Growing beets is akin to conjuring rubies from the soil – both are valuable and unimaginably beautiful. Beets have a leg up over rubies, however, as these delicious roots are nutritious and way more accessible than precious gems.

Beets – also known as beetroot – are beloved for their deeply earthy roots and tender, flavorful greens, making them a versatile addition to everything from fresh salads and pickles to hearty stews and sautés. Native to the Mediterranean, where wild versions once grew along coastal salt marshes, beets have been cultivated for thousands of years for both their leaves and roots.

These popular root vegetables thrive in cool, sunny, and moderate growing conditions. Similar to growing carrots, beet seeds can be sown either in early spring for a summer crop or in late summer for a fall harvest. For anyone starting a vegetable garden, they’ll be blessed with a beautiful harvest of both vibrant roots and delectable greens. This combination of ease and culinary versatility makes beets a great crop for beginner and experienced growers alike.

Quick Beet Facts

What Is a Beet?

A beet is an enlarged root of the Beta vulgaris plant. It is a cool-season crop with many of its home garden varieties being grown for both its roots and edible leaves, making it a “two for one” vegetable. Beets are a member of the amaranth family and are adapted to cooler growing conditions.

Types of Beets

There are several main types of beets, each bred for a specific purpose.

• Garden or table beets are grown for eating and include familiar red, golden, white, and striped types used fresh, roasted, pickled, or juiced.
• Sugar beets are grown on a large scale for sugar production and have pale, high-sugar roots not usually used in home kitchens.
• Fodder or forage beets are bred as livestock feed, producing large, energy-rich roots.
• Leaf beets, commonly known as Swiss chard, are grown for their large, colorful leaves rather than their roots, even though they are the same species as garden beets.

Burpee has seeds in a kaleidoscope of beautifully colored and tasty varieties, from round ruby-red varieties to cylindrical shapes and multi-color mixes.

Planting Beets

Beets are most often grown from seeds, as they don't like being transplanted. A big, beautiful beet crop begins with care and attention to preparing the soil. As with carrots, a uniform soil will let your beets’ growth expand outward without impediment, creating smooth round or cylindrical roots. In the proper soil texture, beet seeds will germinate quickly.

The rest of the planting procedure is straightforward and easily completed in short time. In fact, the quick planting means you can plant a little row of beets every week or two, resulting in a prolonged and fruitful harvest.

When to Plant Beets

Beets are a cool-weather crop, and planting dates depend on one’s USDA zone. In southern US climates, beets can be grown all winter long, but do poorly in summer’s heat. In northern soils, beets shouldn't be planted until the soil temperature warms up to at least 40°F (4°C), usually around midspring. While they don’t fare well in summer, even in northerly locations, a second crop sown in late summer will produce a fall harvest.

Best Soil for Beets

Beets love soil types that are soft, rich, and easy to sink into – think loose and crumbly, something that lets roots grow round and smooth instead of twisted and tough. A sandy loam or well-worked garden bed with plenty of compost is ideal. Rocky or heavy clay soils lead to misshapen roots.

Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH, around 6.0 to 7.0, and keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy. Use a soil testing kit such as the MySoil Test Kit, available on Amazon, to pinpoint soil pH, allowing you to adjust accordingly. When the soil is right, beets practically do the rest themselves.

Light Requirements

Beets are happiest soaking up the sun, growing best with at least six hours of direct light each day. Full sun means faster growth, sweeter roots, and stronger greens. If full sun is not possible for you, beets will still grow decently in light shade. This is especially true in hot climates where a little afternoon shade can prevent stress. Otherwise, a sunny, open space will result in beautifully colored, richly flavored, and sturdy roots and leaves.

When choosing a planting site, be sure it is away from tall neighboring plants or structures such as a house or garden shed that cast long shadows. In cooler regions, a full sun spot also helps warm the soil more quickly in spring, helping you get your beet crop going sooner.

How to Plant Beets – Step by Step

Now that you’ve determined the right time of year to plant beets depending on your location, and have chosen a sunny spot, it’s time to plant your beet seeds!

1. Prepare the soil. Loosen soil to about 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) deep. Remove rocks and clumps, then mix in compost or well-rotted organic matter. A soil sifter, such as the Round Capacity Compost Sifter from Home Depot, can help remove larger items from the soil as you dig. Rake the soil surface so it is smooth. A level surface helps you sow the seeds evenly and helps them make good contact with the soil.
2. Sow the seeds. Sow beet seeds ½ inch (1.25 cm) deep and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart in rows spaced 12 inches (30 cm) apart. If you want a continuous supply, plant your beets in several plantings, about three weeks apart.
3. Cover and water. Gently cover seeds with soil, making sure the surface is level. Water lightly but thoroughly. A level surface ensures pools of water don’t remain.
4. Keep soil moist. Water regularly to keep soil evenly moist until seeds germinate, usually in 7–14 days if temperatures are between 55 and 75°F (13–24°C).
5. Thin seedlings. When plants are 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) tall, thin seedlings to 3–4 inches (7.5–10 cm) apart so roots have room to grow. Snip the seedlings rather than pulling them up because pulling will disturb the developing root systems of the plants still in the soil. Bonus – use the seedlings you’ve snipped to top your salad!
6. Mulch lightly and remove weeds. Add a thin layer of mulch to hold moisture and reduce weeds.
7. Water consistently. Consistency with soil moisture is key to growing most any root crop. Regular watering helps prevent tough or woody roots.

Beet Care

Beets may be an easy-care crop, but paying attention to the basics results in a far superior crop to one that is left to its own devices.

How Often to Water Beets

Beets’ water requirements depend on their maturity, soil conditions and the climate. In cool spring and fall temperatures, the soil dries slowly, especially in humid areas. Small, young plants won’t require as much water as those close to maturity; however, their relatively shallow roots may need water a bit more frequently until they reach the moisture reserves deeper in the soil.

Generally speaking, a good watering schedule for beets provides an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. This is a combination of rainwater and supplemental irrigation. If you receive a half inch (1.5 cm) of rain, you only have to provide an additional half inch (1.5 cm) of irrigation water. Use a rain gauge to measure the amounts of rainfall and irrigation water your garden receives. This simple AcuRite gauge from Amazon does the job without spending much.

The watering schedule for beets should be less about assigned days of the week and more concerned with providing consistently moist soil. It never hurts to stick your finger in the ground to feel for moisture. Overwatering beets can be just as detrimental as underwatering this thirsty crop.

Fertilizing Beets

Beets are not heavy feeders, but they benefit from nutrient-rich soil. About one week before planting, apply a general-purpose balanced fertilizer – ideally with an NPK of 10-10-10.

After that initial application, a lower-nitrogen product is best for fertilizing beets. These root vegetables need more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen to promote root growth. Choose something like 5-10-10 or 4-8-8. Cz Garden Organics' 5-10-10 Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer is a good pick.

About 2–3 weeks after seedlings emerge, apply fertilizer along the row, about 3–4 inches (7.5–10 cm) away from plants. Use roughly 1 tablespoon per 10 feet (3 m) of row, then water well. A second fertilizer application may be necessary if growth seems slow or the soil is poor. Repeat once more about 4 weeks later using the same amount.

Note that boron is a necessary element for growing beets. Low levels of boron will cause black sunken spots on and in the root. Internal black spot can be prevented with ½ ounce of Borax per 100 square feet (14 g per 9 m²). For additional sources of boron, try this Opulent Boron liquid fertilizer.

Mulching Beets

Mulch around beet plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Water stress within the first six weeks of growth will lead to premature flowering and low yields.

Organic mulches such as straw, shredded leaves, untreated grass clippings, or compost work well, helping to keep the soil evenly moist and cool during warm weather.

How to Prune Beets

Beets require very little pruning, which is one reason they’re so easy for home gardeners to grow. In general, avoid cutting healthy leaves during the growing season because the tops are what feed the developing root.

The only routine “pruning” is cleaning up damaged or distressed foliage. If leaves become yellow, damaged, or diseased, snip them off at the base using clean scissors or pruners. This helps keep plants tidy and improves air circulation.

Harvesting Beets

Beets can be harvested at almost any stage, depending on how you plan to use them. Will you use beets and greens fresh in salads? Will you pickle the roots and sauté the greens? Will you juice the entire plant? Smaller roots tend to be sweeter and more tender, while larger beets are better suited to roasting, pickling, or storage.

Most varieties are ready to lift once the exposed shoulders reach around 1–3in (2.5–7.5cm) across.

To harvest beets, loosen the soil if necessary and pull the roots gently by hand, grasping them where the leaves meet the crown. Watering the bed a day before harvest can make lifting easier in dry conditions.

Young beet green leaves can be picked sparingly throughout the season, or the entire top can be removed once the root has been harvested.

Beets Care Calendar

Overwintering Beets

In mild climates, mature beets can be left in the ground over winter and harvested as needed. Protect roots from repeated freezing and thawing with a thick layer of straw, shredded leaves, or another organic mulch. In colder regions, harvest and store roots before the ground freezes solid.

Storing Beets

When harvesting, you should have a plan for what you’ll do with the beets afterward. Beet greens will last only a few days in the refrigerator. Beet roots will remain usable for only a few weeks unless stored in sand or sawdust in a cool place, such as a root cellar. When picking beets, try to eat some of them fresh for the best flavor and highest nutritional content.

Propagating Beets

Beets are typically propagated via seeds. Most gardeners purchase beet seed from a nursery, garden center, or home store, but it's possible to harvest your own seeds. To do this, you must first wait until the beet tops have flowered and then turned brown before attempting to harvest. Then cut 4 inches (10 cm) off the top of the beet plant and store these in a cool, dry area for two to three weeks to allow the seeds to ripen. The seed can then be stripped from the dried foliage by hand or placed in a bag and pounded. The chaff can be winnowed, and the seeds plucked out.

A fun project is to attempt to regrow a beet plant from the top cut off of a grocery store root. The tops will regrow, but you won't get a whole new root. Simply place the beet top in a shallow dish, just covering it with water. After a few days, new leaves will have begun to form, and you can harvest these once they are big enough. Change water frequently to avoid rot.

Beet Problems

Beets are usually a trouble-free crop, but gardeners can run into certain common garden pests and diseases on occasion, especially in warm or wet conditions. While some pests and diseases affect leaves, it is not a huge issue for root production unless the damage becomes so severe as to kill the entire set of leaves.

For sap-sucking pests such as aphids, an insecticidal soap spray, like Bonide's ready-to-use spray from Amazon, can help keep populations under control.

Good spacing, crop rotation, well-drained soil, and keeping leaves dry when watering go a long way toward preventing most beet problems.

Development Problems

• Bolting – Beets may bolt in response to temperature fluctuations or heat stress, causing the plant to flower and reducing root growth.
• Wilting or falling beet plants – Sudden wilting may indicate insect damage, root rot or other diseases affecting the plant's roots and foliage.
• Small or misshapen beets – Usually caused by overcrowding, insufficient sunlight, poor soil conditions, or nutrient imbalances that restrict root development.
• Black heart (boron deficiency) – A nutrient issue that causes dark, cracked centers.

Common Pests

• Leaf miners – Tiny larvae tunnel through leaves, leaving winding white trails. Leaves may look blotchy or papery.
• Armyworms – Can eat tender young transplants to the ground and defoliate older plants.
• Flea beetles – Make tiny “shot holes” in young leaves, slowing early growth.
• Aphids – Cluster on the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and spreading disease.
• Cutworms – Chew through young seedlings at soil level.
• Root-knot nematodes – Yellowing foliage, poor growth, and swollen roots can all be signs of root-knot nematode damage.
• Slugs and snails – Feed on leaves, especially in damp gardens.

Common Diseases

• Cercospora leaf spot – Causes small purple or brown spots on leaves that can merge and kill foliage.
• Downy mildew – Creates gray or fuzzy growth on leaf undersides, often in cool, wet weather.
• Powdery mildew – White, dusty coating on leaves during warm, dry spells.
• Root rot – Happens in soggy or poorly drained soil; roots become soft and discolored.
• Curly top – Causes curled, stunted foliage and distorted roots, and is spread by beet leafhoppers.
• Southern blight – A soil-borne fungal disease that causes yellowing, wilting and root rot, often identified by white thread-like fungal growth around the base of plants.
• Mosaic virus – Spread by aphids, causes yellow mottling and pale blotches on leaves, sometimes leading to stunted growth

Growing Beets in Containers

When growing beets in containers, choose a variety that will not grow to an overly large diameter. You want plenty of room in the pot to grow a healthy crop, so choose one with a minimum depth of 6 inches (15 cm). The Eclipse Round Planter for indoor and outdoor use from The HC Companies via Amazon is ideal.

Fill the pot with potting soil amended with organic matter to improve drainage and fertility. Then, plant the seeds ½ to ¾ of an inch (1.5–2 cm) deep and keep the soil lightly moist. It will take 7–12 days for seedlings to emerge, which should be thinned once they are 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) tall.

Position your potted beets in a full sun position and harvest them when grown in the ground.

Growing Beets Indoors

Yes, beets can be grown indoors, especially smaller or round varieties that don’t need deep soil to form good roots. They need bright light – ideally 12–14 hours a day from a sunny window or grow lights – and containers at least 6–10 inches (20–25 cm) deep so roots can develop properly.

Use loose, well-draining potting mix, keep soil evenly moist, and thin seedlings so each plant has room to grow.

While indoor beets may grow a bit slower than outdoor ones, they can still produce tasty roots and tender greens right in your kitchen or sunroom.

Companion Planting Beets

As with most other crops, companion planting beets helps improve success and yields. This might be through adding nitrogen to the soil, providing shade, and encouraging beneficial insects. Good beet companion plants include:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Bush beans
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chard
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Garlic
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Shallots
• Tomatoes

However, not every plant makes a good companion plant for beets. Bad plot neighbors include:

• Carrots
• Field mustard
• Wild mustard
• Pole beans

Frequently Asked Questions

Beet Growing Essentials

• Looking for seeds? Burpee has many to choose from, including different shapes and colors and even multi-color mixes.
• Beets grow best in soil that is slightly acidic to neutral pH. Use a soil testing kit such as the MySoil Test Kit, available on Amazon to pinpoint soil pH.
• For smooth and round beets, remove rocks and clumps from the soil with the Round Capacity Compost Sifter from Home Depot.
• If growing beets in containers, provide plenty of depth for growth, the Eclipse Round Planter from The HC Companies on Amazon.

If you have ever prepped beets, you will be familiar with the root's propensity towards staining. The brilliant red juice is then an obvious choice for a natural beet dye. For hundreds of years, people have been using botanical sourced dyes, well before the FDA approved red dye 40.

About Beet Juice Dye

The brilliant red of beets is the result of betalains, rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, low calorie and teeming with vitamins and minerals. Those who have prepared beets know that beet juice can and will stain anything it comes into contact with, which makes one wonder about dyeing with beet juice. Beet juice dye isn’t anything new. People have been using beets (and other veggies) to dye fabric for centuries. Keep reading to learn how to make dye with beets for fabric, food and more. 

How to Make Dye with Beets

Making beet dye for use in foods is quite simple. Things get a bit more complex when using beets to dye fabric, simply because a mordant or color fixative needs to be added. Neither is particularly complex, but remember that dyeing with beet juice and the making of beet dye are inherently messy. Make sure to wear gloves and clothing you don’t mind getting stained, and to use metal pots to cook the beet dye in. 

Beet dye can be used to dye foods such as frostings, or used to dye eggs. To make beet dye for foods, simply wash the beets and then grate them. Protect the table surface with towels, or grate on a plate or use a food processor. A single beet should yield about 3 Tbsp (45 ml.) of beet juice dye. 

Once the beets are grated, squeeze the juice into whatever mixture it is you are dyeing, using cheesecloth or an old dish towel to squeeze the juice out. The more juice added, the deeper the hue. 

Using Beets to Dye Fabric

Beet juice dye can be used to dye cotton or wool. You could just use the above method to make beet dye, but the resulting fabric will have a tendency to run and should always be hand washed separately lest you end up with a pink load of laundry. 

Traditionally an inorganic oxide such as copper, tin or aluminum was used to fix the colorant, but since most of us don’t have any of that lying around, other mordant options are vinegar or salt.

Prepare your beet dye as above or cook down beets in water until the desired hue is reached and then strain the solids, reserving the liquid beet dye. 

In a large metal cooking pot add water, beet dye, and your mordant of 2-3 Tbsp (30-44 ml) either white vinegar or salt. The amount of dye used is dependent upon the shade of red you wish to achieve. Bring the entirety to a simmer for about half an hour.

After 30 minutes have passed, you can add the fabric directly into the hot water to dye it, or cool the concoction and dye at a later date. Wet the fabric first and then stir the garment around in the mixture to ensure even coloration, or use rubber bands, clothespins or even tape to create patterns in the material. 

When you are satisfied with the color, remove the fabric and allow it to dry thoroughly. Iron on high heat to set the color. 

Trying to find ways to save in the kitchen? There are many food scraps that will grow anew and provide some extension to your grocery budget. Plus, freshly grown produce is ready on hand and healthy. Do beets re-grow though? Along with several other veggies, you can re-grow beets in water and enjoy their healthy greens. Keep reading to find out how to regrow beets from scraps.

Can You Re-Grow Beets from Tops? 

Beets brighten up any dish made from roasted root vegetables, from chips to borsht. While many of us are familiar with the bright pink, bulbous roots, not many of us have used the greens. They can be used similarly to Swiss chard or other dark green leafy veggie tops. They can be used fresh in salads but are best sautéed or chopped into stews and soups. Can you re-grow beets from tops alone?

Many of us have tried to start an avocado plant from a pit. While this doesn't usually develop into a producing tree, it is a fun way to watch something that would be discarded, become a living thing. Curious cooks have tried to use leftover vegetable parts as plants. Celery, lettuce, and some herbs will all successfully sprout out new leaves. Do beets re-grow? Most certainly the tops will, but don't expect a new bulb. Beet greens are loaded with iron, vitamin K, potassium, and magnesium. They will jazz up many types of dishes. 

Tips to Re-Grow Beets from Scraps

If you are planting store-bought beets, try to ensure they are organic. You can use ones from your garden or try planting store-bought beets, but regular grocery produce could contain pesticides or herbicides and should be avoided. Select beets that have healthy greens and a solid, unblemished root. Wash your beet well before cutting into it. Remove stems and leaves and use them for a recipe. Then separate the very top from the bulk of the bulb. Use the bulb but retain the top part which is scarred from leaf removal. This is the part of the beet that will produce new leaves. 

How to Re-Grow Beets in Water

You can use tap water, but rainwater is best. Just don't collect it after it has run off the roof and into the gutters. You will need a shallow dish with a little bit of lip. Put just enough water in the dish to cover the cut end of the beet top. Wait a couple of days and you will see new leaves begin to form. To prevent rot, change your water frequently. Keep the water level consistent with the top curve of the beet cutting, but not to the new stem line. In just a week or so you will have new beet greens to cut. Depending upon the condition of your cutting, you may even expect a second crop.

Beets, once fit only to be saturated in vinegar brine, has a new look. Today’s cooks and gardeners now know the value of the nutritious beet greens as well as the root. If you’re old school, however, and hanker after the sweet beet varieties, there are plenty to choose from. Of course, degree of sweetness is subjective; one person may consider certain beets sweeter and another not so much. Is there a way of making beets sweeter? There are definitely some helpful secrets to growing sweet beets. Read on to find out how to grow sweeter beets.

Sweet Beet Varieties

Beet aficionados swear by certain beets. Some of the most commonly named forerunners include:

• Chioggia – Chioggia beets are sweet Italian heirlooms with a distinctive red and white striping.
• Detroit Dark Red – Detroit Dark Red is a popular deep red (as its name suggests), round beet that is amenable to a variety of soil and temperature conditions.
• Formanova – Formanova is a cylinder shaped beet that can grow quite long; up to 8 inches (20 cm.) and is perfect for slicing.
• Golden – Golden beets aren’t your average red beet. These carrot colored beauties do taste like sweet red beets but with the added bonus that they don’t bleed all over when sliced into.
• Lutz Greenleaf – Lutz Greenleaf is an unusually large beet that can grow up to four times the size of most beets. That said, for the sweetest of this variety, pick them when small.

There is also a hybrid variety called Merlin, which is said to be one of the sweetest beet varieties you can buy. It has a uniform round shape with a dark red interior.

How to Grow Sweeter Beets

Pretty much every beet I’ve ever tasted seemed sweet to me but, apparently, some are more so than others. Beyond selecting and growing the above listed sweet beets, is there a way of making beets that are sweeter? Some time ago, beet growers were concerned about the declining sugar content of their crops. After some research it was decided that the problem was the soil. That is, too much chemical fertilizer and too little organic matter. So to grow beets that are sweeter, dispense with chemicals and introduce plenty of organic material into the soil at planting. If you must use fertilizer, buy one that contains trace elements. Another reason for a less than sweet beet is water stress. Beets become stronger in flavor and almost bitter and can develop white rings when subjected to a lack of water. The compound that gives beets their characteristic flavor is called geosmin. Geosmin naturally occurs in beets and is more prominent in some varieties than others. The best tasting beets have a balance between sugar and geosmin.

Beets and their colorful cousins, the chards, are beautiful and nutritious additions to your homegrown dinner table, but things don’t always go as planned with this family of root vegetables. Sometimes the weather isn’t on your side and instead favors beet Cercospora spot, a fungal pathogen that can cause both foliar damage and reduce yields considerably. Whether you’ve had beets with Cercospora spot in the past or suspect it in this year’s crop, we can help you tame it!

Cercospora Spot on Beets

Cercospora spot on beets can be pretty frightening to see in your crop, especially if you didn’t realize what it was at first and let the small spots spread before making a move. Fortunately, your crop should be able to weather this storm, but you must start by making a positive identification today. You’ll know beet Cercospora spot by the small, pale, circular to oval spots with purple or brown borders.

As these little spots spread, they can grow together to form larger, misshapen areas of dead tissue. More mature spots will also have visible black reproductive structures known as pseudostromata at their centers, though you may need a magnifying glass to be sure. When these spots fruit, they’re covered in colorless, fuzzy spores, which can then infect healthy plants. Heavily infected leaves may turn yellow or simply wither and die.

Noticing Cercospora spot symptoms early can mean the difference between successful treatment and another year of lost beet crops.

How to Treat Cercospora Spot

If your beets are just now showing signs of Cercospora spot, you’re in a fortunate place because treatment can help them dramatically. There are two important things to keep in mind when treating Cercospora spot, however.

First, you need to read the package insert for your chosen fungicide(s) so you’re aware of how long to wait before harvesting your bounty.

Secondly, it’s important to rotate fungicides since many strains of Cercospora spot have developed resistance. However, rotating different types of fungicide, like pyraclostrobin, triphenyltin hydroxide, and tetraconazole throughout the growing season can help overcome this resistance. Keep in mind that treating your beets with a fungicide will not correct any damage that has already occurred, but it can prevent new spots from erupting.

Over the long term, you can reduce your risk of Cercospora spot by practicing a three year crop rotation, removing or plowing under all old or dead vegetation both during the growing season and post-harvest, and using more Cercospora spot resistant varieties. Trying a few different varieties of beets next season will not only provide a lot more eye-catching color in your beet garden but will allow you to test various beets for their resistance in your local climate.

Your garden is the envy of all your neighbors year after year, but this season it just doesn’t seem to have the same luster, especially when it comes to your beets. Instead of flashing thick, green foliage, they’re really hit or miss and look pretty sickly. What’s gone wrong? Well, it could be root-knot nematode on beets, but you can bring your garden back from the edge.

Root-Knot Nematode Symptoms in Beets

Healthy beets are the goal of every grower, but sometimes your plantings hold secrets you don’t realize until it’s too late. Root-knot nematodes are one of those unpleasant surprises. Although they’re tenacious and tricky, these tiny roundworms can be defeated. Beets with root-knot nematodes can actually exhibit a variety of symptoms, from simply not looking right to stunting or long, languishing deaths. Yellowing foliage and withering despite adequate water are together telling signs, but there’s no 100 percent way to identify beets with root-knot nematode without exhuming a few volunteers. Once removed from the soil, your beets will tell their secrets. Root-knot nematodes leave a specific calling card: galls and swellings on the main root and any secondary roots that are present. If left unchecked, nematodes can spread slowly across your entire garden plot, and when it comes to the root-knot nematode, beets aren’t the only plants in harm’s way. This particular nematode will feed on a huge variety of plants, so reducing numbers right away is in your best interest.

How to Treat Root-Knot Nematode in Beets

Once beets are infected with root-knot nematode, there’s not a very effective way to get rid of them. Those beets are going to be damaged by the pests, but you can safeguard against future root-knot nematode problems. Beet root-knot nematode treatment is really more of a focus on cleaning the area up for the next season or planting. These cultural practices are your best bet for overcoming root-knot nematodes on beets year after year: Early planting. For beets, one of the best weapons you have against root-knot nematodes is weather. Since beets will mature in temperatures around 55 degrees F. (13 C.), early planting means they can escape the majority of the root-knot nematode’s life cycle. Healthy, maturing beets are much better at fighting off this pest than young seedlings. Crop rotation. All nematodes can be treated with crop rotation, which effectively starves them over a number of years. Using plants that root-knot nematode won’t eat, like fescue, marigold, or small grains can slowly decrease the number of nematodes present in the soil. Maintain a two to three year crop rotation with susceptible plants like beets and tomatoes for the best results. However, there’s a caveat to this. Keep your nematode-rich area clear of weeds, since they can often feed on these and survive the crop rotation. Organic matter. Incorporating rotting matter into the soil can help to decrease nematode activity by enhancing the activity of nematode-destroying bacteria. This rotting material will also release high concentrations of carbon disulfide and toxic acids that will kill nematodes. This isn’t a sure-fire solution, but since it can also improve soil quality, plants grown in gardens with plenty of compost reap additional benefits in the long term. Proper fertilization. Adding compost isn’t enough to fertilize a beet crop. You’ll need to test your soil and add additional fertilizers to keep your plants as healthy as possible. Unstressed plants tend to suffer less nematode damage and are less affected by root-knot nematode attacks.

The earthy, sweet flavor of beets has captured the taste buds of many and growing these tasty root vegetables can be so rewarding. One roadblock you may come up against in your garden is beets with powdery mildew. To enjoy your beet harvest, know how to recognize this disease and how to combat it.

Symptoms of Powdery Mildew on Beets

The sooner you detect signs of powdery mildew on beets, the easier it will be to control and treat it. An early sign of the disease, which is caused by a fungus that only grows on beet and chard plants, is the formation of small white spots on the undersides of older leaves. Eventually the white, powdery substance will spread to all areas of the leaf and to all leaves on the plant. You may also start to see dark spots on the leaves. It can take just a week for powdery mildew in beet plants to spread to all the leaves.

How to Treat Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a bigger issue for farmers raising sugar beets than for the average backyard gardener. The disease will not necessarily limit your beet root harvest, but it can limit sugar content, which is problematic for the yields on farms. Still, it’s best to get the disease under control in your garden if you spot it. Beets with powdery mildew can be treated with a fungicide. The most important consideration in treating the infection is timing. It is much easier to control it in the early stages than when the disease has become widespread among your beet plants. You can also take steps to prevent powdery mildew on beets in your garden. Surface irrigation keeps the lower leaves of beet plants moist, which encourages fungus growth. Water your beets with a sprinkler from above instead, preferably early morning, giving the plant leaves plenty of time to dry. Powdery mildew in beet plants can become an insidious infection. Keep conditions right to prevent the growth of fungus and, if necessary, visit your nursery to get a recommendation for a fungicide and take care of the infection as soon as you see it taking root.

Leaves on beets that are dwarfed, crinkled, and rolled are a sign of beet curly top disease. Certainly, the presence of curly top symptoms is slightly ominous, and it can kill the beets, but the real threat is that curly top virus on beets can be easily spread to other crops. To minimize the risk of other crops contracting the disease, read on to learn how to recognize the signs of curly top of beet plants and how to treat curly top in beets.

Curly Top of Beet Plants

As mentioned, the leaves of the beet plants are stunted and rolled upward when beet curly top disease is present. Also, the veins on the underside of infected leaves become irregularly swollen with bumps. Not only do the leaves of the beet plants become distorted, but the virus affects young roots as well. They become stunted and distorted and often die. The death of these rootlets leads to production of new rootlets developing into a “hairy root” symptom that mimics the symptoms of rhizomania. The disease is vectored by the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus). This pest can travel long distances, reproduces rapaciously, and has an enormous host range of over 300 species in 44 plant families, including tomatoes, beans, and peppers. Leafhoppers overwinter on a variety of annual and perennial weeds and acquire the disease after feeding on infected plants. They can then transmit the virus for the rest of their lives. The disease can be found all over the western United States and is also present in the semi-arid regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The severity of the infection depends on the prevalence of weeds, hosts of the virus, as well as the reproductive capacity and migration of the leafhopper.

How to Treat Curly Top in Beets

The best way to tackle curly top in beets is to prevent it. Plant resistant cultivars that are adapted to your area. Also, keep the garden and surrounding area free from weeds that can harbor overwintering populations of leafhoppers. In addition, if possible, plant in a slightly shaded area of the garden since leafhoppers prefer to feed in sunny areas. If it can’t be helped and the garden is in full sun, place a netted cage over the plants when they are young. The netting will provide a bit of shade and may retard the leafhoppers entry. Be sure the netting isn’t touching the plants. Remove the cage when the plants are mature as they are less likely to become infected. If you do identify a diseased plant, remove it from the garden immediately.

Unfortunately, many new vegetable gardeners can be turned off to gardening by crop loss from very common and preventable fungal diseases. One minute the plants can be thriving, the next minute leaves are yellow and wilting, covered in spots, and the fruits and vegetables they were so excited to grow themselves look rotted and distorted. These gardeners wonder what they did wrong when, in fact, sometimes fungus just happens regardless of your level of gardening expertise. One such fungal disease that gardeners have very little control over and is barely noticeable until it is too late is southern blight on beets. What is southern blight? Continue reading for the answer.

About Southern Blight on Beets

Southern blight is a fungal disease that is scientifically known as Sclerotium rolfsii. In addition to beet plants, it can affect over five hundred plant varieties. Some fruits and vegetables it can commonly affect are:

• Tomatoes
• Peanuts
• Peppers
• Onions
• Rhubarb
• Melons
• Carrots
• Strawberries
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Asparagus

Southern blight can even affect ornamental plants such as:

• Dahlias
• Asters
• Daylilies
• Hostas
• Impatiens
• Peonies
• Petunias
• Roses
• Sedums
• Violas
• Rudbeckias

Southern blight is a soil-borne disease that is most prevalent in semi-tropical to tropical areas and the southeastern U.S. However, it can happen in any location where cool, wet spring weather quickly becomes hot, humid summer weather. Southern blight spores spread the most on humid days that are about 80 to 95 degrees F. (27-35 C.), but they can still spread on cooler days. It is spread from direct plant contact with infected soil or the splashing up of infected soil during rain or watering. In plants that form fruits on aerial stems, like tomatoes, symptoms of southern blight will first become present on lower stems and foliage. These plants can be diagnosed and treated before resulting in fruit loss. However, tuberous vegetables and vegetables that form in the soil, like beets, may not be diagnosed until the vegetables are severely infected. Beets with southern blight are usually not diagnosed until the foliage begins to yellow and wilt. By that time, the fruit is full of rotted lesions and may be stunted or distorted. An early symptom of southern blight on beets that is often overlooked is the thin, white, thread-like fungus spreading through and on the soil around beet plants and on the beet itself. This thread-like fungus is actually the first stage of the disease and the only point at which the vegetable may be possibly treated and saved.

Southern Blight Beet Treatment

There is no guaranteed southern blight treatment once the disease has infected the vegetables. At early signs of this disease, you can use fungicides on the plants and the soil around them, but if the vegetables are already distorted and rotting, it is too late. Prevention is usually the best course of action. Before planting beets in the garden, treat the soil with fungicides. This is especially important if you live in a location prone to southern blight or have had southern blight previously. Young plants can also be treated with fungicides as soon as they are planted. You may want to try new, disease-resistant varieties of beet plants whenever possible. Also, always sanitize your garden tools between uses. Soil-borne southern blight can be spread from one plant to another from a dirty garden trowel or shovel.

If you are an avid gardener, you have no doubt noticed that some plants do better when planted in close proximity to other plants. This year we are growing beets for the first time and wondered what is good to plant with the beets. That is, what beet plant companions might enhance their overall health and production? Turns out there is a number of beet companion plants to choose from.

About Companions for Beets

Companion planting is an age-old method wherein the gardener combines two or more different crops to the mutual benefit of one or all of them. Almost any plant can benefit from companion planting in one way or another and planting companions for beets is no exception. Benefits of companion planting might be to add nutrients into the soil, act as a support for vining plants, shade roots to keep them cool and moist, deter pests, and even provide shelter for beneficial insects. Most importantly, companion planting diversifies the garden much as nature intended. A diverse garden negates the importance of constant maintenance by the gardener and allows for an organic gardening approach. So, what is good to plant with beets? What beet plant companions have a symbiotic relationship with this crop? Let’s find out.

Companion Planting near Beets

Beets have many friends in the garden. Suitable beet companion plants include:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Bush beans
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Onions

Don’t expect every crop to get along with beets even though they are pretty easygoing. No-no's for planting near beets include pole beans, field mustard, and charlock (wild mustard).

It's no secret that the vegetables we grow and eat today are not the vegetables our ancestors grew and ate. Our varieties have been bred and modified and bred some more to emphasize certain traits, so much so that our vegetables may be unrecognizable to someone even a few hundred years ago. That's what's so much fun about growing heirloom seeds - it's like looking straight into the past. And the Crapaudine beet is an especially notable case.

Beetroot Crapaudine History

Among all the heirloom beet varieties, the Crapaudine is thought to be the oldest, possibly dating back a thousand years. In M. Vilmorin-Andrieux's book The Vegetable Garden, published in 1882, it was referred to as "one of the oldest varieties." And it looks the part. This beet has skin that is thick and brown with the texture of tree bark. Its shape is long like a carrot, but thick like a turnip. It often has at least one trailing secondary root, and is sometimes spotted with woody patches that have to be cut out before eating. It's everything you'd expect from a primitive ancestor, many steps closer to a wild root someone found in the forest and decided to eat.

Information on Crapaudine Beets

The taste, however, is worth it. People tend to describe the taste as deeper and richer than that of a newer beet, and still very sweet. It's best prepared roasted in the thick skin, which is really too thick to eat, but slips off easily after an hour in the oven. Growing Crapaudine beets can be a little more trying than growing other beets. Germination is spotty, so plant many more seeds than you normally might, and thin according to what actually comes up. They also take longer to mature than most beets, often as much as a month longer. They're worth it, though!

For those gardeners with smaller garden plots or who wish to container garden, the conundrum is what veggies to plant to make the most of this limited space. Squash can literally take over even when it’s grown vertically, as can many tomato varieties. Cauliflower and broccoli are garden hogs too. How about root veggies like beets? How tall do beet plants grow?

Do Beets Get Big?

Beets are cool season veggies grown for both their roots and the tender young tops. They thrive in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall and are perfect for not only large gardens but for those with smaller spaces since they require little room – with a spread of only 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) up to 12 inches (31 cm.). Beets do not get big, as the roots only get about 1 to 3 inches (2.5-8 cm.) across.

How Tall Do Beet Plants Grow?

Beet plants grow up to 2 feet (61 cm.) in height. However, if you want to harvest the greens, they are best when they are small and tender, from 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) to about 4 to 5 inches (10-13 cm.). Be sure to leave some of the foliage so the roots will continue to grow. You can pretty much retard beet plant height by snipping the leaves back. Beet greens don’t have a long shelf-life either, so it’s best to eat them that day or one to two days thereafter.

Beet Plant Height and Companion Planting

There are many varieties of beet that come in hues from ruby red to white to gold. Golden and white beets have some advantages over red varieties. They don’t bleed and are perfectly married with other roasted vegetables. They also tend to be sweeter than the red cultivars. That isn’t to say that red beets are a lesser variety of beets. Almost all beets contain 5 to 8% sugar with some of the newer hybrids far exceeding this percentage with around 12 to 14% sugar. While I mentioned above that beets do not get big, there are some forage beets, those that are fed to livestock, which can weigh up to 20 pounds (9 kg.). Chances are good that you are growing beets for yourself in this instance and won’t be growing such gargantuan roots. Since beets tend to take up little room, they make great companion plants. Radishes are also cool season, but they are sown and harvested earlier than beets. Planting them in the beet bed is a great way to prepare the soil for the incoming beets. Beets also get along well with:

• Cabbage
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Onions

Read the seed packets of other veggies though to be certain that they will not overtake a small garden area.

If you are particularly accident prone, like me, you might want to avoid bright colored staining vegetables like beets (Beta vulgaris). That pinkish-red never comes out. Fortunately, there is a clothes saving alternative beet. Growing Burpee's Golden beet provides you with all that beety goodness without sacrificing your wardrobe. It has a deep yellow hue and a rich, deep taste.

Golden Beetroot History

The name "beet" comes from the Celtic word for red. However, new cultivars are expanding that old traditional hue into a rainbow of colors. Burpee's Golden beet plant has a lovely sunny color inside and an outer orange skin. The plant has been available since the 1940s and became popular for its sweet, mild flavor and delightful tone. The globes are 2 inches wide, developing in 50 to 55 days from planting time. Interestingly, golden beetroot history actually commenced in the 1800s, but few gardeners grew the yellow vegetable because red was the proper color of a beet. Once the commercial variety was released and properly marketed, the Burpee's version became popular.

Growing Burpee's Golden Beet

You can plant the seed as soon as soil is workable in spring, all the way until June or early July for a fall crop. Beets need direct sun in fertile, well-draining soil. Sow seeds an inch deep in rows 12 inches apart. You can plant successive crops for a constant supply of these sweet treats. Thin the seedlings to 4 to 6 inches apart. Use those thinnings in salad or gently sautéed in much the same way you would use spinach. Water is an important part of root crop care. Consistent moisture will prevent the beetroot from going to seed. It is also important to have fluffy soil for the roots to grow into. Compacted soil results in contorted roots and smaller size. Burpee's Golden beet plant is available by seed in many garden centers and online catalogs. Beets are like any other vegetable and are best used fresh. Use the beet greens within a day or two of picking them. The globes can be stored in a bag in the crisper for over a week. You can also freeze a bumper crop for later use. Steam, poach or roast the beet and freeze in plastic containers or bags for up to 6 months. Canning the beets brings out their sweetness and golden beets also make great pickles. Burpee's Golden beet plant is a standout performer, which yields plenty of the beautiful roots to try in a variety of ways - and without the mess.

Beets are native to Mediterranean and some European regions. Both the root and the greens are high in vitamins and nutrients and are delicious when prepared a number of ways. Bigger, sweeter roots come from plants that are grown in highly fertile ground. Beet plant fertilizer should contain macronutrients, especially potassium, and micronutrients such as boron.

Beet Plant Fertilizer

Feeding beet plants is almost as important as soil tilth and water. Prepared beds should have organic matter worked into the soil to increase porosity and add nutrients, but beets are heavy feeders and will need supplemental nutrients during their growing period. The right combination of nutrients is important for knowing how to fertilize beets. The right kinds of nutrients mean bigger roots with a sweeter flavor. All plants need three major macronutrients: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

• Nitrogen drives the formation of leaves and is part of photosynthesis.
• Potassium enhances fruit development and increases resistance to disease.
• Phosphorus helps in the production of flowers and increases root growth and uptake.

Fertilizing beet plants with a high nitrogen fertilizer will result in leafy tops but minimal root development. However, beet plant fertilizer does need nitrogen to help leaves form, which in turn, provides solar energy in the form of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an essential part of beet root formation. Beet feeding instructions must also include the proper amount of potassium and phosphorus for overall plant development.

How to Fertilize Beets

Proper soil pH must exist in the soil in order for efficient nutrient uptake. Beets need a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8 for optimum growth. The plants can tolerate a slighter higher pH, but no more than 7.0. is preferable. Perform a soil test to determine the status of pH levels prior to planting and tweak as necessary. Broadcast fertilizer seven days before planting. Use 3 pounds (1.5 kg.) of a 10-10-10 for fertilizing beet plants. Side dress the plants one to three times with 3 ounces (85 g.) of the 10-10-10 formula. Higher rates are necessary for areas with more rainfall. Most regions have adequate potassium for large root production, but a soil test will reveal any deficiencies. In the event that your soil has limited potassium, side dress with a formula higher in potassium, which is the last number in the ratio.

Special Beet Feeding Instructions

Boron is necessary for feeding beet plants. Low levels of boron will cause black sunken spots on and in the root. Internal black spot can be prevented with ½ ounce of Borax per 100 square feet (14 g. per 9 sq. m.). Excess boron is damaging to some other food crops, so a soil test is necessary to indicate if Borax is needed. Keep beet plants well supplied with moisture, especially at fertilization. This will help draw nutrients into the soil where the roots can utilize them. Cultivate shallowly around beet plants to prevent weeds and harvest beets when they are the size you require. Store beets in a cool location for several weeks or can or pickle them for even longer storage.

Cool season beets are a fairly easy crop to grow but they can be afflicted by a number of beet growing problems. Most stem from insects, diseases, or environmental stressors. One such issue arises when beet plants are falling over or wilting. What are some of the reasons for a beet plant wilting and is there a solution?

Help For Beet Seedlings Falling Over

Seedlings can become leggy if they're started with a light source that is too far away; the beets stretch to the light, becoming leggy. The result, of course, will be that they simply can’t support themselves and you get beets that are falling over. If you see that your beet seedlings are falling over, an additional cause may be wind, especially, if you are hardening them off outside prior to transplanting. Keep the seedlings in a protected area until they harden off and strengthen. Also, start slowly when hardening off. Begin by bringing the seedlings outside for one to two hours at first in a shaded area and then gradually work up to an additional hour each day in increasing sun exposure so they can adjust to the bright sun and temperature differences.

Beet Growing Problems

Wilting in beets may be the consequence of insect infestation or disease.

Wilting and Insects

A number of insects can afflict beets.

• Flea Beetles – The flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) can wreak havoc on foliage. The small black adults, which are 1/16th- to 1/18th-inch (4 to 3 ml.) long with over-large back legs feed on the leaves, creating pits and small, irregular holes. The plant may then wilt as a result.
• Aphids – Aphids also like to feed on the leaves. Both green peach and turnip aphids (Myzus persicae and Lipaphis erysimi) enjoy the beet greens just as much as we do. Present throughout the growing season, aphids suck nutritious juices from the foliage, resulting in leaf yellowing and wilting.
• Leafhoppers – Yellow wilt leafhopper does just that, causing wilting along with stunting of growth, yellowing and eventual die back. They afflict the leaf and crown of beets. Avoid planting in an infested area, use resistant cultivars and apply insecticides to control leafhoppers.

Wilting and Disease

Wilting may also be caused by a number of diseases.

• Root rot complex – Root rot complex first appears on leaves as red spots, then yellow, and finally wilting. The root itself may develop dark lesions on the root surface or even soften and rot. Additionally, a white to grayish brown fungal growth may appear on the rotting root areas.
• Damping off – Damping off disease may also occur among beet plants. This is a horticultural disease caused by a number of pathogens that kill or weaken seeds or seedlings. The seedlings will develop black stems, wilt and finally die. The best defense is to use treated seeds and practice crop rotation annually.
• Curly top disease – Curly top disease causes young plants to expire rapidly. First, the tender leaves roll inward and blister and thicken. Then, the veins swell, the plant wilts and it usually dies. Leafhoppers spread this disease. Use row covers to keep the leaf hoppers off the beets, plant the crop early and harvest early, and control weeds around the beet crop that act as cover for the leaf hoppers.
• Root and crown rot – Rhizoctonia root and crown rot affects the roots of the beet plants. The first symptoms are sudden wilting; yellowing; and dry, black petioles at the crown. The wilted leaves die and the root surface harbors infected areas that are dark brown to black. To thwart this disease, begin with a planting area that is well drained, tilled and has adequate nutrition. Rotate beet crops with corn or small grain crops, control weeds and don’t hill plant beets.
• Verticillium wilt – Verticillium wilt may also cause beet plants to wilt. Initially, leaves turn a straw color, with outer leaves drying and wilting while the inner foliage becomes deformed and twisted. Again, rotate crops to mitigate the disease.

Lastly, not just disease or insects can cause beets to wilt. The first thing to consider if any plant is wilting is whether or not it’s getting enough water. Conversely, an overabundance of water can cause a plant to wilt. Really, almost any environmental stress can lead to wilting. Although beets are a cool season crops, they can still be affected by extended cold snaps, as frost damage may also cause beets to wilt.

I love beets, but I don't love prepping them to be cooked. Invariably, that lovely scarlet beet juice ends up on something or on someone, like me, that can't be bleached. Also, I'm not fond of the way it imparts its color to other roasting veggies. Fear not. There is another beet out there-- the golden beet. So, what are golden beets? Read on to learn more about growing gold beets.

What are Golden Beets?

Golden beets are simply a beet variety lacking that vibrant red pigment. They are bred to be golden in color, which is a wonderful thing for this beet lover who doesn't like the mess. Golden beets and white beets are said to be sweeter and milder than their red counterparts. Intriguing, yes? So how do you grow golden beets?

How to Grow Golden Beets

There's really no difference when growing gold beets than red beets. Both cultivars are fairly frost tolerant and can be planted in the garden 30 days before the frost-free date in your region, or you can start them indoors to get a jump start on their 55 day maturation period. Choose a site for planting that is sunny with light, well-draining soil amended with organic matter. Beets like soil with a pH of between 6.5 and 7. Work a fertilizer containing both nitrogen and phosphorus prior to planting. Rake out any large rocks or clods since they affect the growth of the beet root. Optimal soil temps for beet germination are between 50 and 86 degrees F. (10-30 C.). Sow the seeds thinly, 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) apart at a depth of ½ inch (1 cm.) in rows a foot (31 cm.) apart. Cover the seeds lightly with soil and sprinkle with water. Growing golden beets germinate less successfully than their red cousins, so plant extra seeds. At this juncture, you may want to cover the area with a floating row cover. Keep the fabric moistened for 5 to 14 days until seedlings emerge. Thereafter, you can keep it loosely supported over the plants to discourage insect marauders. Once the seedlings are about 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) tall, thinning should commence. Remove the smallest, weakest looking plants by cutting, not pulling, which may disturb the roots of the neighboring seedlings. Thinning is important to allow the developing plant room to grow. Also, beet seeds are not actually a single seed. It is a cluster of seeds in a dried fruit, so it is very likely that multiple seedlings will come up from a single “seed.”

Caring for Golden Beet Plants

When caring for golden beet plants, keep the plants moist. Water deeply and don't let the soil dry out. A 1 to 2 inch (2.5-5 cm.) layer of mulch around established plants will aid with this. Keep the area weed free and spray the plants once or twice with a foliar, seaweed-based fertilizer. Fertilize mid growing season with a well-balanced organic fertilizer.

Harvesting Golden Beets

Harvest golden beets about 55 days after seed has been sown. Roots should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm.) across. When harvesting golden beets, pull alternate plants to allow remaining beets to grow a bit larger. Use a spade to gently lift out the roots. Golden beets will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but the tender, delicious beet tops should be eaten shortly after harvest.

We've been hearing a lot about corn syrup of late, but sugars used in commercially processed foods are derived from other sources besides corn. Sugar beet plants are one such source.

What are Sugar Beets?

A cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, sugar beet growing accounts for about 30 percent of the world's sugar production. Most sugar beet cultivation occurs in the European Union, the United States, and Russia. The United States harvests over one million acres of growing sugar beets, and we use it all, only the E.U. and Ukraine are significant exporters of sugar from beets. Sugar consumption per nation is somewhat cultural but it appears to directly correlate with the relative wealth of the nation. Hence, the U.S. is the highest consumer of sugar, beet or otherwise, while China and Africa rank the lowest in their ingestion of sugar. So, what are these sugar beets that appear to be so valuable to us? The sucrose that is so addicting and desirable to many of us comes from the tuber of the beet root plant, the same species that includes Swiss chard, fodder beets, and red beets, and are all descended from the sea beet. Beets have been cultivated as fodder, food, and for use medicinally since the times of ancient Egypt, but the processing method by which the sucrose is extracted came about in 1747. The first commercial sugar beet factory in the U.S. was opened in 1879 by E.H. Dyer in California. Sugar beet plants are biennials whose roots have high reserves of sucrose during the first growing season. The roots are then harvested for processing into sugar. Sugar beets can be grown in a variety of climatic conditions, but primarily growing sugar beets are cultivated in the temperate latitudes of between 30 and 60 degrees N.

Sugar Beet Uses

While the most common use for cultivated sugar beets is for processed sugar, there are several other sugar beet uses. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, a strong, rum-like, alcoholic beverage is made from the beets. Unrefined syrup made from sugar beets is the result of shredded beets that have been cooked for a few hours and then pressed. The juice squeezed out of this mash is thick like honey or molasses and used as a sandwich spread or to sweeten other foods. This syrup can also be de-sugared and is then used as a de-icing agent on many North American roads. This sugar beet “molasses” works better than salt, as it does not corrode and when used in conjunction lowers the freezing point of the salt mixture, enabling it to be more effective at low temps. The by-products from processing the beets into sugar (pulp and molasses) are used as fiber-rich supplemental feed for livestock. Many ranchers allow grazing in the beet fields during the autumn to utilize the beet tops as fodder. These by-products are not only used as above but in alcohol production, commercial baking, and pharmaceuticals. Betaine and Uridine are also isolated from the by-products of sugar beet processing. Waste lime used for amending soils to increase soil pH levels can be made from the by-products from beet processing and treated wastewater from processing can be used for crop irrigation. Lastly, just as sugar is a fuel for the human body, sugar beet surpluses have been used to produce biobutanol by BP in the United Kingdom.

If you live in a cool climate, cultivating beets is the perfect garden project for you. Not only are they tolerant of cooler temperatures, but these little beauties are almost completely edible; the greens are excellent in salads and the roots can be steamed, roasted, or pickled. There are many different beet varieties, so it's just a matter of deciding which types of beet plants you would like to grow.

How to Grow Different Beet Types

The table beet is also referred to as the garden beet, blood turnip, or red beet. Beet tops are extremely high in Vitamin A, while the beet root is a good source of Vitamin C. These cool weather veggies are fairly easy to grow. Most types of beet plants are tolerant of heat, but truly thrive in temps between 60 and 65 degrees F. (15-18 C.) in full sun and can withstand chilly temps shy of freezing. They can be planted 30 days before the frost free date of your region. Grow beets in loose, well-draining soil that has been raked free of stones and other debris that can affect development of the root. If you have heavily clay laden soil, amend it with organic matter. Be sure that your soil has a pH of between 6.2 and 6.8 since beets are sensitive to acidity. Plant beet seeds ½ inch (1 cm.) deep, spaced one inch (2.5 cm.) apart with 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) between rows. Thin the seedlings to 1 to 3 inches (1-8 cm.) apart.

Common Varieties of Beet

As mentioned, there are a number of different varieties of beet, each with its unique properties. Most are grown for the beet root itself, which comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and hues, although some types, such as ‘Bull's Blood,' are grown primarily for the greens. Some varieties of beet are grown for their ability to be stored for long periods of time. There are a number of open pollinated beets available to the home gardener. Crosby's Egyptian is another excellent varietal grown for not only its uniform, sweet red root, but for its tender tasty greens as well. Some of the earliest maturing heirloom varieties include:

• Detroit Dark Red (matures in 58 days)
• Early wonder (52 days)
• Sangria (56 days)
• Sweetheart (58 days)

Ruby Queen matures in 60 days and is very tender, sweet with uniform roots, while Lutz Green Leaf is ready in 70 days and is purplish red with large tasty green tops and is grown as a winter-keeper type of beet. Some of the hybrid varieties of beet include:

• Avenger, which is good for green and globe-shaped red roots
• Big Red matures in 55 days and is one of the best late season producers.
• Gladiator is rapidly maturing at only 48 days and is great for canning.
• Pacemaker is ready at 50 days with excellent roots.
• Red Ace matures in 53 days with sweet roots and vigorous growth.
• Warrior takes 57 days and has uniform, globe-shaped roots that develop rapidly and greens tinged with red.

There are also miniature varieties of beets such as Little Ball (50 days) and Little Mini Ball (54 days), whose roots only get to the size of a silver dollar and, thus, are extremely tender. There are also some specialty beet varieties grown for specific characteristics.

• Cylindria (60 days) is grown for its long, cylindrical shape which results in slice of equal size.
• Touchstone Gold is a new variety with small yellow roots that retain their color once cooked.
• Green Top Bunching (65 days) has bright red roots with superior tops for greens
• Golden (55 days) has a lovely buttery yellow color and a sweet, mild flavor
• Di Chioggia (50 days) is an Italian heirloom known for its striped red and white interior, sweet, mild taste and early maturation.

Whichever type of beet variety you decide to grow, most beets can be stored for several weeks, either in a bag in the refrigerator, in a root cellar, or outdoor pit dug into the ground prior to freezing. Beets store best at 32 degrees F. (0 C.) with 95 percent humidity.

A cool weather vegetable, beets are primarily grown for their sweet roots. When the plant flowers, the energy ends up going into flowering rather than into fostering beet root size. The question then is, “How to avoid bolting in beetroots?”

About Blooming Beet Plants

Beets have been cultivated since ancient Greek and Roman times and are grown for their sweet root or their nutritious greens. If you are a beet lover, there are many types of beets to experiment growing in the garden. Common names for this delicious veggie include:

• Beetroot
• Chard
• European sugar beet
• Red garden beet
• Mangel or mangel-wurzel
• Harvard beet
• Blood turnip
• Spinach beet

Beets origins stem from the Mediterranean coast (sea beets) and were first cultivated for their leaves and used medicinally, eventually carrying over into culinary uses of both foliage and root. Some beets, such as the mangels or mangel wurzel, are tough and are primarily cultivated for use as livestock fodder. The beet most prevalent today was developed in the 1700's by the Prussians. It is cultivated for its high sugar content (up to 20%) and accounts for almost half of the world's sugar production. Beets also have significant vitamin A and C, as well as calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, protein, and carbohydrates all with just a cup of beets weighing in at a scant 58 calories. Beets are also high in folate, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and betaine, which aids in lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, and vascular disease. This veggie is definitely a super food!

How to Circumvent Bolting Beets

When a beet plant is flowering (bolting beets), as mentioned, the energy of the plant is no longer being directed into the root. Rather, the energy is being diverted into the flower, followed by the beets going to seed. Blooming beet plants are the result of warmer temperatures and/or planting the vegetable at the wrong time of the growing season. Blooming, followed by beets going to seed, is best avoided by following proper planting instructions. Beets should be planted two to three weeks after the last frost. Amend plenty of organic matter along with a complete fertilizer into the soil prior to sowing. Plant the seeds at a depth of between ¼ and ½ inch (6 ml. to 1 cm.). Thin the seedling to 3 inches (8 cm.) apart in rows spaced 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) apart. Seeds germinate between 55 and 75 degrees F. (13-24 C.) in 7 to 14 days. Beets are at their peak when exposed to several weeks of cool weather. Beets don't like temps over 80 degrees F. (26 C.), and this will indeed cause the plants to bolt. Avoid any water or fertilizer stress which affects the root growth as well. Fertilize with ¼ cup (59 ml.) per 10 foot (3 m.) of row or a nitrogen based fertilizer after the emergence of the beets. Keep weeds down between the rows and control insects and diseases.

Love beets, but devoid of garden space? Container grown beets just might be the answer.

Can You Grow Beets in Containers?

Absolutely, growing beets in containers is possible. Almost anything that can be grown in the garden plot can be grown in a container, given the proper nutrients and growing conditions. Beets (Beta vulgaris) are cool season veggies that are delicious both for their tasty roots as well as for their nutrient packed leafy greens. With their sometimes bright green to variegated foliage, often with red stems and veining, beets are a colorful vegetable to grow on the patio or lanai and the care of potted beets is simple. Beets can be planted in the spring or fall, or both for a double crop!

How to Grow Beets in a Container

First of all when growing beets in containers, pick your beet variety, of which there are a number of choices. Next, select a pot with at least 6 inches (15 cm.) of depth. Fill the pot with potting soil amended with organic matter like compost. While they are tolerant of low fertility, beets like well-draining soil with a pH of between 6.5 and 7. Propagate by seed when temps are between 50-85 F. (10-29 C.), although germination will still occur if temperatures are as low as 40 F. (4 C.) and as high as 90 (32 C.). Plant the seeds ¾ of an inch (1.9 cm.) deep and, if room in the pot or planter, in rows spaced about a foot apart. Seedlings will emerge within five to eight days or if cooler up to two weeks. You will likely have to thin the seedlings when they are 4-5 inches (10-12.7 cm.) tall. The beauty here is that you can eat the seedlings! Cut, don't pull, the seedlings out, which can damage the roots of abutting plants. Situate the growing beets in containers in full sun.

Care of Potted Beets

Your container grown beets are easy to care for if provided with water, aerated conditions and great drainage. They may be prone to boron deficiencies and too much nitrogen will encourage top growth at the expense of root development, so good soil is key. Provided adequate soil conditions are provided, beets are tolerant of low fertility and do not need additional fertilization. These biennial plants are susceptible to root rot, cercospora leaf spot, and scab, all of which can be avoided by refraining from wetting the foliage and over watering. Water at the base of the plant and keep plants thinned to allow air circulation. Beets may also be afflicted with leaf miners. The plants may need a light covering of fine netting or cheesecloth to protect them from the adult flies. Handpick and destroy and infested leaves to prevent the spread of the leaf miners.

By Susan Patterson, Master Gardener Beets are a favorite garden vegetable of gardeners in the United States. Also known as blood turnips or red beets, table beets provide a nutritious source of vitamins C and A. Beet tops or greens can be cooked or served fresh, while the roots may be pickled or cooked whole. Beets are also popular ingredients in many vegetable smoothie and juice recipes. What happens when you have deformed beets or your beets are too small though? Let's learn more about these common issues with beet roots.

Common Beet Root Problems

Although beets aren't difficult to grow, there are times when issues come up that compromise the quality and size of beets. Most beet root problems can be alleviated by proper planting. Plant beets thirty days before the frost-free date. Seedlings establish best in chilly weather. You should also plant successively, in three or four week intervals, for beets all season long. The most common issues with beet roots involve small or deformed beets.

Why Beets Have Good Tops But Small Roots

Beets don't like to be crowded, and it is imperative that seedlings be thinned to 1 to 3 inches (2.5-8 cm.) apart and rows at least 12 inches (31 cm.) apart. Leafy tops and poor growth issues with beet roots develop when beets are too close together. For best results, ensure adequate spacing between plants and rows. When beets are too small, it can also be due to a lack of nutrients, namely phosphorus. If your soil has a higher nitrogen content, then your beets will produce more lush top growth rather than bulb production. By adding more phosphorus to the soil, such as bone meal, you can induce larger root growth.

Deformed Beets

Sometimes beets are too small or malformed as a result of too much shade or overcrowding. Beets prefer full sun but will tolerate some partial shade. For the best quality, aim for at least five hours of sun a day. Beets don't like acidic soil and may perform poorly in soil with a 5.5 or less pH rating. Take a soil sample before planting to ensure that you don't need to amend the soil with lime. Additionally, beets prefer sandy, lightweight soil that drains well. The best way to overcome issues with beet roots is to provide adequate growing conditions. Even if all these conditions are met, however, beet root problems may still occur. Don't let this sway you from enjoying your crops anyway. If all else fails and you find yourself left with small or deformed beets, you can always harvest the leafy tops for greens.

When someone mentions beets, you probably think of the roots, but the delicious greens are growing in popularity. This nutritious vegetable is easy to grow and inexpensive to buy. Beets are among the first vegetables to arrive in farmer's markets because they grow well in cool spring temperatures and they are ready to harvest less than two months after planting. Read on to learn more about beet green benefits and how to use beet greens from the garden.

What are Beet Greens?

Beet greens are the leafy foliage that grows just above the beet root. Some beet varieties, such as Green Top Bunching beets, were developed just for growing greens. You can also harvest leafy beet tops from standard varieties of beets, such as Early Wonder and Crosby Egyptian. When growing beets just for the greens, sow the seeds 1/2 inch (1 cm.) apart and don't thin them.

Are Beet Greens Edible?

Beet greens aren't just edible, they are good for you. Beet green benefits include generous amounts of vitamins C, A, and E. A half-cup (118.5 ml.) of cooked beet greens contains 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C.

Harvesting Leafy Beet Tops

You can harvest a few greens now and save the beet roots for later. Just clip a leaf or two from each beet, leaving 1 to 1 ½ inch (2.5-4 cm.) of stem attached to the root. When you harvest the beets and roots at the same time, remove the greens from the root as soon as possible, leaving about an inch (2.5 cm.) of stem on each root. If the greens are left on the root, the root becomes soft and unappealing. Beet greens are best when harvested just before you use them. If you must store them, rinse and dry the leaves and place them in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

How to Use Beet Greens

Beet greens make a tangy addition to salads and taste great when combined with feta cheese and nuts. To cook beet greens, microwave them for seven to ten minutes or boil them until just tender. For a special treat, sauté them in a small amount of olive oil with minced garlic. Try substituting beet greens in your favorite recipes that call for greens.

Beet armyworms are green caterpillars that feed on a wide range of ornamental and vegetable plants. The young larvae feed in groups and usually don't have any unique markings to distinguish them from other caterpillars. However, older larvae develop a yellow stripe that runs from head to tail, making it easy to identify them. It is important to detect and treat a beet armyworm infestation early because these older caterpillars are resistant to most insecticides. Keep reading to learn more on identifying a beet armyworm infestation and preventing armyworms in the garden.

What are Beet Armyworms?

Beet armyworms (Spodoptera exigua) are caterpillars that feed on tender vegetable crops and a few ornamentals. They are normally found only in southern states and warm, coastal climates where the host plants survive through the winter. The adult form is a medium-sized moth with mottled gray and brown upper wings and white or pale gray lower wings. They lay fluffy masses of up to 80 eggs on the crowns of seedlings or on the tender leaves of older plants where the young caterpillars will have plenty of food when they hatch. The larvae slowly move to the ground to pupate on the soil.

Identifying Beet Armyworm Damage

Beet armyworms eat irregular holes in foliage, eventually skeletonizing the leaves. They can eat tender young transplants to the ground and defoliate older plants. They burrow into heading vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage. Beet armyworms also leave gouges in tender fruit, especially tomatoes. Early detection aids in preventing armyworms. Watch for masses of eggs covered with fluff, small caterpillars feeding in groups, or single large caterpillars with a yellow stripe running down their sides.

Beet Armyworm Control

Beet armyworm control in the home garden begins with handpicking. Drop the caterpillars into a container of soapy water to kill them and then bag and discard the carcasses. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-azaiwi strain) and spinosad are natural insecticides that are effective against young armyworms and don't harm the environment. These caterpillars are resistant to most chemical insecticides that are available to the home gardener, but neem oil products are sometimes effective. The eggs, which are covered by a cottony or fibrous mass, are susceptible to treatment with petroleum oils. If you decide to try insecticides, carefully read and follow the label instructions. Pay particular attention to the length of time between treatment and harvest when treating beet armyworms on vegetable plants. Store all insecticides in their original container and keep out of the reach of children. Now that you know more about what beet armyworms are and armyworm control, you can better manage or even prevent their presence in the garden.

Learning when to harvest beets takes a little knowledge of the crop and understanding the use you have planned for the beets. Harvesting beets is possible as soon as 45 days after planting seeds of some varieties. Some say the smaller the beet, the more flavorful, while others allow them to reach a medium size before picking beets.

Beet Harvesting Info

Picking the leaves for use in various culinary endeavors is also a part of harvesting beets. The attractive leaves are packed with nutrition and may be eaten raw, cooked, or used as a garnish. Making juice may be a part of your plan when harvesting beets. Picking beets is easy once you know what to look for. Shoulders of the beets will protrude from the soil. When to harvest beets depends on the size of beet you desire. The best beets are dark in color, with a smooth surface. Smaller beets are most flavorful. Larger beets may become fibrous, soft, or wrinkled. The time table for harvesting beets will depend on when the beets were planted, temperatures where the beets are growing, and what you are looking for in your beet crop. Beets are best grown as a cool season crop, in spring and fall in most areas.

How to Harvest Beets

Depending on soil and recent rainfall, you may want to water the beet crop a day or two before picking beets to make them slip from the soil more easily. This is particularly true if you will be picking beets by hand. To harvest beets by hand, firmly grasp the area where the leaves meet the beet root and give a firm and steady pull until the beet root comes out of the ground. Digging is an alternative way of harvesting beets. Carefully dig around and below the growing beet, being careful not to slice through and then lift them out of the ground. After picking beets, wash them if they will soon be used. If beets will be stored for a length of time, place them in a dry, shady place until the soil on them has dried, then gently brush the dried soil off. Wash the beets right before using. Beet greens can be sparingly and individually trimmed from the root while the roots are still in the ground, or can be cut off the beet root in a bunch after the beet has been harvested. These simple steps to harvest beets are all that is required to take this vegetable from the garden to the table, stove, or storage area. Have a plan for the beet harvest, as beet greens will last only a few days when refrigerated and beet roots only a few weeks unless stored in sand or sawdust in a cool place, such as a root cellar. When picking beets, try to eat some of them fresh for the best flavor and highest nutritional content.