Beets!

Beets

Beet Facts

Beets are from the Chenopodiaceae Family and are called Beta vulgaris subsp. Esculenta in Latin.

Beets, like carrots and some other root veggies, prefer soil that has not been recently manured or composted. Forked roots can result.

Beets are compound seeds: if you look closely at a beet seed you will see a number of seedlets fastened together into one “seed.” (Chard is the same.) This means you will often get more than one beet from a seed.

How to Grow Beets

1. I like to soak the seed in hot water (bath temperature) for about an hour before planting.

2. Choose a site in full sun and sow when the soil has warmed a little. Space seeds a little farther apart than you’d think—2 inches is fine—because you will usually get two to four (or even more) “seedlings” from each seed. They should be planted in rows that are spaced thirty to forty-six centimeters apart

3. Cover with about 1 centimetre (0.5") of soil, then tamp down very lightly with your palm.

4. Seeds will germinate in 5-12 days depending on soil temperature (sun and warmth).

5. When beets are about 1.5 inches high, carefully thin them out. This is best done in the morning or in the early evening, when the sun is not shining brightly. Thinned beets can still be eaten for the greens!

6. Beet seeds can be planted as soon as the soil is able to be worked at the start of the growing season. Planting them every two or three weeks would provide a continuous harvest into the fall.

7. The ideal pH is between 6.5 and 7

8. Once the seeds are planted, it is suggested to cover the soil with a little mulch to protect it during rains and dry periods.