Beetroot: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow beetroot outdoors?
Sow beetroot outdoors from spring to mid-summer, once the soil has warmed to at least 7 °C. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil and remove weeds before sowing. For early sowings, use a bolt-resistant variety and protect the row if necessary.
Sow about 2.5 cm deep in rows 30 cm apart, leaving around 10 cm between seeds. A seed cluster can produce several seedlings: thin them if necessary to leave about 10 cm between plants. Water gently and keep the soil moist without waterlogging it. Sow small batches every few weeks to spread out your harvests.
Rake the surface to a fine texture without large clods so the seeds make good contact with the soil. If the ground sticks to your tools or remains waterlogged, postpone sowing. Cold soil slows germination, and sowing too early increases the risk of bolting, when plants flower prematurely. Once seedlings appear, remove competing weeds by hand without digging deeply around the young roots. Thinning means removing surplus seedlings so the plants you keep have room to develop their roots properly.
How do you plant beetroot?
Plant young beetroot plants in a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil. Plants raised in modules should be well rooted and around 5 cm tall. Gradually harden them off before planting outdoors; do not rely on a fixed four-week interval after sowing.
Move each root ball carefully, without disturbing the roots. Leave around 10 cm between single plants and 30 cm between rows. If you have grown several seedlings together for small roots, keep the clump intact and leave about 15 cm between clumps. Firm gently and water well after planting.
Choose a mild, cloudy day or late afternoon to limit drying while the seedlings establish. Water the modules before removing the plants: a slightly moist root ball holds together better than dry compost. Make each planting hole wide enough to accept the root ball without bending the root, then gently return the soil around it. During the following days, check the moisture close to the root balls and water when necessary. Avoid keeping seedlings cramped in their modules for a long time before planting them out.
How to care for this plant
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Thin seedlings
For larger beetroot, thin crowded young seedlings to about 10 cm apart. Keep small clusters intended for baby roots.
How do you harvest beetroot?
Harvest your beetroot from early summer to autumn, depending on sowing time and variety. Pick the roots while they are still tender, usually around 4 to 7 cm across, rather than waiting for them to become very large. Loosen the soil carefully with a hand fork, then lift the roots without damaging them.
For winter storage, choose healthy, undamaged roots from a late crop. Brush off the soil and cut or twist off the leaves, leaving about 2.5 cm of stalk. Store the roots in a container of dry sand in a cool, frost-free place and check them regularly, removing any that deteriorate.
Look at the tops of the roots showing at the soil surface: their diameter is a better guide than the height of the leaves. Take the largest roots first and allow the smaller ones to grow on, rather than lifting the whole row at once. Where roots are crowded, support the soil around neighbouring plants as you lift. Avoid cutting the main root or bruising the skin of beetroot intended for storage. Use split or damaged roots promptly and keep only intact specimens for longer storage.
Beetroot
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Root vegetables
- Botanical Family : Chenopodiaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Full Sun
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
- Mature height : 30 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 2 cm
- Plant Spacing : 12 cm
- Row Spacing : 30 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Low
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing