How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Beets for a Vibrant Harvest

If you're looking for a vegetable that's versatile and easy to grow, beets deserve a spot in your garden. These vibrant root vegetables have an earthy sweetness and add a bright pop of color to your cooking. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a first-time grower, planting, growing, and harvesting beets is a rewarding process. We talked to a gardening expert to learn more.

Adding Beets to Your Garden

Beets—which are also known by their less popular name, beetroot—are the edible taproot portion of the beet plant, says Natasha Nicholes, executive director of We Sow We Grow. "They just happen to grow large and round or oblong instead of straight down like other plants," she says. These veggies are high in potassium, vitamin A, iron, antioxidants, and other nutrients, while also being low in calories.

How to Plant Beets

Here are Nicholes' tips on planting beets:

1. Sow directly into well-drained loamy (a combination of sand, clay, and silt) soil.
2. Beets need 8 inches or more of soil depth in order to set their roots properly.
3. Sow two to four weeks before your USDA zone last frost date, when the soil temperature is at least 45 degrees. For an early summer crop, 60 to 85 degrees is preferable.
4. Plant three to four seeds 4 to 6 inches apart. Once the greens reach at least 2 inches tall, thin them to one seedling per mound.

If you want to squeeze in a second round of fresh beets during the warm-weather season, you can plant another crop six to eight weeks before your first fall frost for an end-of-summer or early fall harvest. "Growing beets during hot temperature periods isn't ideal, as root vegetables thrive and become sweeter with cooler weather," she says, adding that those raised in milder climates should only plant them through the fall and winter.

Soil Requirements for Beets

Beets need a lot of potassium to thrive. If you're mixing your own growing medium, Nicholes recommends using potassium-rich ingredients, including:

• Compost
• Wood ash (also known as potash)
• Potassium-heavy fertilizers, like greensand

Nicholes advises incorporating the fertilizer into the soil before sowing to ensure it's properly mixed and has time to take effect. If you're unsure of your soil mixture, test it at your local university extension office. Beets prefer full sun to partial shade and do best in well-draining soil.

Harvesting Beets

You'll want to harvest your beets before the heat of summer sets in. Pull them when the roots are between 1 to 4 inches in diameter, depending on the variety (always refer to your seed packets).

Timing your harvest is important. Keep an eye on the size of your beets and consider harvesting them early for the most tender roots. Consider these tips for harvesting:

• Smaller, Younger Beets: Beets are most tender when harvested small. Letting them grow too large is not recommended, Nicholes says.
• Nutritious Beet Greens: Beet greens are even more nutritious than the roots and can be eaten along with the root.

If you have a bumper beet crop and want to store some for later in the season, she suggests separating the root from the greens. "You can wrap the greens in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator for up to a week," she says. "The roots should be unwashed and stored in a plastic bag with all the air removed. They can last almost a month following these instructions." Only wash beets when you are ready to eat them.

How to Store Beets

If you're lucky enough to have a root cellar—or even a 10-gallon bucket—Nicholes says you can store beets for months.

Storage: Store beets in moist (but not soggy) sand, sawdust, or peat moss.

Placement: Bury the roots (without the greens) and make sure they don't touch each other, Nicholes says. Proper air circulation is key.

Check Weekly: Inspect beets weekly for any signs of rot and remove affected roots. With proper care, beets can stay stored for up to three months.

Types of Beets

There are several types of beets to grow. Choose a variety that will work with your USDA hardiness zone. Look for these varieties at your local nursery or in seed catalogs:

• Red beets, like Red Ace, Ruby Queen, and Detroit Dark Red
• Golden beets, like Golden Detroit and Touchstone Gold
• Striped beets, like Chioggia or Bassano
• Cylindra beets, also called Butter Slicer or Formanova