1. Good Organic Gardening - January-February 2016

Beetroot | GROWING
seeds. Because of this oddity, it’s necessary to thin out
seedlings when they’re large enough to handle. Select the
strongest seedlings and either transplant the “thinnings”
(the plants you remove) or eat them in a leafy salad.
With the soil prepared, sow the corky seed in shallow
rows about 1–2cm deep, pressing the seed firmly into
the soil and covering it. Alternatively, look for seed tapes
where a biodegradable tape has been impregnated with
beetroot seed to ensure good spacing. Keep the soil
moist while you wait for the seedlings to appear.
Beetroot can also be sown into a seedling punnet or
seed tray, allowed to grow until the seedlings are around
3–5cm high and then planted into the garden.
Beetroot label
Common name: Beetroot
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris
Family: Chenopodiaceae (spinach family)
Aspect & soil: Sun, well-drained soil free of lumps
Best climate: All
Habit: Annual
Propagation: Seed, seedling
Difficulty: Moderate
Seeds take 10–14 days to germinate. Speed up
germination before direct sowing by soaking the seed in
warm water for an hour or two. This allows moisture to
penetrate the seed and triggers germination.
There’s another secret to beetroot growing: boron. It
can be added to the soil as borax. Dissolve a teaspoon
of borax powder in a watering can and water over the
seeds at sowing. Boron is a micronutrient that beetroot
needs to form good roots. Hollow roots can indicate a
boron deficiency.
If planting seedlings, soak the punnet well and gently
separate the seedlings. They can then be planted out
about 15–20cm apart. This allows each plant room to
grow a good-sized root.
As the plants develop, encourage good growth with
regular feeds of a liquid fertiliser that’s high in potassium
and phosphorus.
Boron is a micronutrient that
beetroot needs to form good
roots. Hollow roots can indicate
a boron deficiency.
Beetroot tends to grow with the top
of the roots protruding from the soil
Harvest, storage and preserving
Beetroot generally takes 10–12 weeks from planting out
seedlings to harvesting. By this time they’ll be around
6–10cm across. Baby beets can be harvested much
sooner — from around 6–7 weeks.
Don’t rush to harvest all your beetroot at once. Beets
can be left in the ground for several weeks beyond
maturity, especially in cooler climates or in the cooler
parts of the year in warm climates, but don’t leave them
for too many weeks as they can become woody and are
then best fed to the chooks.
When pulling beetroot from the soil, pull plants gently
to get the entire plant. Clean the roots to remove dirt or
grit. Store beetroot with its leaves attached. It keeps for
several weeks in the crisper section of the fridge.
Serve beetroot raw as sticks or grated, or steam, boil or
roast it. After cooking, remove the skin and eat as a hot
vegetable, turn into a soup or preserve it. It can be sliced
and stored in spiced vinegar. Beetroot juice has been
found in studies to lower high blood pressure.
Young beetroot leaves are a tasty
and colourful addition to salads
Good Organic Gardening | 81