Beetroot is part of the Beta (Beet) genus. Its scientific name is Beta vulgaris. The botanical name epithet for Beetroot (vulgaris) means 'common'.
A compact plant grown for both its leaves and its roots. The leaves are tall and held erect from the ground, with a semi-savoyed texture. In most varieties the leaves are dark green and the stems and veins are dark red, although this is not universal. The leaves are edible, and can be eaten either raw or cooked. The root grows into a ball or cylinder ranging from 5cm (2 inches) to 15 cm (6 inches) or more in diameter. The most common varieties produce dark red roots, although pink, gold, yellow and even striped varieties are available. Beets don’t take up a lot of space, and do well in small gardens or containers.
Leaves appear approximately as a Dark spring green and Dark red colour. Beetroot grows as an annual and is an edible vegetable. Being an annual plant, it tends to grow best over the course of a single year. Beetroot is known for its mound-forming habit and growing to a height of approximately 35.0 cm (1.14 feet). This plant tends to be ready for harvesting by mid autumn. Popular varieties of Beetroot with home gardeners are Detroit Dark Red, Chioggia, Boltardy, Bull's blood, and Cylindra.Italy is thought to be the country of origin for Beetroot.
Beetroot is normally quite a low maintenance plant and is normally very easy to grow - great for beginner gardeners!
This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Beetroot have been kindly provided by our members.
How to grow Beetroot
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Full Sun
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Medium
Requires loose, well-drained soil. Although fall beets will be the sweetest, you can grow this from 2-4 weeks before the first frost, all the way through summer, and into fall, past the first frost. You can harvest small, tender leaves once the plant is established, but never take more than 1/3 of the plants leaves at any one time. Harvest the root when it is 5 to 7 cm (2-3 inches) across. At that time, you can use all the larger, older leaves the same way you would use Swiss Chard or mature spinach. 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
Plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. As a rough idea of the types of climates Beetroot does best in, check to see if your local area is within USDA Hardiness Zones 7 and 10. Beetroot needs a loamy soil with a ph of 6.5 to 7.0 (weakly acidic soil - neutral soil). Keep in mind when planting that Beetroot is thought of as half hardy, so remember to protect this plant from frosts and low temperatures.Growing Beetroot from seed
Beet seeds are clusters of 6-9 seeds, so thinning will be required. They can be hard to germinate, so score the seeds with a nail file, then soak in tepid water for 12 hours before planting.
Because of their long taproot, it is not recommended to transplant beets. They are best sown in place.
Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 5.85 inches (15.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 0.78 inches (2.0 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 13°C / 55°F to ensure good germination.By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Beetroot about 14 days before your last frost date .
Transplanting Beetroot
Companion plants for Beetroot
These plants have been known to grow well alongside Beetroot so consider planting:
Lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas 1
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Beetroot loves Onion
Improves the growth and production of onions.
Repellent plants for Beetroot
These plants will not grow well with Beetroot so avoid planting these within close proximity:
Runner or pole beans (stunt growth). 1
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Beetroot hates Bean
Tends to stunt the growth of beetroot.
Common Beetroot problems
These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Beetroot plants:
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Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) was first found in Cucumbers, hence its name - ho...
Beetroot Etymology
When Carl Linnaeus classified beets in his original binomial nomenclature system, he created three varieties: the wild beet, the leaf beet and the root beet. These have sometimes been considered varieties and sometimes subspecies, but they are now all classified as varieties. The type we call beetroot is simply that. It’s the kind of beet that we grow for its root. The botanical epithet is from the Latin vulgaris meaning “common”
Other names for Beetroot
Swiss chard, Spinach swiss chard
Beta vulgaris L.
Misspellings: Beatroot, Beets, Manglebeet, Beet Root, Beetroots, Beta vulgarisa
Latest Beetroot Reviews
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27 Feb 2013
Sprocket1980's Beet - Ruby Queen [2011] was Reviewed day 14
If you think you don’t like beets, you should grow your own and eat them freshly steamed. You’ll be amazed at how sweet they are. Peel them like a potato and slice them ΒΌ" thick before you cook them.
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21 Jun 2012
SSSprout's Beet 'Cylindra' was
Reviewed day 54
I thinned these and was able to gather a lot of good sized roots.
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26 May 2012
HollyBee's Beet 'Cylindra' was Reviewed day 25
got half the bed weeded. Still need to thin.
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20 Apr 2012
Kevalsha's Beet Bull's Blood was
Reviewed day 54
This planting never made it. It sprouted and died same week. I will try again in the fall.
Beetroot care instructions
How long does Beetroot take to grow?
When should I plant Beetroot?
Our when to plant Beetroot estimates are relative to your last frost date. Enter your frost dates and we'll calculate your sowing and planting dates for you!
Footnotes
Popular varieties of Beetroot
- Detroit Dark Red
- Chioggia
- Boltardy
- Bull's blood
- Cylindra
- Golden
- Early Wonder
- Burpee's Golden
- Early Wonder Tall Top
- Detroit Red
View the complete variety list for Beetroot »
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