Description
Botanical name
Beta Vulgaris
Family
Amaranthaceae
Spacing
9 per square foot in 3 rows of 3
Depth
Plant seeds 1 cm (½”) deep.
Requirements
Does best in full sun, but can handle a bit of shade. pH 6-6.5.
Germination
Seeds will sprout in 5-10 days.
Pests
Beets are not affected by many pests. Slugs may discolour leaves. Circular lesions with a purple halo on the leaf is cercospera leaf spot. Prevent by keeping your garden free of debris.
Timing
Direct sow starting in mid-April. Cool-weather crop. Best soil temperature is 10-15°C (50-59°F) . Soak seeds for 12 hours to help speed up germination. Transplanting is not recommended since the tap root is easily disturbed and damaged.
Growing
Seeds are actually a fruit containing 3 or 4 seeds, so when seedlings are around 3 cm (1½”) tall, you must choose the strongest one as they cannot grow so closely together. Cut away the others with scissors or fingernails to avoid disturbing the root of the remaining seedling.
Harvest
55 days
Season
Cool, annual
Links
Quick farmers market soup
How to harvest carrots and beets
