, also Beets

(Beta vulgaris)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
P	P	P	P			P	P	P	P	P	P

(Best months for planting Beetroot in Australia - temperate regions)

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

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 7°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 20 - 30 cm apart
Harvest in 7-10 weeks.
Compatible with: Onions, Silverbeet (Swiss Chard), Lettuce, Cabbage, Dwarf Beans, Dill, Peas. Strawberries
Avoid growing with: Asparagus, Carrots, Sweetcorn, Spinach

Seedlings before thinning
Young beetroot

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. Tolerates light frost.

Keep well-watered as dry beetroot develop a woody and inedible core.

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

30 Jan 12, Julie (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Why should you not plant beetroot and carrot together thanks
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07 Jan 12, (Australia - temperate climate): how deep should you plant the beetroot plants in a pot? Bernard
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06 Jan 12, Peta (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I only planted bought quite advanced seedlings from a nursery and planted them three weeks ago. it looks like they are popping up out of the ground already. would this be right or have I done something wrong? they are about 2-3 cm across.
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11 Jan 12, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have grown heaps of Betroot this year, if the grounds a little hard put munch around them, about two inches thick.That has help for me with the ground a little hard and dry
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22 Dec 11, Narelle (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I went on holiday for a few weeks and had a friend water my garden, however they forgot. My beets came back ok but are now about to flower and I don't think they have much of a root. Should I just cut my losses, pull them out and start again?
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29 Nov 11, Ann Stephens (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Whats the best way to cook the beetroot once harvest? Our were about the size of softballs, we sliced it then cooked it but it was tasteless? What did we do wrong? What do we need to add and should the beetroot be sliced before cooking... this is our first harvest, please advise. Thanks
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17 Dec 11, Elizabeth (Australia - temperate climate): For 5 medium beetroot preferably leave 2cm of stalk and the root on the fruit. Wash and place whole fruit in a suacpan, cover with salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from water and remove skin by hand when cool enough to handle. Retain 1 cup of cooking water. When almost cold slice fruit and place back in saucpan. Cover with the cooking water, half cup of brown vinegar, half cup of sugar, third teaspoon mixed spice and four peppercorns. Simmer until sugar is disolved, roughly 10 mins. Store in fridge and use as a salad vegetable.
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02 Nov 11, doug (Australia - temperate climate): Can you still sow seed of beetroot in the first week of November in our temperate climate where temps can get to 45 degrees at times. Thanks Doug
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02 Nov 11, maddy (Australia - temperate climate): what pests and disease that can affect my beetroot??
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02 Nov 11, SereneBee (Australia - arid climate): Harvest in 55 - 70 days but will keep in ground for longer. Tolerates light frost. Keep well-watered as dry beetroot develop a woody and inedible core. For tasty and tender beetroot, start harvesting at golfball-size. My beetroot always 'pop-up' in a manner of speaking ~
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See planting calendar for these countries and climate zones

Australia - arid, Australia - cool/mountain, Australia - sub-tropical, Australia - temperate, Australia - tropical, New Zealand - cool/mountain, New Zealand - sub-tropical, New Zealand - temperate, South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical, South Africa - Humid sub-tropical, South Africa - Semi-arid, South Africa - Summer rainfall, United Kingdom - cool/temperate, United Kingdom - warm/temperate, USA - Central West Coast, USA - Maritime Northwest, USA - Mid-Atlantic, USA - North East, USA - South East and Gulf States, USA - South West, USA - Upper Midwest

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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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