Beetroot

Common Name: Beetroot. Also known as red beets or just simply beets.

Botanical Name: Beta vulgaris 

When to Sow: Late Winter/early Spring to Autumn. All year in warm tropical areas

Planting Position: Prefers a deep workable well-drained soil with plenty of compost in a sunny spot. 

Days to Germinate: 10-14 days

Ready to Harvest:  10-12 weeks

Lifespan: Annual - Lasts one year

Fertilise: Feed fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser at the seedling stage.

Did you know?

Beetroot could be the key to beating a hangover. Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beetroot its rich colour is also an antioxidant that can help speed up detoxification in your liver,

Tip to remove the inevitable beetroot stain on your white shirt. Try rubbing a slice of raw pear on the stain before washing in a cold water wash.

About Beetroot: This vegetable comes in many shapes and colours with unlimited ways to be prepared and eaten. You can grate, roast, steam, slice, pickle, juice them. Enjoy beetroot chips, beetroot dips, beetroot salads, they just cannot be beaten for versatility!

Tips for growing: Beets are remarkably hardy. Water and feed the crop regularly for the best quality beets. Beetroot like a salty soil and can benefit from adding Epsom salts to your soil, say about 1/2 cup to every 10 litres of soil. Thin out young seedlings giving them plenty of space to develop.

Baby beets are not a specific variety all you do is harvest young from 8 weeks up to 12 weeks when they are the size you like.

Companion Plants - plant Beetroot with broccoli, kohlrabi, onions, silverbeet, lettuce, cabbage family, dwarf garden beans, peas, spinach and dill.