Top 5 Mistakes Growing Beets in Zone 5 & 6

Beets are not the most popular vegetable but they have a lot of benefits. You can eat the roots and greens, they tolerate cool weather and are easy to store. But beets can be difficult to grow especially if you have heavy clay soil.

Let’s discuss 5 mistakes people make when growing beets and how you can avoid these pitfalls.

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Mistake #1: Planting Too Early:

Beets are cool weather plants but young seedlings can't tolerate frost. Don't plant to early. Make sure your soil is at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius before planting.

I often plant beets outside under cover around in late March early April. They can be planted about a month before the last expected frost. I like to push the seasons a bit. For Zone 6B I plant beets outside under cover around March 15. In Zone 5 wait till the second week of April.

You can raise your soil temperature in early spring by using a cold frame or garden fabric. This will also protect them from cold spring rains.

Cold Frames are a great way to extend your harvest. They’re easy and cheap to build and give a lot back for the money.

Check out my article on building and using cold frames

From one of my school garden projects - The top of your cold frame does best if it’s at an angle. In order to gather the most sun, the cold frame should face south. Or at least southeast. this will help warm up the soil for seeds or transplants.

Use a soil thermometer to monitor the temperature before sowing seeds.

Mistake #2: Incorrect Spacing:

Beet seeds are very interesting. They are actually a cluster of seeds known botanically as a glomerule. Typically, each one contains 2 to 5 individual seeds. So this becomes an interesting planting mistake.

Don't plant these clusters close to each other. Plant them 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters apart.

Here is why. If you have seeds planted close together you are going to have a mass of young beets like in the photo below. Even when you plant 3 inches apart you need to thin. There is no getting around thinning. If you don't thin then you will get more leaves and smaller roots.

So take a pair of scissors and snip them off leaving one plant every three inches or so. Keep in mind that these young thinning's taste fabulous. Add them to salad or on a baked potato.

🌱 Why Proper Spacing Matters

• Good Root Size: Adequate spacing helps each beet develop a uniform, well-shaped root.

• Reduces Disease: Proper airflow minimizes fungal disease risks.

• Easier Harvesting: Proper spacing simplifies harvesting without damaging neighboring plants.

Botanically, the beet’s clustered seeds are an adaptation to help the plant survive harsh conditions in the wild. The corky surface aids in water retention and protects seeds from predation.

Mistake #3: Poor Soil Nutrients:

Beets can be a tad picky when it comes to soil nutrients. They don't like a lot of nitrogen so use aged compost and not much fertilizer.

Also they have a high need for boron. Boron is a micronutrient needed for proper root development. Some soils are depleted of boron and beets may have problems absorbing it. Deficiency causes black or brown spots inside the root as well as yellow leaves.

To remedy this foliar feed with liquid seaweed for fast results or add 1 teaspoon Borax per gallon of water and water soil around plants. You can find borax in the laundry isle at your local grocery store.

Beets also benefit from phosphorus, a crucial nutrient for strong root growth. Rock Phosphate is a natural, organic fertilizer sourced from rock deposits, releasing phosphorus slowly over time.

Bone Meal is a good slow release form of phosphorus and also provides calcium. Down to Earth Organic Bone Meal is from a sustainable organic brand.

These should be added in the fall or very early spring so they have time to break down into the soil.

🌱 Important Micronutrients:

Beets benefit from trace amounts of these micronutrients:

• Boron (B):

  • Essential for proper root development. Deficiency causes black or brown spots inside the root.

  • Application: Add small amounts of borax (sparingly) or kelp meal.

• Iron (Fe):

  • Essential for chlorophyll formation and energy metabolism. Deficiency appears as pale or yellow leaves with green veins.

• Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn):

  • Generally provided adequately through healthy compost and rich organic matter.

Mistake #4: Soil Compaction

Growing beets in heavy clay or rocky soil leads to oddly shaped, stunted roots. As you would expect they need light fluffy soil. So till if you need to.

Add lots of well-aged compost and some green sand. This will help improve drainage and create a loose, nutrient-rich bed.

Raised Beds are great because you can tailor the soil so you have a light planting bed. Raised beds also help keep soil from being compacted.

Mistake #5: Inconsistent Watering

Beets react poorly to drought or other water stress. Provide consistent moisture, watering evenly about 1 inch per week. Avoid overwatering or letting the soil dry out completely.

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Beyond the Mistakes: Essential Care Tips

1. Monitor your soil pH. Many of us have acidic soils and beets like alkaline soil with a pH of 6.5–7.5. Test your soil and amend with lime if necessary.

2. Sow beet seeds ½ inch deep, covering lightly with loose soil.

3. Beets don’t like the summer heat. But they make a great fall crop. In late August I start planting them again under shade cloth.

4. Beets are great for succession planting for a spring and fall crop. Plant a row every three weeks to keep your family in roots and leaves. I just make a shallow trench about a half-inch deep and put the seeds in.

5. Beets will do fine with morning sun and afternoon shade. If you have that spot you can probably get them to grow all summer.

6. For Square Foot gardening sow 9 seeds per square. I love this handy Seed Spacer Tool.

7. They germinate optimally at temperatures between 50–75°F (10–24°C). Germination usually takes about 7–14 days, depending on conditions.

Best Beet Varieties:

Classics

Detroit Dark Red is the standby variety for the classic red beet. They are a bit messy but worth it. Red Ace and Ruby Queen are both excellent varieties to grow.

Bulls Blood

The tops or leaves of the beet can be eaten and taste fabulous in spring salads. Bull's Blood is a variety that is grown for its leaf production. In fact, the roots of this variety are a bit fibrous and not as tasty. Do you have livestock? Because I can tell you that my goats and rabbits loved these beets.

Chioggia

Chioggia beets, sometimes called candy stripes, are an old Italian variety and take only 55 days to mature. They have a sweet mild flavor and the beets I was raised on. Also if you don't like having the beets bleed all over your counters during prep time then chioggia's are for you.

Bolder & Golden Detroit

Yellow beets have a great beet flavor. They do bleed yellow but somehow that seems less messy. Golden Detroit is a standout variety however for the past couple of years I have grown Bolder which produces a very nice cooking beet.

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Ways To Use Your Homegrown Beets

🥗 Fresh and Raw:

1. Beet Salad – Thinly sliced raw beets tossed with greens, goat cheese, walnuts, and a balsamic dressing.

2. Coleslaw – Grate raw beets into your coleslaw for vibrant color and sweet flavor.

3. Beet Carpaccio – Thinly sliced beets, drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs.

🥘 Roasted & Baked:

1. Simple Roasted Beets – Roast with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic for an earthy side dish.

2. Oven-Baked Beet Chips – Thinly sliced, baked until crisp, seasoned with sea salt or rosemary.

3. Roasted Beet Pizza – Top pizza dough with roasted beets, goat cheese, spinach, and caramelized onions.

🍲 Soups & Stews:

1. Borscht (Classic Beet Soup) – A hearty Eastern European soup traditionally served with sour cream.

2. Creamy Beet Soup – Purée roasted beets with vegetable broth, garlic, and cream or coconut milk.

3. Chunky Vegetable Stew – Add diced beets to soups and stews for extra nutrition and color.

🍝 Pasta & Grains:

1. Beet Risotto – Stir roasted beet purée into risotto for a creamy, colorful dish.

2. Beet Pasta Sauce – Blend cooked beets, garlic, olive oil, and herbs for a unique pasta sauce.

3. Beet Gnocchi – Incorporate cooked beets into homemade gnocchi dough.

🌯 Pickled & Preserved:

1. Pickled Beets – Sweet and tangy, perfect on sandwiches, salads, or served as a condiment.

2. Fermented Beets (Beet Kvass) – A nutritious probiotic beverage popular in Eastern European traditions.

🥤 Smoothies & Juices:

1. Beet Smoothie – Blend beets with berries, bananas, and yogurt or almond milk for a healthy breakfast.

2. Fresh Beet Juice – Juiced beets combined with carrots, apples, ginger, or lemon for a refreshing detox drink.

Beet health drinks are all the rage. Add some cooked beets, ginger, garlic, and lemon to a blender.

🍪 Baked Goods & Desserts:

1. Beet Chocolate Cake – Adds moisture, sweetness, and deep color without overpowering flavor.

2. Beet Muffins or Pancakes – A delicious, naturally sweet twist that adds nutrients and vibrant color.

🥚 Breakfast & Snacks:

1. Beet Hummus – Add roasted beets to chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice for vibrant, tasty hummus.

2. Beet Deviled Eggs – Marinate hard-boiled eggs in beet juice for naturally colorful appetizers.

🍳 Main Courses:

1. Beet Burgers (Veggie Patties) – Combine grated or puréed beets with beans, quinoa, and spices for flavorful patties.

2. Stuffed Beets – Hollow out roasted beets and stuff them with grains, cheese, nuts, or herbs for a tasty entrée.

Enjoy experimenting and incorporating this versatile veggie into your culinary adventures! 🥕🍽️

Author, Ame Vanorio, is a Master Gardener and Science Teacher. Her books are available on Amazon.