Growing beets: tips from the experts

Beets are turnip plants that are closely related to Swiss chard. Here are some important tips for growing beetroot successfully in the garden.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. conditions) belong, just like that chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) and the spinach (Spinacia oleracea), to the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae).

Originally, the beetroot was found on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Nowadays, however, it has become native throughout Central Europe. It is a robust, versatile vegetable that is rarely attacked by pests. The tuber can already be harvested in the first year. However, the beetroot only develops its seeds in the second year. The size of the bulb ranges from a glass marble to a tennis ball. Their shape varies from spherical to cylindrical. At the old ones Beetroot Varieties the tuber is colored red and you can even see this color in the leaves. What many do not know: the leaves can also be used in the kitchen. They are prepared in much the same way as spinach. The colors of the newer beetroot varieties range from orange to yellow to white or red and white ringed.

Beetroot require little care and are therefore also suitable for newcomers to the vegetable and vegetable garden raised bed cultivation. The tuber contains a lot of iron and folic acid and is also rich in vitamin B.

Growing beetroot: seeds and choice of location

If you want to grow beetroot yourself, you have to find a suitable location in addition to selecting the seed.

Beetroot: the right location

The beetroot plants are quite frugal. They like a sunny spot, but thrive just as well in partial shade. The garden soil should be improved with a light, well-drained layer of humus. Consistent moisture is very important throughout growth.

If you want to choose a "good neighbor" for beetroot in the vegetable patch, then you should opt for onions, beans, cucumbers or choose cabbage. potatoes On the other hand, they are less suitable because they spread very widely in the soil and quickly draw nutrients from the soil.

The dear relatives chard and spinach should also not be planted in the neighboring bed. They don't get along very well and are hotbeds for host-specific diseases.

Sowing and pricking out beetroot: instructions

1. Sowing beetroot: the procedure

Once you have decided on a variety and a location, it is time to sow. So that the relatively hard beetroot seeds germinate faster, you can soak them in water for a few hours before sowing. In the open they will then grow approx. Planted 2 to 3 cm deep in the ground. A distance of 10 cm should be observed in the row. There can be a good 25 cm between the individual rows. The germination period is 12 to 14 days.

2. Sowing: the right time

The seeds can be sown as early as mid/late April. Plants that got frost very early have an extreme tendency to shoot (generative growth instead of tuber formation). It is therefore advisable to protect the beds with straw or fleece during late spring frosts. If you want to be on the safe side, sow in June.

3. Prefer beetroot

But you can also prefer the beetroot in the planter and put them in the open air bed in June. In this way you avoid the risk of frost and have the bed area in the garden available for other types of vegetables until then.

4. Beetroot: separate and prick out

So that the seedlings do not hinder each other's growth or even die, you have to prick them out in good time. Pricking out means transplanting seedlings that are too close together. They are isolated by carefully removing them and replanting them at larger intervals.

You can also use a pricking stick to carefully pry the plant out of the ground. It is essential to ensure that the still fine roots are not damaged. With sufficient distance to the next plant, the seedling is placed back in a prepared hole in the ground. A watering can with a hair spray is then used to pour it carefully but well. If the plants are pricked out carefully, they have a good chance of continuing to thrive.

Beetroot: the different varieties

Below we present five popular ones Beetroot Varieties in front. You can find an even larger selection here.

• red ball: a tried and tested variety with a typical round ball (red variety)
• Early Wonder Tall Top: this early variety is characterized by particularly tender leaves (red variety)
• Egyptian flat round: very old variety; flat round; fast-growing (red variety)
• Boldor: yellow pulp; a lot sweeter than the red-fleshed varieties, but mild in taste (yellow/orange variety)
• Tonda di Chioggia: good growth; red-white pulp (red-white or light variety)

The red varieties of beetroot usually have an earthier taste than the lighter varieties. However, they are ideal for further processing as raw food or for cooking, roasting and canning. If you don't want the beetroot to color all the other ingredients with its intense juice when you're processing it, then it's better to choose a lighter variety. information about yellow beets you can find it in this article.

Caring for beetroot properly: watering and fertilizing

It is very important that the beetroot is constantly watered so that the deeper roots also get water. This can be necessary every day during the hot season. However, waterlogging should be avoided so that the roots are not covered with a rotting disease and can no longer nourish the plant.

Fertilizing the beetroot is not absolutely necessary. If the sowing soil is nutrient-rich, that is completely sufficient. If the soil is not so nutrient-rich, then you usually need a single fertilization. Green manure is recommended here. Ideally, this should take place in early autumn, so timely planning is important. However, you should avoid using nitrogenous fertilizers because of the high nitrate content. If you want to do something more for the plants, you can use an organic vegetable fertilizer, such as our potassium-rich one Plantura organic tomato fertilizer, use. Carefully loosening or hoeing the soil also promotes tuber growth.

Harvesting beetroot: timing and procedure

Beetroot can be harvested three to four months after sowing. You have to be careful when harvesting. The fruit must not be injured, otherwise it will quickly rot. Gently twist the leaves. In your own garden you should, if possible, gradually harvest the vegetables as you need them. However, all tubers should be harvested before the first frost. If you would like to enjoy small, tender beetroots, you can eat them before the first three months have elapsed.

Store beetroot properly

Proper storage of beetroot is very important. An ideal storage location is a cool, not too dry cellar. You can also overwinter them in moist sand or moist soil in a wooden box.

More to the right Harvesting and storage of beetroot you'll find here.

Preserve beetroot

Beetroot is one of the healthiest vegetables and should not be missing in any garden or kitchen. It is therefore advisable to always have a diverse supply of the healthy tubers in the house. We give tips on how you can benefit from this supply for a long time.

• In the case of a very large harvest:

Temporary storage in a dark basement in damp soil, or wet sand

• Freeze beets:
  • steaming
  • Peel
  • roll the dice
  • Let cool down
  • Freeze
• Put beetroot:

Steam, peel and dice (like freezing); then sour with vinegar, oil and spices

• Boil beetroot:
  • Steam, peel, dice
  • Put on the broth to boil down
  • Portion cubes (in mason jars); Pour the juice over the glasses
  • Close jars and leave for approx. Boil for 45 minutes

Beetroot or beetroot?

Everyone knows the red-fleshed root vegetable, after all, beetroot is a classic in the home kitchen. But no matter how well known it is, the question always arises as to how to spell it correctly: "Beetroot" or "Beetroot"?

After the spelling reform, only the "red" was changed to "red" and both forms of "bete/beete" are still valid. "Beet" is derived from the Latin "beta" for "turnip" and "beets" can be associated with the bed in the garden and the special suitability of the beetroot for edging beds.

Did you know that planting different plants next to each other can bring great benefits? In this article you will find all the information you need to be successful mixed culture require.