Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, or on the balcony, beets are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing beets, also known as beetroot.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Beets Belong To?
Beets (Beta vulgaris) belong to the Amaranthaceae family, also known as the amaranth family.
Some of their relatives include amaranth, spinach, and lambsquarter.
Beets are actually the same species as chard, just a different variety with a much thicker root.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Beets?
The minimum container depth recommended for beets is 10-12 inches. A 5 gallon planter is generally a good fit.
Some beets may survive in an 8- or 9-inch planter, but they run the risk of being cramped and therefore producing a smaller root.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here. The kale example in the Size section of that article can apply to beets too.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Beets?
Some of beets best companions are as follows:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Bok choy
- Mizuna
- Chijimisai
- Komatsuna
- Tatsoi
- Garlic
- Leek
- Onion
- Lettuce
- Bush beans like bush types of green beans, either concurrently or successively. See the Growing Chard article here for more information.
- Rose
- Watercress
- Spinach
- Celery
- Carrot
- Purslane
- Lovage
- Wild ginger
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Beets?
Beets are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with beets are as follows:
- Pole beans, which compete with beets for space and, to a lesser extent, light
- Cucumber
- Melons
- Potato
- Tomato. This difference between beets and chard is due to the fact that beets' large roots tend to get in the way of tomatoes' extensive root system, making them bad companions. Although tomato roots may grow around beets to an extent, they may stunt the beets' growth in the process.
What Soil Conditions Do Beets Need?
Beets prefer loose, well-draining, fertile, nitrogen-rich, loamy soil. They may tolerate some sand in the soil but not at the expense of nutrient loss.
How Long Do Beets Take to Germinate?
Beets take 5-8 days to germinate at a temperature of 50-85°F.
How Much Sun Do Beets Need?
Beets should be planted in full sun.
They may survive in shaded environments such as part shade. Their leaves, which resemble chard, may even thrive in such environments. But since more sunlight is needed for root production, the actual beets (the roots) will likely be much smaller if planted in the shade.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and beets grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Do Beets Need?
Beets need 1 inch of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Beets?
Beets grow fastest in temperatures of 50-70°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, their growth could be slower or even stunted.
Beet are hardy to at least 30°F, with some varieties even surviving temperatures down to 15°F or lower.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some beet varieties are bred for winter harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Do Beets Get?
The average height of beets is 2 feet.
Their average depth is 3-4 feet when mature.
Are Beets Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Beets are biennial vegetables, meaning that their life cycle spans 2 years, and they flower, produce seed, and die in their second year.
But they are usually grown as annuals, meaning that they start and end their lives in the same year. This is because, like many other root crops such as carrots, their flavor becomes bitter in their second year as the plant prepares to flower and reproduce.
How Do Beets Reproduce?
Beets reproduce by seed.
How Many Beets Are Produced Per Plant?
Beets produce 1 large root per plant.
Can Beets Be Ingested?
Beet roots and leaves (also called greens) are edible.
Though highly nutritious, beets do not have any known uses in herbal preparations.
Like their relative, spinach, beets are high in oxalic acid. This is especially true of beet greens. Those who are sensitive to oxalic acid and oxalates may choose to avoid or limit their consumption of beets for this reason. Oxalates are significantly reduced by cooking.
There are no other known safety concerns associated with ingesting beet roots or leaves.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of beets rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for beets here!
Beets are featured in these Plant to Plate articles: