Beetroot belongs to the Beta genus.

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A compact plant grown for both its leaves and its roots. The dark green leaves are tall and held erect from the ground, with a semi-savoyed texture. In most varieties the stems and veins are dark red, although this is not universal. The leaves are edible, and can be eaten either raw or cooked. The root grows into a ball or cylinder ranging from 5cm (2 inches) to 15 cm (6 inches) or more in diameter. The most common varieties produce dark red roots, although pink, gold, yellow and even striped varieties are available. Beets don’t take up a lot of space, and do well in small gardens or containers.

• Lifecycle The lifecycle that this plant exhibits. Annual Category The basic category that this plant belongs to. Vegetable
• Hardiness How frost hardy this plant is. Half Hardy Country of Origin Where this plant originated from.
• Mature Height How tall the plant will be when it grows up. 35.0 cm / 13.65" Mature Spread How wide the plant will be when it grows up. 20.0 cm / 7.8"
• Bloom Time When this plant usually blooms. ? Harvest Time When this plant is usually harvested. Mid Autumn

How to keep this plant happy

Requires loose, well-drained soil. Although fall beets will be the sweetest, you can grow this from 2-4 weeks before the first frost, all the way through summer, and into fall, past the first frost. You can harvest small, tender leaves once the plant is established, but never take more than 1/3 of the plants leaves at any one time. Harvest the root when it is 5 to 7 cm (2-3 inches) across. At that time, you can use all the larger, older leaves the same way you would use Swiss Chard or mature spinach.

• USDA Zone Range The zones that this plant is recommended to grow best in. - pH Range The level of acidity that this plant thrives in. 6.5 - 7.0
• Water Requirements The amount of water that this plant likes to drink. Medium Nitrogen Requirements The amount of nitrogen that should be present in the soil. Medium
• Soil The type of soil that this plant likes to live in.
  Combination Clay
  Sun The type of light that this plant likes to sunbake in.
  Full Sun Partial Sun
• Min. Air Temperature The lowest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ? Max. Air Temperature The highest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ?

Sowing and Germinating Instructions

Beet seeds are clusters of 6-9 seeds, so thinning will be required. They can be hard to germinate, so score the seeds with a nail file, then soak in tepid water for 12 hours before planting. Because of their long taproot, it is not recommended to transplant beets. They are best sown in place.

• Can Sow Direct? Can seeds be sown directly in situ? Yes Sowing Depth Seeds should be sown at this depth. 2.0 cm / 0.78"
• Sowing Distance Apart This plant should be sown at least this distance apart 15.0 cm / 5.85" Sowing Row Distance Apart This plant should be sown in rows at least this distance apart 15.0 cm / 5.85"
• Min. Germination Temperature The lowest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 13°C / 55°F Max. Germination Temperature The highest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 24°C / 75°F

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Planting Out / Transplanting Instructions

• Planting Distance Apart Seedlings should be planted this far apart. 15.0 cm / 5.85" Planting Row Distance Apart Rows between plantings should be at least this far apart. 15.0 cm / 5.85"

How long does it approximately take to grow?

• Days to Germination From seed to seedling 14 days Average 14 days | Min 3 days | Max 153 days (38)
• Days to Transplant From seedling to transplant / planting out + days
• Days to Maturity From transplant to harvest / maturity of plant + 50 days Total Growing Days From seed to maturity = days

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When should I start sowing and growing?

• When to sow The number of days to sow before or after your last frost date. 14 days before Last Frost Date When to plant out The number of days to plant out before or after your last frost date. ?

Etymology

When Carl Linnaeus classified beets in his original binomial nomenclature system, he created three varieties: the wild beet, the leaf beet and the root beet. These have sometimes been considered varieties and sometimes subspecies, but they are now all classified as varieties. The type we call beetroot is simply that. It's the kind of beet that we grow for its root.

Folklore

Other Names

Beet, Table Beet, Garden Beet, Blood Turnip, Red Beet