Beet_Cultural_8-12.pdf
1
1415 East 6 th Street • P.O. Box 861715, Los Angeles, CA 90086 213-626-9668 • 800-621-0315 • FAX 213-626-4920 • www.stoverseed.com © Copyright 2012 Stover Seed Company Beets Beta vulgaris Beets are generally considered a root vegetable, but the leaves are actually the most nutritional part of the plant. Soil quality is important; a garden bed of loose loam enables the taproot to mine nutrients from deep in the soil. Though plants are fairly heat tolerant, flavor is best when a beet matures in cool weather. Location and soil Beets are easy to grow in the right conditions: a sunny space with well drained soil with a pH between 6 and 7.5. Be sure to amend heavy soil with compost to prevent misshapen roots. If you are growing beets for the greens, a part-shade location will yield good results too. Garden throughout the cooler months, beginning about a month before the last expected spring frost. For a prolonged yield, stagger spring plantings every 2 to 3 weeks, and plant again in late summer for a fall harvest. Daytime temperatures of 60° to 65°F are ideal for beet development. Germination Seed will sprout in 1 to 3 weeks. Though seeds germinate in soils as cold as 45ºF, seedlings appear most quickly when soil temperature is between 60º and 80ºF. Thinning Thin seedlings after the first true leaves open so plants are spaced about 2 inches apart. Use scissors to avoid disturbing the tender roots of the remaining plants, and use the thinnings in salads. Or, you can delay thinning until plants are 6 to 8 inches tall, and enjoy the beet tops as sautéed greens. Care Water regularly and do not crowd plants. After thinning, mulch around the plants to help keep soil evenly moist and suppress weeds. Fertilize Beets are heavy feeders. After the first true leaves fully develop, fertilize with an all-purpose vegetable food, or an organic kelp or slow-release fertilizer. If using kelp, apply weekly until plants are 3-inches tall. Harvest Cut greens when they are 4 to 6 inches high. Roots are most tender when harvested at 2 inches or smaller. Nutrition Beet roots are a source of Vitamin C, Folate, and essential minerals, including Potassium and Manganese. The tops supply the same benefits, plus large amounts of Vitamins A and K as well as Iron, Calcium, and Magnesium. TIP – A beet “seed” is actually a dried fruit, which can contain up to four seeds. This is why seedlings are often clumped together … and why thinning is so important. Ruby Queen Detroit Dark Red Early Wonder Description Deep red, tender and sweet. Fine- grained roots maintain color when cooked. Heirloom variety with dark red, sweet, globe-shaped roots. Fast growing. Heirloom variety with tasty abundant greens. Dark red roots are delicious too. Comments Good performance on poor soils Introduced in 1892 and still a gardeners’ favorite. Greens grow to a height of 18 inches. Days to Harvest 55 to 70 52 to 65 52 to 60
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Cultivation of beetroot
Transcript of Beet_Cultural_8-12.pdf
1415 East 6th Street • P.O. Box 861715, Los Angeles, CA 90086
213-626-9668 • 800-621-0315 • FAX 213-626-4920 • www.stoverseed.com
© Copyright 2012 Stover Seed Company
Beets Beta vulgaris
Beets are generally considered a root vegetable, but the leavesare actually the most nutritional part of the plant. Soil quality isimportant; a garden bed of loose loam enables the taproot to minenutrients from deep in the soil. Though plants are fairly heattolerant, flavor is best when a beet matures in cool weather.
Location and soil Beets are easy to grow in the right conditions:a sunny space with well drained soil with a pH between 6 and 7.5.Be sure to amend heavy soil with compost to prevent misshapenroots. If you are growing beets for the greens, a part-shadelocation will yield good results too.
Garden throughout the cooler months, beginning about a monthbefore the last expected spring frost. For a prolonged yield,stagger spring plantings every 2 to 3 weeks, and plant again inlate summer for a fall harvest. Daytime temperatures of 60° to65°F are ideal for beet development.
Germination Seed will sprout in 1 to 3 weeks. Though seedsgerminate in soils as cold as 45ºF, seedlings appear most quicklywhen soil temperature is between 60º and 80ºF.
Thinning Thin seedlings after the first true leaves open so plantsare spaced about 2 inches apart. Use scissors to avoid disturbingthe tender roots of the remaining plants, and use the thinnings insalads. Or, you can delay thinning until plants are 6 to 8 inchestall, and enjoy the beet tops as sautéed greens.
Care Water regularly and do not crowd plants. After thinning,mulch around the plants to help keep soil evenly moist andsuppress weeds.
Fertilize Beets are heavy feeders. After the first true leaves fullydevelop, fertilize with an all-purpose vegetable food, or an organickelp or slow-release fertilizer. If using kelp, apply weekly untilplants are 3-inches tall.
Harvest Cut greens when they are 4 to 6 inches high. Roots aremost tender when harvested at 2 inches or smaller.
Nutrition Beet roots are a source of Vitamin C, Folate, andessential minerals, including Potassium and Manganese. The topssupply the same benefits, plus large amounts of Vitamins A and Kas well as Iron, Calcium, and Magnesium.
TIP – A beet
“seed” is actually adried fruit, whichcan contain up tofour seeds. This iswhy seedlings are
often clumpedtogether … and
why thinning is soimportant.
Ruby Queen Detroit Dark Red Early Wonder
Description Deep red, tender and sweet. Fine-grained roots maintain color when
cooked.
Heirloom variety with dark red,sweet, globe-shaped roots. Fast
growing.
Heirloom variety with tastyabundant greens. Dark red roots
are delicious too.
Comments Good performance on poor soils Introduced in 1892 and still agardeners’ favorite.
Greens grow to a height of 18inches.
Days to Harvest 55 to 70 52 to 65 52 to 60
