How to Grow Beets (Beta vulgaris)

Beets (Beta vulgaris) are a garden all star. They have a lovely color, are fast growing, are little fuss and you can eat the leafy green tops and the red root bottoms.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. How to Sow Beets:
   
   Plant beet seeds directly in the garden. To prepare the ground, till to make it light and airy. Break up any large clumps of soil and then rake the area flat. Choose a location that has full sun and loose well drained soil, a sandy loam being ideal.
   
   Sparingly sprinkle seeds in rows 18" apart. Cover with a 1/2 to 1 inch of soil. The beets should germinate in 7-10 days.
   
   When the beets reach two inches tall, thin them to 3 inches between each plant. You must do this or the roots won’t have room to develop. Tip: the thinned beet greens make an excellent tender spring salad.

2. How to Care for Beets in the Garden:
   
   It is important to catch weeds early before they get big enough to compete with the beets or cause malformed beets. Water regularly - if the beets go through long dry periods they get woody. Use composted organic matter to improve the soil but be careful, too much manure and the nitrogen will encourage leaf growth at the expense of the roots. Balance your soil additives with rich sources of potassium and phosphorus as well, compost is better balanced than manures.

3. How to Harvest Beets:
   
   Beets are ready to pick when the beets are 2-3 inches across. You will start seeing their shoulders peaking out of the soil. Check if they are ready by pulling up a likely beet. Depending on your variety expect anywhere from 50-70 days of growth before harvest. Beets are the most tender when they are under 3 inches in diameter. If you get a couple monsters, they are also edible, but might need more preparation. Or you can just toss them to the chickens; they love them.

4. How to Save Beet Seeds:
   
   Allow 10 or so plants to keep growing after you harvest the rest. The leaves will bolt up and flower. Then they will produce small pods. Collect the pods when they are dry and the seeds rattle inside. Remove the seeds and let them dry in a warm place, then save in a paper bag and store them in a cool, dark and dry place.

5. How to Eat Beets:
   
   Fresh beet is excellent grated and used in a salad. The tops are also a good way to get some leafy greens into your diet. Add them to a salad or on a sandwich or to the last couple minutes of cooking soup. The root can be used like a potato, roasted, boiled or mashed.

6. Nutritional Information about Beets:
   
   Beets are rich in iron, vitamins A, B2, B6, and C. Also contains some zinc and folic acid.

[jbs2212]

on 11/7/2009 Awesome write up-even though I hate beets! lol

[sallyemaycreate]

on 10/31/2009 Another excellent How To Grow article. I am going to save all of them and get ambitious in the Spring! 5*

[hkimbrell]

on 10/29/2009 I've always wanted to garden. Never really had a green thumb. :P But this article was very informative and you make it sound simple. 5 *