How to grow beets from seed

Beets are a cool-season crop that gives you two harvests in one. You get sweet, earthy roots, plus tender greens you can cook like spinach. They are easy to grow from seed if you do two things: thin them early and keep the soil moist.

When to plant beets

Spring

Sow beets outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost. Beet seed sprouts best once the soil reaches about 50°F (10°C). In colder soil, germination is slow and uneven.

Sow a short row every 2 to 3 weeks until early summer. That spreads out the harvest so your beets do not all come in at once.

Fall

Sow beets again about 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Fall beets grow in cooling weather and are often the sweetest of the year. Light frost does not hurt them.

Where to plant beets

• Full sun, at least 6 hours a day
• Loose, deep soil with no rocks or clods
• A soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5

Beets struggle in acidic soil. Add garden lime if a soil test shows a pH below 6.0.

Hold back on nitrogen. Too much gives you big, leafy tops and small roots. Work compost into the bed before you sow, and that is enough for most gardens.

Beets grow well in containers. Use a pot at least 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) deep.

How to plant beet seeds

Each beet “seed” is a small, corky cluster that holds several seeds. That is why beets come up in clumps and need thinning.

1. Soak the seeds in water overnight to speed up sprouting.
2. Sow seeds 1/2 inch (1 cm) deep and 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) apart.
3. Space rows 12 inches (30 cm) apart.
4. Keep the soil moist until seedlings come up, in about 5 to 14 days.
5. Thin seedlings to 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) apart when they are 2 to 3 inches tall.

Snip the extra seedlings at soil level with scissors. Pulling them can disturb the roots of the beets you keep. Eat the thinnings as baby greens.

Water and care

Give beets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water a week. Steady moisture matters most. Dry spells followed by heavy watering cause woody, cracked roots and pale rings inside the beet.

Mulch between rows to hold moisture in and keep weeds down. Weed by hand near the plants, since beet roots grow close to the surface. Read more about organic mulch.

How to harvest beets

Most beets are ready 50 to 70 days after sowing. Start checking once the tops of the roots show at the soil line.

Beets taste best at 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 cm) across. Bigger beets can get tough and woody.

1. Water the bed the day before so the roots slide out of the soil.
2. Grab the leaves near the base and pull.
3. Twist off the tops, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of stem.
4. Leave the thin root tail on.

Leaving a bit of stem and the tail keeps the beets from bleeding color when you cook them.

Beet greens

You can pick a few outer leaves from each plant while the roots grow. Take no more than one or two leaves per plant at a time, so the plant has enough leaves to feed the root.

How to store beets

Cut off the tops and store the roots unwashed in a bag in the fridge. They keep for several weeks. Store the greens in their own bag and use them within a few days.

For long-term storage, pack unwashed beets in damp sand or sawdust in a cold, humid spot like a root cellar.

Best beet varieties

Variety	Color	Notes
‘Detroit Dark Red’	Deep red	Classic round beet, stores well
‘Chioggia’	Red and white rings	Italian heirloom with candy-striped flesh
‘Touchstone Gold’	Golden yellow	Mild flavor, does not bleed
‘Cylindra’	Deep red	Long roots that slice into even rounds
‘Bull’s Blood’	Dark red	Grown for its dark red leaves as well as roots

Common beet problems

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Small or no roots	Crowding, shade, heat, or too much nitrogen	Thin to 3 to 4 inches and grow in full sun
Woody or tough roots	Picked too late or dry soil	Harvest at 1.5 to 3 inches and water every week
White rings inside	Heat or uneven watering	Keep soil moist and grow in cool weather
Black spots inside the root	Low boron in the soil	Add compost and test your soil
Pale tunnels in leaves	Leaf miners	Remove damaged leaves and use row cover
Small round spots on leaves	Fungal leaf spot	Remove spotted leaves and give plants more space

More root crops and greens

Beets grow well alongside these crops:

• How to grow Swiss chard, a close cousin of beets
• How to grow radishes
• How to grow carrots
• How to grow onions from seeds, sets, or transplants