Beta vulgaris Detroit 3 Short Top

Beetroot thrives in damp, well-drained, and moderately fertile soil. Compost can be added in autumn or spring. Choose a sunny or semi-shaded location as beetroot likes light but not excessive heat. Watering should be moderate, especially while waiting for germination and during hot and dry weather. Mulching around the plants should be done in the case of drought.

Beetroot can be sown from March (undercover) until June. Sowing directly in the ground should start from mid-May when the soil has warmed up enough and the risk of frost has passed. To stagger the harvest, you can sow, for example, every 15 days.  Germination occurs 10 to 15 days after sowing.

Sowing under cover: Fill pots with special seed compost and plant 3 or 4 seeds per pot. You can also sow in trays with drainage holes (one seed every 5 cm (2in)). Keep the soil slightly moist. When the seedlings have grown 5 leaves, around 10 cm (4in), thin them out to keep only one plant per pot. Depending on the sowing date, you can either transplant them into the ground if the soil is warm enough, or keep a plant in each pot until temperatures rise. When transplanting into the ground, leave a spacing of 30 cm (12in) between rows and 20 cm (8in) within the row.

Sowing in the ground: Stretch a string and make furrows 2 cm (1in) deep, spacing the rows 30 cm (12in) apart. Sow thinly, one seed every 5 cm (2in) or in clusters, 3 to 4 seeds in each hole, with a distance of 20 cm (8in) between holes. Cover with fine soil and gently firm it down with the back of a rake. Water with a fine spray to keep the soil moist. When the plants have grown 5 leaves, around 10 cm (4in), thin them out to keep only one plant every 20 cm (8in).

The plants removed during thinning can be easily transplanted elsewhere.

Cultivating beetroot requires regular hoeing and weeding around the plants.