Growing BeetGrowing beet can be exciting, especially when you see the beautiful purple leaves and yummy root crop. Once you harvest your beet, you need to boil it in order to get the skin off of it. Once it is boiled, then cut the ends off and the skin should pull off easily. Your beet is ready to eat fresh or you can slice it up and freeze it for later. Also you can using the canning process to store the beets for a longer period of time. You can make pickled beets. I have never tried these myself.
Growing beet crops mature quickly in light or loamy soils with a pH over 6.0. In general, cool temperatures produce the best flesh color. Acute weather fluctuations will cause "zoning," white rings, in the roots. Transplant: Sow seeds indoors in early spring, about 5-6 weeks before transplanting out after heavy frosts become infrequent. Sow seeds 1/4" deep, 3-4 seeds per inch. Transplant out 3" apart in rows 12-18" apart. Direct Seeding: Begin early sowings when soil has warmed somewhat after thawing. Sow in a 2-4" wide band, about 15 seeds/ft. (10/ft. if sown in single line), 1/2" deep, rows 12-18" apart. Thinning is not necessary. For a continuous supply of greens and small tender beets, sow seed at 2-week intervals until 8 weeks before regular heavy frosts are expected. DISEASES: Keep your growing beet crop well irrigated to prevent "scab," the same disorder that affects potatoes, causing raised brown rough spots on the mature roots. Internal breakdown or browning is most likely to occur in alkaline soils after prolonged hot, dry periods. This is caused by a deficiency of the nutrient boron. Rotate crops to prevent Cercospora leaf spot. HARVEST And STORAGE: Fork or undermine, lift plants, wash and hydrocool, and store bunches 10 days at 32°F (0°C) and 95% humidity. WINTER STORAGE OF ROOTS: Sow about 10 weeks before heavy freeze is expected. Cut tops, wash, and store 6 months at 32°F (0°C) and 95% humidity. DAYS TO MATURITY: 48 From direct seeding; subtract 14-21 days if transplants are used. For seeds, OG means "organically grown" and signifies seeds harvested from plants grown organically, without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and according to National Organic Program standards.
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