Harvest roots when they are 11/2 to 2 inches in size. ![]() Harvest tops when they are 6 inches high, and use them as you would use spinach. The yellow and white varieties don’t have this problem. Red beets are notorious for “bleeding” all over the counter and sink. Plants may be affected by leaf spots, leaf miner insects, or root maggots be prepared to use an approved insecticide or fungicide according to label directions. If no rain falls for 7 to 10 days, apply 1 inch of water beets that develop in dry weather will be fibrous and woody. Hoe or pull the weeds so that they don’t compete with the beets for water and nutrients. If you wait until the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, you can cook them as greens. You can recognize the beet seedlings because they will appear in rows and all look the same weed seedlings will appear at a random spacing, and all will look different. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to 1 to 3 inches apart. Beet seeds are actually dried-up fruits each contains 2 or more seeds, so don’t plant them too close together. Check twice a day to see whether the seedlings have begun to emerge, and remove the board as soon as you notice them. For summer seedings, place a board over each row to keep the soil from drying or from being compacted by pounding rain. Cover the seeds with 1/2 inch of fine soil. In a raised bed, sow the rows 8 to 10 inches apart across the bed. In rows, sow beet seeds 1 inch apart, and allow 12 to 15 inches between rows. Poor germination will result from soil that is not well prepared. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (make sure that the soil is finely broken up see “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden). Plant beets in a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice), and they will reward you with a full crop.Īpply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Drainage is important, especially if you desire to start the plants early, so that the soil is dry enough to work. The soil should also have a high potassium level, essential for good root development. Do not apply lime or gypsum to garden soils unless they have been tested to determine whether they need the added calcium. ![]() Beets do best in a soil that is neutral to alkaline (remember that a pH of 7.0 is neutral above 7.0, the soil is alkaline below 7.0, the soil is acidic.) If soil tests point to acidic soil, add lime. These root crops require well-prepared loamy soil. Make successive plantings at 20-day intervals until midsummer to have a continuous supply of fresh beets. People love beets both for their globe-shaped roots and their leafy tops.īecause beets will stand a frost, you may sow them 1 month before the frost-free date (the average date of last frost). More detailed information can be found in The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushingīeets are the main ingredients in borscht, but that is certainly not the only way to enjoy them.Beets originated in the maritime regions of Europe, and gardeners hybridized them in Germany and England in the middle of the sixteenth century. All are the same species and are members of the goosefoot family. Garden beets are closely related to sugar beets and to Swiss chard.
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