How to Grow Beets From Seed

Beets are a cool-season crop that tastes sweetest in mild weather. Direct-sow the first crop 2 to 3 weeks before your average last frost, as soon as the soil can be worked, and keep sowing small batches every 2 to 3 weeks for a steady supply. Sow again in late summer, about 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost, for a fall harvest that is often the sweetest of the year. Avoid sowing in the heat of midsummer, when the roots turn woody and plants are prone to bolting.

Beets are direct-sown and resent transplanting, so sow them right where they will grow in loose, stone-free soil. Plant the seed clusters half an inch deep and about 1 inch apart in rows 12 inches apart, then keep the bed evenly moist for the 1 to 2 weeks it takes them to sprout. Because each wrinkled seed is a cluster of several seeds, expect crowded seedlings: once they are 2 inches tall, thin them to 3 to 4 inches apart so the roots have room to swell. Work in compost before sowing, but go easy on high-nitrogen fertilizer, which grows lush tops at the expense of the root.

Beets are easy once they are up and thinned. Give them full sun, keep the soil evenly moist with about an inch of water a week so the roots grow steadily and do not turn woody, and mulch to hold moisture and keep the bed cool. They are light feeders: a soil rich in compost is usually enough, and too much nitrogen just grows leaves. Keep the row weeded, since beets do not like competition, and watch the boron level in sandy or high-pH soils, as a shortage causes dark internal spots.

Beets grow well beside plants that share their cool-season habits or help keep pests away. Bush beans, lettuce, onions, and members of the cabbage family are all classic neighbors, while tall pole beans are best kept at a distance. These three are especially easy to add in one click:

Beets are ready when the shoulders of the roots are about 1.5 to 3 inches across, usually 50 to 60 days after sowing, though smaller baby beets can be pulled any time. Loosen the soil with a fork and lift the roots gently, then twist off the tops an inch above the crown so they do not bleed. Both the roots and the greens are edible, so harvest a few outer leaves along the way and enjoy them like chard. In mild areas you can leave roots in the ground under mulch and dig them as needed.

Beets are a true dual-purpose crop. Roast, boil, or grate the sweet, earthy roots for salads, borscht, and pickles, or slice colorful types like golden and candy-striped Chioggia raw to show off their rings. The leafy tops cook up just like chard or spinach and are one of the best parts of the plant. Beets in red, gold, white, and striped all store for weeks in the fridge, and the roots keep for months in a cool cellar.

• Small or misshapen roots: almost always from skipping the thinning step. Thin seedlings to 3 to 4 inches apart while young so each root has room to swell.
• Poor germination: beet seed clusters need steady moisture to sprout. Keep the bed evenly damp for the 1 to 2 weeks it takes, and never let the surface crust dry.
• Woody or cracked roots: caused by uneven watering or letting the beets grow too long. Water consistently and harvest while the roots are young and tender.
• Black spots inside the root: a sign of boron deficiency, common in sandy or high-pH soils. Enrich with compost and keep moisture even; add a boron source at planting if it persists.
• Bolting (going to seed): triggered by heat or a cold snap after sowing. Sow in the cool of spring and fall and avoid midsummer heat.