Other names
beet
Botanical name
Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris (var. conditiva)
Plant category
Root and tuber vegetables
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Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Easy
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
C - low growth, short growing period
Row spacing
25 cm
Plant spacing
10 cm
Growth height
15 - 35 cm
Sowing depth
3 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
8 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
16 - 22 °C
Germination type
Light and dark
Pre-growing period
30 days
Times
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Pre-grow
Transplant
Harvest
Direct sowing from Mid April to Mid July. Transplant to bed from Mid April to Mid July. Pre-grow about 30 days before planting out, approximately between Mid March and Mid June. Harvest begins around Mid June and continues until Late November.
Sowing and planting
Planting 1: Direct sowing
Planting 2: Starting indoors
Neighbourhood
Very good neighbours
Good neighbours
Bad neighbours
Very bad neighbours
Crop rotation
Good predecessors
Bad predecessors
Very bad predecessors
Good successors
Bad successors
Very bad successors
Harvest and processing
You can harvest beetroot after 8 to 10 weeks as "baby beet". They'll be noticeably smaller but very tender and flavourful.
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You can also enjoy the young leaves in baby leaf salads.
Only fully mature roots are suitable for storage, though.