Overview
What beets need, how fast they crop, and whether they suit your garden.
Every beet ‘seed’ is really a dried fruit holding two to six seeds, which is why a row comes up in tufts and has to be thinned. Do that, keep the soil moist, and you can pull tender roots in as little as six to eight weeks, eat the leaves like spinach, and sow again every few weeks for harvests from early summer into autumn.
Quick facts
- Botanical name
- Beta vulgaris
- Feeding
- Moderate feeder
- Hardiness
- Any zone, as an annual
- Time to harvest
- 50 – 70 days
- Propagation
- Seed
Growing details
- Germination
- 10 – 15 days
- Spacing
- 10 cm (4 in)
- Sowing depth
- 13 mm (½ in)
- Frost sensitivity
- Frost hardy
Growing calendar
- Start indoors: February, March
- Sow outdoors: March, April, May, June, July
- Harvest: June, July, August, September, October
In modules for early crops (RHS); plant out when 5 cm (2 in) tall. Once the soil reaches 7 °C (45 °F); every few weeks until July in the UK, later where autumns are long. From golf-ball to cricket-ball size; late sowings store for winter.
Is this plant right for you?
- Beginner friendly
- Quick crop
- Container friendly
- Raised-bed friendly
- Tolerates light frost
- Edible leaves
- Stores well
Good to know
It stands frost, so it can go out earlier than tender crops.
Before You Grow
Pick a colour and shape, then give them loose, fertile, free-draining soil in the sun.
A bolt-resistant variety is the one for early sowings.
What you need
Seed
Beets are almost always sown direct. Look for a bolt-resistant variety for early sowings. See choose your beets.
A sunny bed with loose soil
Weeded and enriched with compost. See soil.
A rake and a hand fork
To make a fine seedbed, and to loosen the soil when you lift the roots.
A watering can
Steady moisture keeps the roots tender. See watering.
Fleece or netting
For early sowings, and to keep birds off the seedlings.
Choose your beets
Beets vary in colour, shape and how quickly they bolt.
Colour. Deep red is the classic, but there are golden, white and pink-and-white striped beets. Pale ones are milder and sweeter and don’t stain your hands; darker ones taste richer and more earthy.
Shape. Most are round or oval. Long, cylindrical types such as ‘Cylindra’ give neat, even slices; in a container, choose a round one.
Bolting. For sowings in early spring, under cover or in cold soil, choose a bolt-resistant variety such as ‘Boltardy’. Early sowings are otherwise prone to running to seed.
Leaves. Varieties such as ‘Bull’s Blood’ are grown partly for their glossy red leaves, used young in salads.
Beet varieties compared
-
Bull’s Blood
- Days to harvest
- 40
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, round
- Good for
- Red leaves; best young
-
Egyptian Flat
- Days to harvest
- 50
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, flattened
- Good for
- Best small
-
Burpee’s Golden
- Days to harvest
- 55
- Colour and shape
- Yellow, round
- Good for
- Mild roots; often germinates poorly
-
Ruby Queen
- Days to harvest
- 55
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, round
- Good for
- Canning
-
Detroit Dark Red
- Days to harvest
- 60
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, round
- Good for
- An all-rounder
-
Cylindra
- Days to harvest
- 60
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, long
- Good for
- Even slices, pickling, storing
-
Chioggia
- Days to harvest
- 55
- Colour and shape
- Pink and white rings
- Good for
- Salads, sliced raw
-
Lutz Green Leaf
- Days to harvest
- 80
- Colour and shape
- Dark red, tapered
- Good for
- Winter storage
Days are from sowing, from Iowa State; Gardeners’ World allows up to 20 weeks for long types. For early sowings choose a bolt-resistant type such as ‘Boltardy’; for winter storage, ‘Lutz Green Leaf’ or ‘Cylindra’.
Where beets grow best
Beets are a cool-season crop: seedlings establish best in cool, moist weather, though the plants keep growing through summer.
Frost. They tolerate light frosts; the roots stand more cold than the tops. Hard frosts damage them.
Space. They take very little room, especially if you pick them young, so they fit small gardens, raised beds and containers.
Rotation. Don’t grow beets in the same spot two years running; it helps prevent leaf spot.
Sun. A sunny site gives the best crop. Beets also tolerate partial shade: the University of Maryland finds they grow well with four to six hours of direct light a day.
Life cycle. Beets are biennials, flowering in their second year, but are grown as an annual root crop (UMD).
Soil
Beets want loose, fertile, free-draining soil that doesn’t get waterlogged. Light or loamy soil is best; the roots can reach 90 to 120 cm (3 to 4 ft) deep in good soil.
Preparation. Weed thoroughly, then dig in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure. Heavy clay needs large amounts. Fork and rake the surface to a fine tilth before sowing.
Warming. For sowings in early spring, especially on clay, cover the ground with cloches for a couple of weeks first.
Nutrients. Beets need fertile soil, especially rich in potassium. On sandy soil, boron can run short and cause black spots in the roots: see common problems.
Planting
Sow direct from spring to midsummer, a short row every few weeks, and thin the seedlings.
Soak the seed in warm water before sowing for quicker, more even germination.
When to sow beets
Sow once the soil reaches about 7 °C (45 °F), from early spring, and keep sowing until about six weeks before the first autumn frost (UMD): July in the UK, later where autumns are long.
Outdoors. In the UK, from late March or April to July (RHS); Gardeners’ World sows mid-April to late June. In the US, Illinois sows about 30 days before the frost-free date, and Iowa State from early to mid-April until mid-July.
Early. Sow from late February or March under cloches or fleece, with a bolt-resistant variety, or start plants indoors in modules.
Little and often. A short row every two to four weeks gives a steady supply of young roots. Iowa State sows every two to three weeks, Illinois every three to four.
For autumn and storage, sow in June and July: Iowa State’s last practical date is mid-July. SDSU sows its autumn crop in mid- to late August.
- Start when the soil reaches 7 °C (45 °F).
- A short row every few weeks, until six weeks before frost.
- June and July sowings give roots to store.
How to sow and thin beets
Each corky ‘seed’ is a cluster of two to six seeds, so plan to thin.
-
Soak the seed
In warm water before sowing: an hour, says the RHS; the University of Maryland soaks for 24 hours. Beet seed can be slow to germinate otherwise.
-
Make a drill
Depth varies by source: 1 cm (⅜ in) for Gardeners’ World, about 13 mm (½ in) for US extensions, 2.5 cm (1 in) for the RHS. Sow a little deeper in sandy soil. Rows 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) apart.
-
Water the drill, then sow
Space seed clusters 2.5 to 10 cm (1 to 4 in) apart. The clusters are big enough to place one at a time.
-
Cover and keep moist
Firm the soil, water if dry, and lay a light mulch to stop the surface crusting. Seedlings appear in 10 to 15 days, often unevenly.
-
Thin in stages
When seedlings are 2.5 to 10 cm (1 to 4 in) tall, thin to 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) apart, pulling the weaker ones. The last thinning can wait until the roots are big enough to eat.
-
Eat the thinnings
Use them in salads, or cook the tops like spinach, tiny roots and all.
Starting beets in modules
Useful for early crops or cold gardens. SDSU finds transplants save two to three weeks.
-
Sow in modules
One seed cluster in the centre of each cell of peat-free seed compost, 2.5 cm (1 in) deep. For clumps of small roots, sow up to four.
-
Thin, or don’t
Thin to the strongest seedling for single roots; leave clumps unthinned.
-
Harden off
Once the plants are at least 5 cm (2 in) tall and well rooted, stand them out by day for a few days, bringing them in at night.
-
Plant without disturbing the roots
At the same depth: single plants 10 cm (4 in) apart, clumps 15 cm (6 in) apart. Keep each root pointing straight down.
-
Water in
And keep them moist until they are growing strongly.
Care
Weed by hand, water steadily in dry spells, and hold back the nitrogen.
Thinning is the job that decides whether you get roots or only leaves.
Care by growth stage
Sowing to emergence
Water: keep the drill moist · Protect: from birds
Keep the surface moist and uncrusted. See how to sow and thin.
Seedlings
Thin: to 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) · Watch for: slugs
Thin, and weed by hand. See how to sow and thin.
Roots swelling
Water: every 10 to 14 days when dry · Feed: only if growth is weak
Steady moisture gives tender roots. See watering.
Harvest and autumn
Lift: before the ground freezes
Pull as needed; lift storage roots before hard frost. See harvesting.
Watering beets
Water seedlings and young plants regularly in dry spells until they are well rooted. After that, beets need less, but roots stay more tender if the soil is kept fairly moist.
How much. In dry spells or very free-draining soil, the RHS waters every 10 to 14 days; Iowa State weekly. Soak the soil each time, then let the top centimetre or so dry before watering again (SDSU).
Why it matters. Too little water makes roots woody; uneven watering splits them. Too much makes leafy growth at the expense of the root.
Containers need regular watering all season. See beets in containers.
Feeding beets
In fertile, well-prepared soil, beets need little or no extra feed (Iowa State).
Before sowing, dig in compost or manure. US extensions add a fertiliser before seeding; beets like soil rich in potassium.
During growth, feed only if plants aren’t growing strongly: the RHS gives an organic high-nitrogen liquid feed then.
Don’t overdo nitrogen. Too much gives lush tops and small roots.
Beets in containers
Beets grow well in a container, and it keeps the seedlings out of reach of slugs.
Container. At least 40 cm (16 in) wide and deep, filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost or John Innes No 2.
Variety. A round one, not a long type.
Spacing. 10 cm (4 in) apart, covered with about 2.5 cm (1 in) of compost; SDSU fits five to nine plants per 30 cm (1 ft) square.
Water regularly: a container dries out much faster than a bed.
Problems
Crowding, uneven watering and crusted soil at sowing cause many of the common problems.
Common beet problems
These are growing problems, not pests or diseases.
Seed didn’t come up, or came up patchily
- Crusted soil
- Dry soil
- Too deep
Dry soil forms a crust the seedlings can’t break, and heavy rain can crust it too. Soak the seed, keep the drill moist and mulch lightly after sowing. Sowing too deep also gives poor stands.
All leaves, no roots
- Overcrowding
- Too much nitrogen
Almost always seedlings left unthinned or too close. Too much nitrogen adds to it. See how to sow and thin.
Tough, woody roots
- Drought
- Heat
- Oversize
Dry soil, high soil temperatures or roots left to grow past about 7.5 cm (3 in) across. Water steadily and pick earlier. Heat stress can also show as white rings inside.
Running to seed
- Bolting
Early sowings in cold weather are prone to it. Use a bolt-resistant variety for early crops.
Black spots inside the root
- Boron shortage
A boron deficiency, most likely on sandy soil. Only if a soil test confirms a shortage, UMD applies 6 to 7 level tablespoons of borax per 93 m² (1,000 sq ft). Don’t add it without a test.
More problems with beets
Common pests
Slugs and snails
They attack seedlings as they emerge. Use biological nematodes, grow in a container, or go out with a torch at night; crushed eggshells may help a little.
Birds
They pull seedlings out of the ground. Cover rows with fleece or netting until the plants are established.
Flea beetles
Chew small, round holes in the leaves and can badly damage young plants. SDSU suggests radishes or rocket nearby as a trap crop.
Seed maggots
Attack seed in cold spring soil. Soaking the seed so it germinates quickly helps it escape them.
Common diseases
Cercospora leaf spot
A fungal leaf-spot disease (UMD, SDSU). Prevent it by not growing beets in the same spot two years running and by clearing plant debris after harvest.
Seed and seedling rot
Seed sitting in cold, wet spring soil can rot. Soaking speeds germination, and waiting for the soil to warm helps.
Harvest & Use
Pull roots from golf-ball to cricket-ball size, and store the late sowings for winter.
Harvesting beets
Roots are ready from about six to eight weeks after sowing, usually 50 to 60 days, and can be pulled at any size from a golf ball to a cricket ball: 2.5 to 7.5 cm (1 to 3 in) across.
Don’t let them grow too big. Roots over about 7.5 cm (3 in) tend to turn tough and woody. How. Loosen the soil with a hand fork, then pull, holding the leaves where they meet the root. Lifting alternate plants lets the rest grow on. Roots come up more readily from slightly damp soil (Gardeners’ World).
Leaves. Take a few young leaves from each plant through the season, leaving at least four or five so the root keeps swelling (RHS). SDSU is stricter: only one or two leaves per plant if you want roots too.
Tops off. Twist or cut off the leaves, leaving 2.5 cm (1 in) of stalk and the root tip intact, so the beets don’t bleed.
Storing and using beets
Separate the leaves at once: left on, they draw moisture out of the roots, which shrivel.
Short term. Roots keep about a week (Illinois) to a few weeks in a perforated bag in the fridge. Leaves last only a day or two.
Winter. Sowings from June store best, and larger roots keep better than small ones. Store only undamaged roots, in boxes of dry or slightly moist sand, compost or coir in a cool shed or garage: the RHS expects two months or more, Gardeners’ World until March, Iowa State three to four months at 0 to 2 °C (32 to 35 °F). Don’t let them freeze.
In the ground. In mild areas you can leave them and lift as needed, covered with straw against hard frost.
Cooking. Wash gently without piercing the skin, to stop them bleeding. Boil, steam or roast; eat young roots raw, grated into salads. They also freeze, can and pickle well, and the leaves cook like spinach.
More to Explore
Quick answers, guides that pair well with beets, and the sources behind this one.
Frequently asked questions
How long do beets take to grow?
About 50 to 70 days from sowing, and as little as 40 for some varieties. Long types take longer.
Why do beets need thinning?
Each seed is a cluster of two to six seeds, so several come up together. See how to sow and thin.
Why are my beets all leaves and no roots?
Usually overcrowding from too little thinning, sometimes too much nitrogen. See common problems.
How far apart should beets be?
About 10 cm (4 in) for full-size roots, closer for baby beets; rows 30 cm (12 in) apart.
When should I harvest beets?
From golf-ball to cricket-ball size, before they pass about 7.5 cm (3 in) and turn woody.
Can you eat beet leaves?
Yes, young in salads or cooked like spinach. Leave at least four or five on each plant if you want roots too.
Can beets grow in partial shade?
Yes, with four to six hours of direct light, though full sun is best.
Can I grow beets in a pot?
Yes, a round variety in a container at least 40 cm (16 in) wide and deep. See beets in containers.
How do you store beets?
Twist off the leaves, then keep the roots in the fridge for short spells or in boxes of sand in a cool shed for winter. See storing and using beets.
Should I soak beet seeds?
It helps: soaking in warm water before sowing gives quicker, more even germination.
Related guides
Sources
- How to grow beetroot (opens in a new tab) Royal Horticultural Society
- Growing beets in the home garden (opens in a new tab) Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Beet (opens in a new tab) University of Illinois Extension
- Growing beets in a home garden (opens in a new tab) University of Maryland Extension
- Beets: how to grow it (opens in a new tab) South Dakota State University Extension
- How to grow beetroot (opens in a new tab) BBC Gardeners’ World