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Growing beets. Cultivation and care for beet roots

Beets might not be the most popular vegetable on the planet. But they have popularity in home gardens because they are quite easy to grow and practically all the parts of the plant can be eaten. Most of the time beets are grown for their roots, which have various shapes and sizes with red, yellow or white colors. The tops or greens are good for salads or cooking. The greens have even more nutrients than the roots. Let's see how we can cultivate and care for beet roots.

Varieties of beet roots

Choice of beet varieties depends on your tastes. Almost all varieties of beets have a deep red color. Most varieties have a round shape.

Growing beets

Beets like cool areas. But they are also tolerant to heat. Temperatures of 60 to 65 F and sunny days are perfect for their growth and development. They can thrive cold weather, which makes them a good long-season crop. Beets prefer loose soils with good drainage. In clay soils, add some organic fertilizers like humus or decomposed manure to improve soil structure. We do not recommend you to use chemical fertilizers. Beet plants are also sensitive to soil acidity. They prefer a pH of 6.2 to 6.8.

Planting beets

Plant the seeds in a prepared soil in spring when the weather gets warm. Sow the beet seeds 1/2-inch deep. Space the seeds one inch apart in the rows. When the seedlings are two inches tall, thin them to about one plant per inch. When they grow bigger, thin them to three or four inches between the plants. It's better to thin the plants in cool weather. Successful planting can be performed at three week intervals within the season. It takes from 55 to 70 days to get the first crop.

Care for beet roots

Keep the soil lightly watered. Do not forget to eliminate weeds.

Harvesting and Storage

Beets can be harvested any time during their growth cycle. Greens have the best taste when they are four to six inches tall. Beet roots are usually very tender after 40 to 50 days. The best size is between one or two inches in diameter. When they get larger, they become more fibrous. Beets are good for a long-term storage when kept in cool places with high humidity.