Family: Chenopodiaceae
Genus and Species: Beta vulgaris
Climate
Beet varieties prefer cool weather but many will do well in a wide range of conditions. Air temperatures of 60°F - 65°F and bright sunny days are ideal for beet plant growth and development. Beets will withstand a light frost.
Soil
Beet plants will grow in almost any soil but are sensitive to soil acidity. A low soil pH results in stunted growth. Beets prefer a pH of 6.2 to 6.8 but will tolerate 6.0 to 7.5. Loose, well-drained, sandy loam soils rich in organic matter are ideal for beets. As with all root crops, remove stones and debris since these will hinder growth. If you have heavy soil, amend it well with compost prior to planting. Break up large clods of soil and rake the area smooth prior to planting your beet seeds.
Spacing
Beet seeds are actually a cluster of seeds and will produce more than one plant. While spacing is flexible, it is recommended that you allow 2"-4" between seeds.
Direct Seeding
Sow beet seeds 1/2" deep, 2"-4" apart within rows spaced at 12"-18" apart. Sow beet seeds as soon as the soil has warmed somewhat after thawing. Do not thin. The tighter spacing is encouraged if you want smaller beets and/or just the beet greens.
An alternate spacing of roughly 10 seeds per foot is great when combined with thinning as the greens become of edible size.
If seeding for baby beets, beets that are no thicker than a pencil, sow seed at 30-35 seeds per foot of row and space the rows at 10"-12".
Avoid seeding during daytime temperatures of 80°F or more.
Seeding For Transplants
Beets are not normally transplanted. If, however, you want to give it a go, sow beet seeds in flats or in a cold frame 5-6 weeks before you expect the soil to be workable. Sow beet seeds 1/4" deep, 3 seeds to the inch.
Germination
These seeds germinate best in soils around 75°F-85°F.
Germination will take 5-16 days.
Transplanting Into the Garden
Transplant beet plants at 5-6 weeks, 3" between plants within rows 12"-18" apart.
Watering
Beets need consistent moisture especially during the early part of their development. Take care not to over water beets. Over watering can cause beet leaves to turn red and plants to stop growing for a time.
Too much water early in beet development can result in damping-off and other seedling disorders. Water deficiency, however, can aggravate boron deficiency.
Harvesting
Beets and beet greens can be harvested at any time. To harvest beets, pull the entire plant up. Beet greens are best when four to 6" tall. Beets are generally most tender after growing for 40 to 50 days. Full-grown beets can be the size of a tennis ball depending upon variety. Cylindrical beets will grow to be about 5" long and 2" in diameter.
Flavor and vitamin levels are at their peak immediately following harvest.
Post-Harvest Handling
Beets benefit from cooling immediately after harvest. Clean the beets of dirt and cool using hydro cooling. Hydro cooling is the process of spraying or immersing vegetables in chilled water.
Storage
Beets should be stored at 32°F and relative humidity of 98%-100%. Topped beets stored at 32°F will last between 4 to 6 months. Either cold storage of cool-cellar (root-cellar) storage is suitable, provided the humidity is kept sufficiently high to prevent shriveling.
Temperatures in root cellars fluctuate and are often higher than 32°F, so the period of successful storage will be comparatively shorter. Temperatures should not exceed 45°F to minimize sprouting and decay. Beets wilt readily from loss of water; therefore, they should be kept where the humidity is sufficiently high to prevent excessive evaporation. Small beets soften and shrivel earlier than larger ones.
Before beets are stored, they should be topped and sorted to remove all those with disease or injury. Beets should be stored in well-ventilated containers.
Bunched beets are much more perishable than topped beets, but they can be stored at 32°F for 10 to 14 days. Use of crushed ice is helpful in keeping the bunched beets cold, especially if refrigeration is not available.
Beet greens and other greens are handled like spinach. Because beet greens are a very perishable crop, they should be held as close to 32°F as possible. At this temperature, they can be held for 10 to 14 days. Relative humidity of at least 95% is desirable to prevent wilting.
Diseases
Damping Off, Alternaria, Cercospora, and Ramularia
Pests
Leaf Miner, Leafhoppers, Mexican Bean Beetles, Wireworms, Mice, and Rabbits
Comments
Hybrid beets are typically more resistant to diseases. The increased resistance is often offset by the fact that they may quickly exceed optimum size and grade if harvest is delayed.
Crop rotation with beets is important to prevent cercospora.
Keep in mind that beets and chard are of the same family and should never follow each other in crop rotation.
References
Weekend Gardener, "Beets", Chestnut Software, Inc, http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seeds/vegseed/beets.htm, Accessed 2003-01-01.
Bennett, P., "Growing Beets in the Home Garden", Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, HYG-1604-93, http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1604.html, Accessed 2003-01-01.
Johnny's Selected Seeds (2002), "Beets", Johnny's Selected Seeds.
Oregon State University, "Beets & Chard, Commercial Vegetable Production Guide", Last modified 2002-12-26, Oregon State University,
http://food.oregonstate.edu/v/beet.html, Accessed 2003-01-01.