Growing Beets
Beets do double duty: sweet roots below, tender greens on top you can cook just like chard.
How to Grow Beets
Planting
Direct sow, don’t transplant, beets hate root disturbance. Each “seed” is actually a small cluster, so thin seedlings to one per spot once they’re a couple inches tall, or you’ll get a tangle of skinny roots.
Watering & feeding
Steady moisture matters more than volume, uneven watering cracks the roots. Mulch to keep the soil from swinging between soaked and bone dry.
Harvest
Pull at golf-ball to tennis-ball size for the best flavor, they get woody if you let them sit too long. Twist the greens off rather than cutting to keep them from bleeding in storage.
Grows Well With
Plant beets near bush beans and onions, both help keep the soil loose without competing hard for the same nutrients. See all our companion planting pairs →
When to Plant
Direct sow late February through March for a spring crop, then again in August for a fall crop. Beets actually prefer the shoulder seasons over our peak summer heat. See the full planting calendar →
Buy the Seeds We Use
From the Seed Center
Shop Beets Seeds
$1.25
From the Kitchen: Recipes Using Beets
Looking for recipe ideas? Browse the full Recipe Book.