How to grow Beetroot

At a glance

🌱 Grow your Beetroot with GardenDex

• Reminders to water it, timed to your weather and whether it's in a pot
• Frost and disease alerts for your garden, the night before
• Follow it from seed to harvest, and see what your garden grew in $
• Point your camera at any plant or bug to identify it

🗓️ When to plant

Sow in mid-spring after the soil is workable, and again in mid-summer for an autumn harvest in cooler climates; beetroot prefers temperatures of 10–20°C (50–68°F).

🌰 How to plant

1. Loosen soil to 30 cm (12 in) depth and remove stones and clumps.
2. Sow seeds directly outdoors 2 cm (0.75 in) deep, in rows or clusters.
3. Water gently and keep soil moist until seedlings emerge (7–10 days).
4. Thin seedlings when they have 2–3 leaves, using thinnings in salads.

💧 Care

• Keep weeds under control during the first 6 weeks; beetroot dislikes competition.
• Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root growth and prevent splitting.
• Mulch around plants with 5 cm (2 in) of compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Avoid high-nitrogen fertiliser, which promotes leafy growth at the expense of roots.
• Harvest outer leaves for greens once plants are established without damaging the root.

🧺 Harvest

Pull roots when they are 5–8 cm (2–3 in) in diameter for tender, sweet beetroot; larger roots become woody. Twist off the leafy tops before storing, leaving 2–3 cm (1 in) of stem to prevent bleeding.

🐛 Common problems

Leaf spot (fungal): Remove affected leaves, improve air circulation, and avoid wetting foliage when watering.

Beetroot fly larvae: Cover young plants with fine netting and remove affected leaves promptly.

Root rot (in waterlogged soil): Improve drainage and ensure soil dries slightly between waterings.

🤝 Companion plants

💚 Good neighbours: Lettuce, Chard, Kohlrabi, Onions

⚠️ Keep apart from: Pole beans, Fennel

More vegetables guides