{"id":2525,"date":"2019-06-12T07:18:13","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T07:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/?p=2525"},"modified":"2020-01-22T09:35:44","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T09:35:44","slug":"tips-on-how-to-take-care-for-your-beets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/tips-on-how-to-take-care-for-your-beets\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips on How to Take Care for Your Beets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Beets are root vegetables that are packed with nutrients and vitamins. They have a lot of benefits and doctors, and nutritionists recommend that everyone eat beets regularly. They taste great when pickled and can be added to soups and salads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t like the taste of beets, you can mix them with other fruits and vegetables in shakes and smoothies to hide the taste but still get the nutrition. You can find beets in most grocery stores and markets, or you can grow your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since beets grow underground, they are fairly hardy and easy to grow. Growing your own beets means you always have some on hand to use in your favorite recipes. Instead of running to the store, you can just run out to your garden and harvest what you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some tips for caring for your beets. If you take care of them, your beats will taste great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Consider Growing The Beets In Containers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets are not picky about where they grow. As long as the soil is good and healthy, the plants can grow well. That means you can easily grow the plants in containers. There are many advantages to growing plants in containers, especially beets. You can place the containers anywhere you want them, and also move them if needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beets can be picky about the amount of sun and water they receive. If you plant the beets in a container and they aren\u2019t doing well in one area, you can move them to a different area without having to transplant the plants and risk shocking or killing them. Containers also come in handy if you plant your beets outside too early and realize it might still frost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can move the plants inside your basement or even a kitchen until the cold weather passes. Just make sure you place them by a window, so they get plenty of sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Get An Early Start Preparing The Soil<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets depend on good soil for survival. They need to be able to draw the nutrients out of the soil so they can grow and produce actual beets. Beets grow underground, so they absorb the nutrients quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your soil is not full of nutrients, the beets won\u2019t grow. They need the best start possible and preparing the soil before you even plant the beet will ensure that there are plenty of nutrients there waiting for the plants when they start to grow. You can prepare the soil by adding fertilizer and compost to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add it regularly and check the PH levels before planting your beets. If the soil is ready, you can plant them and watch them grow quickly and produce plenty of beets. You will need to continue to add nutrient to the soil as time goes on, and the beets continue to grow. As the plants grow, they will need more nutrients to ensure they stay healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Protect The Young Plants<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you see your beet plants sprout, it\u2019s normal to feel excited. Don\u2019t make the mistake of letting your guard down though. These plants still need a lot of care and protection. There are many things that can damage, weaken, or kill the plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of those things, including insects, animals, frost, too much water, too much sun, and strong winds. If you want your new plants to thrive and provide you with plenty of tasty and nutritious beets, you will need to do everything you can to protect them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use organic insect and pest sprays, cover the plants in bad weather or during the hottest parts of the day, and make sure they are getting the perfect amount of water. It might take some time before you can let the beets take off on their own, but if you put in some effort early on in the growing process, you will reap the benefits of a successful garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Space The Seeds Properly<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets do need a lot of room if you want them to grow properly. Your beets will do most of their growing underground, even though you may not see them. What happens on the surface is just the beginning for these plants. You need to consider how large your beets will be and space them accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to plant beets is to space them at least six inches apart. If you are going to plant beets with the succession method, you can plant new plants every 14 days. This will ensure that there are still plenty of nutrients in the soil for the new plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are growing your plants in containers, you might not be able to plant very many of them in each one. If you find out that your plants are growing too closely or are overcrowded, you will need to remove some of them, so the others have enough room to grow properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Remove Weak Plants<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not uncommon to notice weak plants growing in your garden. Don\u2019t let this upset you. Instead, just remove them. Weak plants rarely recover from whatever issue is making them weak, and if they are diseased, they could spread that disease to other plants and ruin your entire garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Removing the weak plants will also leave yours with plenty of room to plant new, healthy beets. If you already have a lot of beets planted, removing the old plants will allow your other healthy plants to grow larger. To remove the weak plants, you need to cut them down to the ground. You should do this at least twice or until you notice they have stopped growing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be tempted to dig them out, but this could cause problems for other beets that are planted nearby. Once you cut down the plants enough, they will stop growing and eventually dissolve back into the earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Give Them Plenty Of Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets need a lot of water. Since they grow underground, they need to be able to absorb that water directly from the soil. Rain may not be enough to penetrate deep enough to give the beets the water they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you live in an area that gets a lot of rainfall, your beets may be fine, but otherwise, you will need to water them daily until the leaves sprout. Once the leaves sprout, the plan should have stored up enough water to produce the beet in the root of the plant. You should then reduce watering to once a week or even less often if you live in rainy areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you water the plants too much, they can suffer from root rot, which can kill your beets quickly. Water also makes it easier for fungi to grow on or around the beets, which can make them inedible and unhealthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Add Compost and Fertilizer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beets need a lot of nutrients. Most soil does have nutrients, but if you are planting your beets in a container or in an area where the soil is not the best quality, you will need to do your part to make the soil healthier for your beets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can do this by adding fertilizer and compost. As these things break down into the soil, they release nutrients. The nutrients are then absorbed by the beets and help them grow stronger and healthier. You should use organic mulch and fertilizer whenever possible as it is best for your plants and will make them safer to eat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can add compost and fertilizer to your soil before you plant the beets, but you should also add it to the soil while the beets are growing to ensure that they stay healthy and are able to fight off diseases and bad weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Harvest Early<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You want to make sure you harvest your beets on time or else they could decompose beneath the soil.  It can be hard to tell when your beets are ready to harvest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should keep an eye on the root of the plant. Most beets grow to be slightly smaller than a woman\u2019s fist. If you can see the root starting to poke up from the soil under the stem of the plant, there\u2019s a good chance the beets are ready. You can harvest them but gently tugging on the stems of the beets to pull them free from the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are digging up rows or a lot of beets in one area, you can use a shovel. If you have beets that aren\u2019t ready and are nearby the beets you want to harvest, you shouldn\u2019t dig them up. Doing so could damage the plants that aren\u2019t ready to harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Storing Beets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After harvesting your beets, we recommend that you wipe off the excess dirt and trim the greens. However, don\u2019t wash the root, as it may cause an issue with fungal or bacterial growth during storage. Beets do best in root cellars; cold, dark rooms devoid of any sunlight. Pack your beets in a box and cover them three-quarters of the way with sand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using this storage method in the root cellar, you can keep beets fresh for up to three to four months, depending on environmental conditions. We recommend you keep your root cellar at 98-percent humidity, and temperatures between 50 to 55F for the best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can store fresh beets in the refrigerator for up to five days, and you\u2019ll know it\u2019s time to throw them away when they start to develop slime around the area of the beet that makes contact with a surface. Don\u2019t store your beets in plastic bags, instead use a burlap sack that allows the beets to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Beet Varieties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are different types of beets available for planting in your garden. Each variety has unique features that may suit different environments, allowing the gardener to produce the best beets for their growing conditions. As mentioned, most species of beets prefer colder climates, but some varieties do well in warmer regions of the country as well. Here are our top choices for the best beets for your vegetable garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chioggia \u2013 This heirloom variety features concentric red and white when cut in half. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mini ball \u2013 This small-sized beet is sweet and ideal for use in pickling recipes. If you\u2019re thinking about starting a windowsill garden, then try the mini ball dwarf variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Burpee golden \u2013 This yellow beet tastes fantastically sweet and ideal for roasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Detroit dark red \u2013 This is the beet we all grew up eating. It\u2019s ideal for eating when fresh but also does well in pickling and canning recipes.
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11. Beet Pests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the springtime gets in full swing, it\u2019s not only your beets that are rapidly growing in the ground. As the temperatures rise, and the field starts to thaw, billions of bugs come to life, rising from the soil to eat anything and everything they can find. Beet growers need to be aware of the following pests that can ruin the health of your beets and damage your crop, reducing yield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flea beetles \u2013 These insects make tiny holes in the leaves, causing the development of a yellow halo that starts to turn brown around the edges as the beetle burrows further into the leaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leafhoppers and miners \u2013 These insects bounce from leaf to leaf, causing yellowing of the foliage and wilting. Leaf miners burrow into the leaf, where they develop into a grub that eats away at the foliage. Run the blades of the leaves between your fingers and squeeze any bumps that you come across. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mexican bean beetles \u2013 This insect presents the most severe threat to your crop. These insects look like yellow ladybugs \u2013 but they are not friendly. The larvae hatch and eat the foliage of the beet before burrowing into the root.
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12. Beet Diseases<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pests are a pain for any gardener to deal with during the growing season \u2013 but they are not the only concern. Fungal and bacterial diseases are also most active during the change in seasons between the spring and summer, resulting in various pathogens in the environment that can affect your beet crop. Some of the more common diseases affecting beet crops include the following pathogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blackroot \u2013 This root rot disease can result in the loss of your entire harvest. The pathogen also remains in the soil for years afterward, infecting any further crops you plant in the same flowerbed. Should your beets do develop this disease, then it’s best to quarantine this area of the garden and leave it alone for the following season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other fungal and bacterial diseases affecting beet crops include;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Beet Curly Top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Soil Borne Mosaic Virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Cercospora Leaf Spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Cercospora Disease Forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Rhizoctonia Crown and Root Rot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Fusarium Yellows.
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13. Companion Plants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best way to get the most out of your beets this growing season is to plant some companion plants surrounding your beets. Companion plants can help you control disease, and prevent infection of your root vegetables. The companion plants mentioned below can start as early as the second week of spring, and most will finish around the same time as your beets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We like planting members of the brassica family with our beets. Brassicas include members of the cabbage family, such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower. Beets add extra nutrients and minerals to the soil that are beneficial for brassicas, increasing the yield in these companion plants when harvest time rolls around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also like to plant onions, garlic, and leeks around your beets, along with herbs such as rosemary and thyme. These veggies and herbs help to keep pests like Japanese beetles and Mexican bean beetles at bay, protecting your beets from pests that ruin your harvest.
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14. Keep the Greens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes time to harvest your beets, don\u2019 throw away the greens. Many novice and beginner gardeners make this mistake. However, if your greens are fresh and healthy, trim them from the beet, but don\u2019t rinse \u2013 and then store them in the crisper drawer of the fridge for up to 5-days. The greens make an excellent addition to a salad, and they taste similar to spring onion greens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, before you toss the greens with some oil and throw them into your garden salad, we recommend that you check for any insect infestations. Run the leaf between your fingers and try to feel for any bumps. These bumps could be the larvae of Leafminers, and that\u2019s the last thing you want to bite into when eating a salad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toss out any infected leaves, and store the rest or eat them right away. The greens come packed with vitamins and minerals that make them a suitable addition to your diet.
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