Welcome to our section on tips for growing beetroot.

Here we provide you with 6 helpful hints to growing beetroot easy and successfully. Follow these tips and advice and you will get a great crop of beetroot

Here we will give you advice, tips and guidance on sowing, growing and harvesting beetroot in the Uk and the rest of the world.

About Beetroot

There are two main varieties of beetroot, these are globe and long-rooted beetroot. Lets find out about these:-

Globe Beetroot

Globe beetroot are more commonly known and are less prone to bolting unlike long-rooted beetroot. The globe beetroot can also be sown a lot earlier than the long-rooted beetroot meaning that it can be picked from June. The earlier varieties we recommend are ‘Boltardy beetroot’ and ‘Early Bunch beetroot’

Long-rooted Beetroot

Long-rooted beetroot is more commonly known for being grown as a main crop beetroot. The long-rooted beetroot likes to be matured before harvesting. The variety we recommend growing is ‘Cylindra beetroot’

Sowing and Planting Beetroot

Beetroots will grow well in soil that is light, but they will also gro well in most fertile soil that has been cultivated well.

When to plant Beetroot

Beetroot can be sown as early as February in the UK right through to August. If you are sowing in February and March it is best that the seeds or clusters as they are known are sown indoors to protect them and give them that warmth to start growing.

Varieties of Beetroot

There are many varieties of beetroot and not just purple ones. They now come in white, yellow, orange as well. Here some great varieties to try:-

• Cylindra
• Forono
• Solo
• Wodan
• Boltardy

Planting and Sowing

When it comes to sowing beetroot it’s quite easy as they are nice big seeds. They need to be sown in soil that is around 7 degrees warm. Sow the seeds 2.5 cm deep at 10cm intervals. When they are big enough thin out the plants and keep the stronger ones. If you sow at fortnightly intervals you will have a crop that will last you a while. All beetroot are grown from seed and can be grown in raised beds, pots or in the ground. You cannot grow beetroot in winter though as it’s too cold. When sowing beetroot you can start them off in the greenhouse.

Growing

Growing and looking after beetroot is important. You don’t want the soil to be too dry as this will lead to woody roots. But then if it’s kept to wet this will lead to the beetroot splitting. The best tip is to water them every 10-14 days. Help to keep the soil nice and moist by adding mulch to the soil.

Harvesting Beetroot

It takes around 11-16 weeks for the beetroot to be ready for harvesting. You are best harvesting the crop when they are young and tender. When harvesting them harvest alternate plants. Do not let them grow too big.

Beetroot can be grown to harvest at anytime from around June into the early winter of November.

As soon as the beetroot is ready you can pull it up. Make sure they are large enough to cook with.

The main crop beetroot – Long-rooted variety can actually be left in the ground until you actually need them, this will stop the beetroot from rottting. All you need to do with the beetroot is cover it with straw and this will protect them from the frost.

If you don’t want to leave the beetroot in the ground you can pull it up in November and store them in sand, in a shed which is frost proof. Before storing make sure you cut the tops of the beetroot but be careful not to cut to close to the crown or the beetroot will bleed