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Beet

Beta vulgaris

Vegetable

Beets are dual-purpose root vegetables offering both sweet, earthy roots and nutritious greens. They are cool-season crops that tolerate light frost and grow well as both spring and autumn plantings.

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Water Needs

Moderate

Soil

Loose, well-draining loam; pH 6.0–7.0

Spacing

3–4 inches after thinning

Days to Maturity

55–70 days from sowing

Growing Zones

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Thrives in USDA Zones 2–10

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Keep Away From

When to Plant

  • Direct Sow

    3–4 weeks before last frost; again in late summer

  • Harvest

    55–70 days; harvest at golf-ball size for best flavour

Organic Growing Tips

  • Each beet "seed" is actually a cluster — thin to one seedling per cluster for best root development.

  • Use the thinnings as nutritious microgreens in salads rather than discarding them.

  • Mulch to retain consistent moisture; uneven watering causes zoning (rings) in roots.

  • Interplant with garlic and onions to repel aphids and leaf miners from the beet patch.

Common Pests

  • Leaf Miners
  • Aphids
  • Scab
  • Root Rot

All pest management in Garden uses safe, organic, non-toxic methods only. No synthetic pesticides, ever.