Detroit dark red beets.

Growing Great Beets

by Vonnie Kovacic
Image © Vesseys Seeds

Beets are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, doing well in almost any type of soil, except those that are too rocky to allow proper root development. Beets are immune to insects and pests. Slugs detest them. Only the occasional leaf miner may cause some leaf damage but this problem can be "nipped in the bud" by removing the infected leaf.

If beets have black cankers (spots) on the roots this indicates that the soil has a boron deficiency. Boron deficiency often occurs in areas that receive a lot of rain. Cure this problem by dissolving 1 tablespoon of borax (found with laundry soap in the grocery store) in 4 litres of water. Spray evenly over the area where the beets are growing. Otherwise, beets thrive in rich, sandy loam. Dig some compost and well-rotted manure or organic fertilizer into the seedbed before planting. Beets don't like acid soil so most of our local gardens will probably require a bit of dolomite lime. The pH level should be neutral. Scabby beets are a clear indication of acidic soil.

Next step: plant thinly. Each large, round seed is actually a bundle of several individual seeds so be prepared for lots of plants germinating! It's important to space the beets so that they are growing about 1 inch apart. The roots will not develop properly if the plants are crowded together. Thick clumps of seedlings can be transplanted into bare spots. Continue to thin and use the beets as they grow larger. Root size is controlled by the spacing.

Be careful not to let the soil dry out too much during root formation, as this will cause white rings in the beet and they will become tough and woody.

There are many different types of beet seeds available. One to try is a cylindrical rooted variety called "Redina". The roots grow about 6 inches long. Or how about a beet with very sweet, yellow flesh - "Burpee' Golden." My choice is still "Detroit Dark Red" a non-hybrid that has been around forever. It doesn't matter how often I try one of the new improved types I always come back to this old favourite. For flavour, tenderness and dependability "Detroit Dark Red" is still the best! And remember, beets belong to the spinach family so be sure to use those young, tasty leaves as well as the roots.

Vonnie Kovacic lives in Roberts Creek where she and her husband Joe have been growing vegetables organically for many years. She is a contributing writer to GardenWise magazine.