How to Grow Beetroot

There is a wide range of beetroot shapes, sizes, colours and flavours to try if you are growing your own vegetables. With a few quick tips on how to grow beetroot, you will see that it is an easy crop to grow, and growing it can become a habit. Depending on the variety and the weather, you can pick young leaves after 2 weeks and your first small beetroots after 2 months, leaving the rest in the ground for longer to grow bigger. Beetroot generally keeps for long periods.

Where to sow?

They prefer full sun
They need well-drained soil that is free of stones and other obstacles so that the roots can develop properly
Fertilising will help beetroot grow bigger, but it will also grow well in poorer soil
Sow up to 2 weeks before the last frost date. As temperatures start to rise, germination happens more quickly
Sow in spring or summer, at most 3 to 5 weeks before the last frost date
Practise a 4-year crop rotation to reduce the risk of disease
You can grow them with radishes in the rows and green manure between the rows, to make the most of the available space

How to start?

Sow beetroot seeds directly into prepared soil, or sow in trays 3 weeks before you intend to plant out
Sow every 2 weeks during the growing season for a continuous supply of fresh beetroot
After sowing, cover the seeds with about 1 centimetre of soil or fine compost to prevent a crust from forming (which would make germination harder)

After germination:

Beetroot seeds come as clusters of 2–4 seeds, so they produce many seedlings growing close together. When they start to emerge from the soil or compost, thin them out to leave 15 centimetres between each beetroot. Carefully remove the small plants one by one and keep the strongest. The leaves of the seedlings you do not replant can be eaten in salads
Keep beetroot well watered; it will not grow in dry soil
A mulch of straw or any other inert material can help keep the soil around the beetroot moist
Remove weeds, as beetroot does not grow well with competition, but take special care not to damage the roots, as beetroot is very shallow-rooted

Harvesting

Start harvesting when the beetroot is the size of a golf ball or larger. Very large roots can become tough and woody and not very pleasant to eat
Beetroot leaves are also edible. They can be picked from the seedling stage through to maturity. Seedling leaves are best raw; larger leaves can be cooked like spinach. Remove the tops by twisting them off by hand.

Storage

Beetroot keeps well in the fridge. Trim the leaves and stalks, leaving 2 to 3 centimetres of stalk on top of the root. Gently brush the soil off the roots; do not wash them. It is important to keep the roots dry so they store safely. You can line the bottom of the vegetable drawer with kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture
If you have a large harvest, clean the roots as described above and store them in a dry, cool, dark place. A cellar or garage can work well. When the beetroot starts to sprout, it is a sign that you need to use it soon