How to grow... Beetroot
Rocket Growing Guides
Beetroot is delicious and colourful, and what’s more, it’s pretty easy to grow. This root veg does not need a huge amount of attention, or space as their roots do not go deep and they can be planted close together. You could happily grow 10-20 plants in a shallow planter, for example. They store quite well too, and pulling up your homegrown beets is one of the simplest pleasures in life.
- Beetroot Growing Guide
How to Plant Beetroot
- Choose a sunny spot with well-drained, fertile soil or fresh compost – make sure soil is well dug over and not too clumpy.
- Raised beds are perfect, but they can be grown in containers and grow bags too.
- Plant 10-15cm apart
- You may notice that there are multiple seedlings per plug. If this is the case you can either plant them as is, in which case you will grow a clump of smaller beets, or you can thin them out to grow one or two larger individual beets (just pinch off the weaker seedlings.)
How to Grow Beetroot
- They need water, but not too much. During dry spells, water well, once a week. Other than that, leave them to their own devices and they should be fine.
- Take care not to damage roots when weeding.
- Use an onion hoe to carefully weed between plants, without disturbing the beetroot themselves.
Common Pests and Problems with Beetroot
- Brown spots on leaves – chocolate spot – this is a fungal disease common in damp weather. Pick off affected leaves. They won’t damage the roots, so it’s not a huge problem.
- Crack/splits in roots – this is a common problem if plant has had very dry then very wet conditions. Try to water more consistently so that the soil does not dry out.
- Roots eaten – voles, mice and rodents can tunnel underground to nibble on the roots. Keep rodents under control!
- Roots not growing – could be not enough water or not enough space/light/warmth. Or the plants simply didn’t put a decent root system down.
How to Harvest and Store Beetroot
- Harvest in late summer to early autumn when you can see the beetroot crowns are the right size (they usually pop above the surface so it is easy to tell)
- Harvest before frosts
- Leaves are edible too – use them as you would chard or spinach
- They will store for a week or so in a cool dry place or in the fridge.
- Check one of your beets when you think they’re ready, approx 4-5 weeks after planting. If you can’t see the crown of the root above the soil, then carefully dig one up with a garden fork, loosening the roots before you pull it up to check the size. Anything between ping pong ball size and cricket ball size is good.
- Beetroot stores well over winter. Twist the leaves off, leave them unwashed and pop them in a vegetable crate or sack. Store them in a cool, dark place – an unheated outbuilding is perfect. Larger roots will store longer.
