How to Grow Beets

Soil and site

The beet you eat sits near the surface, but the plant’s roots run deeper than most people expect. Texas A&M notes beet roots can reach 36-48 inches deep in moist soil, so keep beds away from competing tree roots. Loose, well-drained loam or sandy soil gives the smoothest, roundest beets. Clemson warns that hard clay keeps the roots from enlarging, and Texas A&M notes that crusted soil makes them tough.

Texas A&M points out a seasonal wrinkle: sandy soil warms faster, so it suits spring beets, while heavier soil is better for fall crops. In low, poorly drained spots, Texas A&M plants on ridges 4-6 inches high. Wisconsin finds beets grow best at pH 6.0-7.5.

On sunlight, sources disagree. Clemson says beets need full sun and won’t make good roots in partial shade. Texas A&M allows partial shade, and Maryland says 4-6 hours of direct light is enough. Give them full sun if you can.

Sowing and thinning

What looks like a beet seed is a corky seed ball holding several seeds, so each one can send up 2-6 seedlings (Texas A&M). Unless you buy monogerm seed, which has one embryo per ball, thinning is not optional.

• Depth: about 1/2 inch. Maryland covers seed with 1/2 inch of fine soil or 1 inch in sandy soil.
• Spacing: seed balls 1-2 inches apart (Texas A&M) in rows 12-18 inches apart, or in wide bands.
• Soaking: Maryland suggests soaking seed in warm water for 24 hours before sowing to speed germination in cool spring soil.
• Emergence: 7-14 days in good conditions (Utah State, Texas A&M). In hot weather, Texas A&M covers the seed with sand or a light-colored mulch.

Start thinning as soon as seedlings crowd each other. Clemson thins when they are 3-4 inches tall. Final spacing is 2-4 inches, depending on the source. Clemson and Texas A&M aim for 2-3 inches, Maryland for 3 inches and Utah State for 3-4 inches. Maryland notes you can leave the final thinning until the extra beets are big enough to eat as baby beets. Thinnings make good salad greens.

Water, fertilizer and boron

Steady moisture decides both root quality and whether the plants bolt. Utah State finds that water stress in the first 6 weeks often leads to early flowering and low yields. Later swings between wet and dry crack the roots. Texas A&M waters thoroughly once a week when it doesn’t rain. Mulch along the rows helps hold moisture and keeps weeds down.

Beets need more nutrients than carrots or radishes. Maryland rates their fertilizer needs as high. Side-dress with a little nitrogen when plants are 4-6 inches tall (Texas A&M) or about 6 weeks after emergence (Utah State).

Boron is the beet’s special requirement. Without enough, roots develop black, sunken spots inside and dry rot on the surface. Wisconsin notes deficiency is most common on alkaline soils and in drought, and Maryland says sandy soils are often low. Test before adding any. Wisconsin cautions that too much boron causes poor beet germination, and Maryland gives a rate only for soil that tests deficient.

Hoe only the top inch of soil around beets. Texas A&M warns that deeper cultivation injures the roots.

Varieties by region

Extension services recommend these for their own states:

• South Carolina (Clemson): Detroit Dark Red, Red Ace and Red Cloud.
• Texas (Texas A&M): Chioggia, Detroit Dark Red, Pacemaker II, Red Ace and Ruby Queen.
• Florida (UF/IFAS): Tall Top, Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red, Cylindra, Red Ace, Yellow Detroit and Chioggia.
• Utah (Utah State, which says most varieties do well there): Detroit Dark Red, Red Ace, Early Wonder, Green Leaf and Golden.
• Wisconsin: Big Red, Burpee Golden, Chioggia, Cylindra, Detroit Dark Red, Detroit Supreme, Lutz and Ruby Queen.

Cylindrical types such as Cylindra give many uniform slices per root (Maryland).

Regional notes

Cold North. Beets tolerate light frost, and Utah State says they taste best after a few weeks of cool, frosty weather. But Wisconsin warns that 2-3 weeks below 50°F in their first season can make them bolt. Don’t rush spring sowings into cold soil, and pull fall beets before hard freezes.

Humid South. Clemson’s experience is that late planting causes more beet trouble than anything else. Plant on time and pest and disease problems drop. Cercospora leaf spot, the most common beet disease, thrives in long periods of leaf wetness. Water in the morning and rotate the bed.

Arid West. Utah State recommends drip irrigation and mulch. When temperatures climb past 85°F, water more steadily to prevent woody roots.

Warm-winter areas (zones 9-11). Beets grow through fall, winter and early spring. Texas A&M notes they can be grown all winter in much of South Texas. Stop sowing before hot weather.

The dates for your zone above give spring and fall sowing windows. The when to plant beets page explains the timing.

Problems and fixes

• Leaves but no roots: crowding, too much shade or heat stress. Thin early and grow in sun.
• Light and dark rings in the root: Wisconsin calls this zoning and links it to severe temperature swings during growth.
• Pale color: heat. Cool weather gives the deepest red (Clemson).
• Round spots with reddish-purple borders: Cercospora leaf spot. Rotate, avoid wetting leaves late in the day, and clear old foliage.
• Pale, winding trails in leaves: leafminers. They spoil the greens but rarely the roots (Utah State). Remove damaged leaves and use row covers.
• Tiny holes in seedling leaves: flea beetles. Cover seedbeds with floating row cover (Wisconsin).
• Seedlings collapsing or rotting roots: damping-off and root rots in wet soil. Improve drainage and rotate.

Harvest and storage

Clemson harvests at 1 1/2-2 inches across and warns that bigger beets may be woody. Texas A&M starts at golf-ball size. Maryland pulls anywhere from 1 to 3 inches, and Washington State University considers 2-2 1/2 inches best. For tender beets, aim small. Expect 50-80 days from sowing, depending on variety and season. Pick greens when the leaves are 4-6 inches long (Utah State).

Trim off the tops and keep the roots cold and humid. Texas A&M gives 1-2 weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Utah State gives 2-4 months at 32°F and 95% humidity, and Wisconsin up to 6 months for storage beets in a cooler. Use the greens within a day or two.