Beets 

There's nothing quite like the sweet and earthy flavor of beetroot. Beets are one of the most nutritious vegetables in the garden, packed with antioxidants and vitamins. One of the great things about beets is that when you harvest them you actually get two vegetables in one. The green tops are also edible and are packed with nutrients. Use the tops like you would Swiss Chard - in salads, sauteed, in pasta, etc.

Site selection

Beets grow best in loamy soil with a pH of 6.0 or greater.  Adding lime to your soil will greatly benefit your beet crop if you have acidic soils like we have in Western Oregon. 

Planting

Beets grow best and have the best flavor when grown in cooler weather conditions. 

Planting dates in Western Oregon
April through August

Direct seeding
Beets grow best directly seeded into the garden. Plant seeds 1/2" deep spaced at 1" apart. Thin plants to 3" apart when seedlings emerge. 

Transplants
Most root crops do not perform well as transplants, but beets are the exception. Transplanting beets allows for an earlier harvest, but the roots might not be as uniform as they would be if direct seeded. Plant seeds 1/2" deep in trays 6 weeks before planting outside. When planting into the garden make sure to untangle the taproot so it can grow downward into the soil rather than circling around itself. 

Harvesting

Harvest beets when the roots reach the desired size. Smaller beets will be more tender. Harvesting during cold weather will result in sweeter and better tasting roots.

Recommended varieties
Click on each variety to learn more

Chioggia (Territorial Seed Co.)

Cylindra (Territorial Seed Co.)

Early Wonder (Eden Brothers)