Growing an Attractive and Versatile Crop of Beets
by John Yazo
Beets are not only a versatile crop that can be grown in your home organic garden, they are also an attractive plant that can be included in your landscape. They are an easy crop to grow in almost every climate.
They are a crop that prefers full sun but will grow in semi-shaded areas and the soil conditions that they like best is a loose soil with good structure.
Beets have there best productivity in temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In areas that the summers get hot plant them as an early spring crop.
Prepare your garden beds that you plan on growing your beet crop by raking all roots, rocks and other debris from the soil. Add compost to the soil to lighten it and add organic matter to the soils structure. Avoid fresh manure, this can cause what is known as forked root. Beets will benefit best if they are planted either in hilled rows or raised beds.
When you are getting ready to sow your beet seeds and the climate is either hot or dry, soak the seeds in water for about twelve hours to promote there germination.
Beets can be planted fairly close together to start. Sow the seeds about 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart in rows about 1 foot apart. To extend the season of your beet crop you can keep planting other beds every two weeks until the weather gets to hot.
Once your beds or rows have been planted, care is needed to keep them weeded. This is critical with any root crop. Hand weed and be careful not to damage there roots. Once the seedlings are 2 to 4 inches tall you need to thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart and when the root of the beets get to a diameter of 1 inch you will need to pull every other one out, water deeply and mulch the beds to control weeds.
Beets need about 1 inch of water a week. If they are lacking water the plants will bolt to seed and the roots will crack, causing them to become stringy and tough. Watering your beet crop with a liquid fertilizer like compost tea or even liquid seaweed every two weeks will greatly benefit your crop.
The beet crop is its best when the root is between 1 1/2 inches to 3 inches in diameter. Watch them carefully and harvest when ready.
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