Beetroot is a root vegetable that comes in different size and colors, but mostly in red. It is packed with nutrition. The deep red color adds an unique color to the recipes. The leaves can also be used in a salad or stir-fry. The pigments that give red color to beets are called Betalains. This brief overview will help you on how to plant, grow, and harvest beetroot in your own garden.
Seed starting: For an early crop, start the seed indoors two to three weeks before the last frost of your region. Seeds can also be started directly on the ground once the soil is thawed enough for the seeds to sprout.
Transplant seedlings: Once the danger of frost is over you can transplant the seedlings to outdoor area or sow seeds directly on the ground with enough spacing between the seeds. Follow succession plantings every two or three weeks for continual supply throughout the season. Beets can again be planted in late summer 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost in fall.
Care: Beet seeds are collection of seeds in a single pod, which will produce more than one seedlings. Thin the new seedlings to avoid overcrowding. Otherwise the beet bulbs won’t have enough space to get big. Beets grown late in the season as a fall crop will not typically yield a large root. Fall crops on ground can be mulched heavily to grow beets enjoy them throughout the winter.
Harvest: Beets will take about 2 to 3 months to harvest depending on the variety. Gently dig under the root and lift the bulb out of the soil without damaging the bulb. Any damaged bulb should be used immediately, they are not suitable for storage. Beetroot can be stored in a cool place for winter usage.
My Experience: I grew my beets in a baking foil tray as it gave me the needed space. The leaves were so delicious, we ended up using them as Salad than wait for the beets to develop. If I were to do this again, I will grow them in a deep container to give the plant necessary space to form bulbs. Here is a photo of my beet growing setup.
Let me know your experience in the comments section.
