How to grow beetroot

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Seed Sowing

Early sowings can be made under cover from February in module trays. They can be transplanted into the final position about 4-5 weeks later.

From March, seeds can be direct-sown outside with horticultural fleece for frost protection. Bolt resistant varieties are better at withstanding colder, fluctuating temperatures.

Maincrop beetroot is usually sown outdoors from April.

Try doing multiple sowings from February – July to spread out your harvest. With appropriate varieties for each season, it is possible to have beetroot almost all year around.

Plant Care

Keep the bed moist and well weeded, removing rotten leaves from the beetroot to reduce disease and pest predation. Water more regularly in hot weather to prevent the beetroot from trying to go to seed.

Challenges

Alternaria leaf spot is a fungal disease that thrives in hot and humid conditions. Thankfully it is largely cosmetic and will only reduce your harvestable leaves.

Slugs and snails may be attracted to young seedlings newly planted outside.Damping off is a fungal disease that can be triggered by overwatering and causes plants to wilt and die at the base of the main stem.

Rodents can become a problem later in the season, sometimes eating whole beetroots right out of the growing beds. The best remedy for this is to harvest all storage beetroot at once and keep it in sacks in a cool, dry place that is rodent proof.

Harvest

Beetroot can be harvested from early summer and are best harvested once roots are at least golf ball size. Leave the rest to reach maturity and harvest as and when you need them. The plant tops can be twisted off and cooked and eaten like chard.

Seed Saving

Beetroot will readily cross with other members of the same species (Beta vulgaris) such as perpetual spinach and chard. They are biennial and will flower in their second year either by overwintering in their growing position or selecting the best roots to store and replanting them in the spring. A minimum of 10 plants will be needed.

Allow the plants to flower and go to seed, and as the large seed heads mature, harvest them as they begin to dry either by cutting the entire stalk or rubbing the seeds off the heads into a bucket. Make sure that the seeds are thoroughly dry before placing into long term storage.

Varieties

  • Detroit BeetrootDetroit Beetroot

    Beetroot – Detroit (Organic)

    £2.10 – £3.80     Add to basket This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

    Beetroot – Detroit (Organic)

    Reliable maincrop beetroot producing large globe-shaped red roots. This is a classic variety, having proved itself since 1892 when it was introduced by the D.M. Ferry Seed Company, in Michigan, USA. It is reliable and high-yielding and remains a favourite with gardeners and growers to this day.

    The large, globe-shaped beets have the typical beetroot colour and an excellent flavour making it perfect for baking, sautéing, grating into salads, pickling and anything else that you might want to do with a beetroot. Yes, it will also store well!
    (Approximate seed count – 200)

    SKU: BeDe Categories: , , Tags: ,
    £2.10 – £3.80
  • Flaming Barrel BeetrootFlaming Barrel Beetroot

    Beetroot – Flaming Barrel (Organic)

    £2.60     Add to basket

    Beetroot – Flaming Barrel (Organic)

    A new golden beet variety specifically bred for its sweet taste and less earthiness.

    Named after the famous festival in Ottery St Mary, Flaming Barrel is our new favourite beet and we are very pleased to be able to offer it in our collection.

    The roots are elongated and have a deep yellow/orange colour. When cooked they are deliciously sweet. A must have for the veg patch.

    (Approximate seed count – 150)

    SKU: BeBF Categories: , Tags: , ,
    £2.60
  • Chioggia BeetrootChioggia Beetroot

    Beetroot – Chioggia (Organic)

    £2.30 – £4.60     Add to basket This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

    Beetroot – Chioggia (Organic)

    An Italian variety with striking white and red concentric rings throughout its flesh. This unusual cultivar has been around since the early 19th century and originates from the coastal town of Chioggia near Venice in Northern Italy. With its delicate flavour and soft flesh it will make an ideal raw addition in salads or as a decorative side dish. When cooked the rings will fade out a little and become pinkish but the beetroot will keep its sweet and mild delicious taste. Definitely our favourite in terms of looks!

    SKU: BeCh Categories: , , Tags: ,
    £2.30 – £4.60
  • Cylindra BeetrootCylindra Beetroot

    Beetroot – Cylindra (Organic)

    £2.30     Add to basket

    Beetroot – Cylindra (Organic)

    A distinctive, very attractive variety which forms long, thin cylindrical beets . Deep purple, and typically 20cm tall, and 6cm diameter, but like any beet, can get very large with enough room. They look great in the veg patch, at the market and also on your plate! Very suitable as a main crop and has excellent storage capability.
    Guest description by our friend Dan from Chagfood CSA
    (Approximate seed count – 200)

    SKU: BeCy Categories: , , Tags: ,
    £2.30
  • Bull's Blood BeetrootBull's Blood Beetroot

    Beetroot – Bull’s Blood (Organic)

    £2.30     Add to basket

    Beetroot – Bull’s Blood (Organic)

    A variety with extremely dark red leaves, usually grown as a salad leaf. The leaves are exceptionally dark red, almost purple colour and very tender and sweet, especially as baby-leaf. They can be cut up to 4-5 times and will grow back.
    (Approximate seed count – 200)

    SKU: BLBB Categories: , Tags: , , , ,
    £2.30
  • Boltardy BeetrootBoltardy Beetroot

    Beetroot – Boltardy (Organic)

    £2.33 – £3.95     Add to basket This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

    Beetroot – Boltardy (Organic)

    A classic all-purpose beetroot, well suited to early sowings as a result of its excellent resistance to bolting. Boltardy is a winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit and has a well earned reputation for being a real ‘workhorse’ variety. Many large scale growers choose this variety over its modern hybrid cousins for early sowings. We love it as it does exactly what is says on the tin.

    SKU: BeBo Categories: , Tags: ,
    £2.33 – £3.95