Growing Beetroot, also Beets

Beta vulgaris : Amaranthaceae / the amaranth family

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

(Best months for growing Beetroot in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 7°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 cm 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

Your comments and tips

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08 Mar 22, Kelly (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Is it important to store all my seeds in the refridgerator? Can I simply store it in a plastic box out of the sunlight?
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11 Mar 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Seeds generally only last a few years so best kept in the fridge. If you are going to use soon - this autumn/winter then in a box out of the sunlight would be ok.
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01 Nov 21, Wendy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have had very varied success with growing beetroot. Some will grow quickly and taste so sweet, others in the same garden bed don't even go to seedlings. They are the same seed packet, same variety and same area of garden. Can anyone help. I have tested Ph and they get watered at night every second day if no rain. I am at a loss as to why some do & some don't.
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04 Nov 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow beetroot from Mar to harvest late Oct. I grow seedlings and plant out and cover with a shade cloth cover for about 2 weeks. I then fertilise with a watering can to give a good uniform fertilising. If required another fertilising later. Space plants about 125mm apart. Rows about 400mm apart. When they have grown about 150-200mm high I even hill the soil around them a bit to support them. I grow DT BROWN Detroit Red Globe from the Reject shops. I find when I boil them to pickle they don't bleed too much. They flesh is still a deep colour. I water each two days in good free draining soil.
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22 Feb 21, Charles Bracun (Australia - temperate climate)
what species are quickest to mature?
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23 Feb 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Grow the variety you like, does a week or two make any difference ?
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20 Sep 20, Gordon Slocombe (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi I have grown some really good size beetroot over the years but sometimes they grow like carrots why is this
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27 Sep 20, Anonymous (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I take a lot of care planting and fertilising beetroot and end up with beetroot from 25-125mm dia. I hill the soil up around them when they are about 150mm high. A possible answer is the soil sinks around the plant leaving a long narrow beet from the leaves to the part in the soil. I generally fertilise with a watering can to have a more even distribution of fertiliser.
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21 Jul 20, Andrew (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Subtropical QLD - I germinated beetroot seeds in June and planted out in July. One seedling has flowers on it already. We have had cold weather and I also thought beetroot were biennial. Is this normal for flowers to get on plants so quickly?
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22 Jul 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is a biennial but is treated as an annual. I have grown beetroot for 40 years and have never had any flower. I'm sub- tropical and have beetroot about 10 weeks old in the garden now. I pickle mine. I would say it is just some weird seed. A plant will go to seed early when the soil nutrient is running out and lack of water. I currently have ice berg lettuce and red cabbage where 7 plants each look fine with a nice head and one other plant is a big leafy plant with no head, 2-3 times the size of the others.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 291 comments
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I read people's comments about manures being rich in N. Manures only have about 1-4% N. You would have to apply a lot of manure to have a high % N. Rather expensive if buying the manure. I apply a fert with about 15% N. The secret is how much to apply. My beetroot plants are quite leafy and produce good sized beets - from 1" to 5". Maybe people need to look more at the right time of the year to plant. There is a good planting guide on this web site. When people say they had a failure with a crop they should state what time of the year they planted.

- Mike

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