8 Must-Read Tips and Tricks for Growing Beets

Beets are hands-down one of the easiest cool-season vegetables to grow. Growing beets is best in the spring and fall, and you can enjoy two or more beet harvests each growing season. Keep reading to learn how to grow beets at home and where to put them in your garden.

Beets prefer the cool temperatures of spring and fall, and they’re not too fussy about their growing conditions. They need plenty of water and loose, nutrient-rich soil that drains well. Like most other root veggies, beets grow best when seeds get sown directly in the ground rather than starting them indoors and transplanting seedlings.

One of the best parts about growing beets is getting two types of vegetables in one plant. Beetroot is excellent for boiling, roasting, pickling, or baking. They’re also terrific when juiced or grated raw onto salads or as a soup garnish. Beet leaves make a yummy addition to sandwiches, salads, and steamed or sautéed for side dishes.

Best Ways of Growing Beets

Whether you’re working with raised beds, a traditional garden plot, or a container garden, you can have success growing beets by adhering to a few basic guidelines. In this post, you’ll learn all about different types of beets, where and how to plant beet seeds, and how to harvest and store your homegrown beets.

Beets (Beta vulgaris) are a biennial plant in the Amaranthaceae family. They’re related to amaranth, quinoa, spinach, and Swiss chard. Although their hardiness level depends on the cultivar, they’re generally cold-tolerant and low-maintenance.

After planting seeds, beets don’t need much extra care, and the rewards at harvest time are worth it. Beetroot contains vital nutrients like fiber, folate, iron, manganese, potassium, vitamins C and B9. Beet greens are a fantastic source of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, B2, C, E, and K. Adding beets to your diet helps regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and support brain health.

Top Varieties of Beets

With so many types of beets to choose from, it helps to understand the differences between the available varieties. Beets are usually red, but there are also white, yellow, and multicolored cultivars.

• Detroit Dark Red (heirloom, 3″ roots, disease-resistant, heat-tolerant, deep red color, sweet flavor, 55-65 days to harvest)
• Chioggia (heirloom, 2″ roots, rich flavor, frost-tolerant, roots naturally have red and white rings, 55-65 days to harvest)
• Formanova (hybrid, 6-8″ long, 2-3″ wide, ideal for pickling or canning, deep red color, sweet flavor, tender texture, 50-55 days to harvest)
• Albina Vereduna (heirloom, 2-3″ wide, all-white color, twice the sugar content of most red beets, 50-60 days to harvest)
• Touchstone Gold (hybrid, 3″ roots, disease-resistant, retains golden color when cooked, mildly sweet flavor, 50-55 days to harvest)

Growing Beets from Seed

The best approach for growing beets from seed is to direct-sow them two to three weeks before your area’s average last frost. Plant beet seeds a half-inch deep.

It’s possible to start beet seeds indoors, but the roots are highly susceptible to damage when transplanting. Peat pots work best because they’re placed directly into the soil and break down as the plants grow. Or, repurpose a cardboard egg carton for growing seedlings. When you’re ready to transplant, cut the tray apart and plant each cup separately.

Beet seeds germinate best at a soil temperature between 55-70°F. They won’t germinate above 75°F. Maintain consistently moist soil during germination and while the seedlings develop.

Each beet seed is actually a bundle of two to four seeds encased inside a protective shell. When the outer coating breaks down, sets of seedlings begin to sprout.

Once your beet seedlings reach about three inches tall and have a second set of leaves, thin them out to at least four inches apart. Spacing is essential for optimal root growth, and overcrowding leads to a stunted or deformed beetroot crop. The seedlings you thin out make excellent microgreens. Or transplant them elsewhere in your garden.

If you get frequent spring frosts, consider using a cold frame or row covers to protect your seedlings until temperatures are consistently above freezing. Mulching around the plants is also beneficial. They would most likely survive a spring frost, but it might damage their foliage.

Where to Plant Beets

Plant beets in a location with loose soil that’s rich in organic matter and five or more hours of direct sun each day. Beets prefer a slightly acidic soil pH between 6 and 6.5.

Ensure that your garden soil is free from large rocks, tree roots, and other obstacles. Compacted or rocky ground causes beetroots to split, harden, or become stunted. Add compost to the soil before planting beet seeds for the best possible results.

In most cases, beets grow best in full sun. You may have better results in particularly hot regions if you plant beets where they get morning sun and have shade in the afternoon. The plants prefer cooler temperatures (50-80°F) and may wilt or bolt in high heat.

Gardening Advice for Growing Beets

Beets grow best in mild temperatures, ample sunshine, and light, well-draining soil. When your seedlings are two or three inches tall, mulch around them to insulate the soil, discourage weeds, and hold in soil moisture.

Practice succession planting for a continuous supply of fresh beets through spring and early summer. Beginning two to three weeks before your average last frost date, plant beet seeds every 20-30 days until the summer heat arrives. Sow seeds between the established plants so that your next crop is already developing when the first round is ready to harvest.

Plant another set of beet seeds six to eight weeks before the first fall frost for a late-season harvest. Mature beet plants can withstand temperatures as low as 20°F. Beets harvested after a light frost taste sweeter because the plants store extra sugar in their roots when temperatures drop to prepare for dormancy.

As beetroots grow, they often protrude above the ground level. When this happens, pile extra soil around the plant’s base to cover most of the crown.

Choosing the Best Beet Fertilizer

Plant fertilizers have three primary components: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen stimulates green leafy growth, phosphorus supports fruiting and flowering processes, and potassium encourages strong root growth and cell wall structure.

Since beets are mainly root crops, use an organic fertilizer with high potassium levels every three or four weeks as the plants develop. Too much nitrogen results in abundant leaf production and undersized roots. To keep your garden soil rich in nutrients, add a layer of organic compost in late fall or early spring each year.

Harvesting and Storing Homegrown Beets

Beets have a short growing season. They typically take 50-70 days from planting seeds to harvest. Succession planting throughout spring and early summer is an excellent way to boost your beet harvest.

The best time for harvesting beets depends on which variety you’re growing and how you want to use them. Pick sweet, tender baby beets when the plant’s crown is approximately one inch in diameter. Or, harvest mature beets when they’re two or three inches wide.

First, break up the soil around the plants using a spade or garden fork. Be careful not to damage the beetroot. Then, grasp the stems near the bottom and carefully uproot the plant. Use your garden tool to keep loosening the soil underneath if needed.

Keep your homegrown beets in a ventilated bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Before storage, remove their leaves with an inch of the stems still attached. Doing so keeps the beetroot fresh longer and prevents its color from bleeding out. Beet leaves taste similar to Swiss chard and are delicious fresh in salads or steamed in a healthy side dish.

Companion Plants for Beets

The idea behind companion planting is to mimic a natural ecosystem in the garden by using plants’ inherent properties to benefit their neighbors. Companion planting attracts beneficial insects like pollinators and predators to your garden, repels troublesome pests, and helps your plants flourish. However, some plants don’t get along and must live apart.

Allium plants like chives, garlic, onions, and shallots repel numerous insect pests. These include aphids, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, leaf miners, slugs, deer, and rodents. Many growers report that alliums also improve the flavor of beetroots when grown nearby.

Marigolds ward off pests like deer, rodents, cabbage worms, leaf miners, root-knot nematodes, thrips, and whiteflies. They also attract beneficial predatory insects, including ladybugs, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps (which don’t sting humans).

Radishes make outstanding companion plants for beets because they have similar light, nutrients, and water requirements. They’re fast-growing, helping to loosen the soil, and their strong scent repels pests. Shallow-rooted leafy greens like arugula, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach work well alongside root crops because the plants don’t compete for soil space.

Keep your beets away from mustard and pole beans. These plants reportedly stunt one another’s growth.

Troubleshooting Common Pest and Disease Problems

Although beets are largely resistant to pests and diseases, it’s vital to monitor for signs of distress. Utilizing companion planting techniques and providing appropriate light, nutrients, and water helps fortify plants against harmful insects and pathogens.

Beet cyst nematodes are soil-dwelling insects that feed on beetroots, stunting and distorting the plant. An early symptom is wilting and yellowing leaves. The roots soon develop yellowish blisters at the feeding sites. Unfortunately, there’s not much to do for the existing crop. Prevent future issues by removing the affected plants. Then, till the soil and leave it exposed to the sun for a week. Repeat this solarization process several times, so the sunlight kills off the nematodes.

Leaf miners are fly larvae that chew “mines” or tunnels through leaf tissue as they feed. Use row covers in the springtime to prevent insects from laying eggs on beet leaves or in the surrounding soil. If you have a problematic infestation, spray all leaf surfaces with neem oil every few days.

Flea beetles are teeny jumping insect pests that feed by chewing small holes in leaves. Young seedlings are particularly sensitive to flea beetle damage. However, a severe infestation can stunt the development of mature plants, too. Row covers help to prevent flea beetle damage. Make a repellant spray by mixing eight to ten drops of peppermint essential oil with water in a clean spray bottle. Use it every few days throughout the spring.

The most prevalent fungal disease for beets is Cercospora leaf spot. White spots with red borders appear on the leaves, which grow as the fungus spreads. Treat affected plants with an organic copper or sulfur fungicide.

Beets sometimes suffer from boron deficiency, which causes distorted or dried-out leaves and dark, fibrous spots on the roots. Kelp meal is an excellent source of boron as well as other vital minerals. For a fast-acting treatment, spray the leaves with a liquid seaweed fertilizer and spread one teaspoon of Borax powder around the plant’s base.

Beets are a wonderfully easy and satisfying crop to grow. Thanks to their exceptional cold hardiness, beets are one of the first crops to plant in the springtime and one of the last plants standing in late fall. Beets are a wonderfully versatile vegetable. They’re great for canning, pickling, roasting, steaming, or enjoying raw. Beet greens are also a tasty and nutritious addition to fresh salads or side dishes.

Do you have questions or suggestions about how to grow beets? Please share them in the comments! If you found these beet growing tips useful, please share this article with your fellow green thumbs.