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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        

(Best months for planting Beetroot in USA - Zone 5a 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 45°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-10 weeks. Recommended soil pH 5.5 -6.5.
  • 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.


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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.

- Elizabeth


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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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