Beets in popularity take an honorable third place after cabbage and carrots. Beets are rich in mineral salts of potassium, manganese, calcium, iron and organic acids. It is indispensable in borscht, vinaigrettes, salads, marinades and in the diet menu.
How to plant beets with seeds
Beetroot is considered an unpretentious plant, but if you do not follow the technology of growing it, the harvest will not please you - the roots will be ugly in shape and taste bad. Let's start with the fact that beetroot is a light-loving culture, but it can grow and bear fruit in slight shading. She loves loose, fertile, but by no means acidic soils. Clay, heavy soils with stagnant water are unsuitable for cultivation. If the site has heavy waterlogged soils, beets are recommended to be sown on high beds. Beets cannot be sown after carrots and cabbage, but onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes are considered good predecessors for it.
A plot for beets is prepared in the fall, when, during deep digging, humus and compost are introduced into the soil at the rate of 15 kg per 1 sq. m. The soil fertilized with organic matter is seasoned with complete mineral fertilizer in the spring. Mineral fertilizers can be replaced with wood ash, which is applied per 1 sq. m in the amount of 3 glasses. Thus, for growing beets, they prepare loose, fertile layer which will provide good quality sowing, friendly shoots and generous harvests.
Seeds for planting also need to be prepared. Beet seeds must be fresh and pure-bred. All small and broken seeds are discarded. The beet seed is actually a seed, consisting of several dry fruits. They are not separated from each other, but soaked and sown with one seed. Therefore, 3-5 beet seedlings sprout from one hole.
How to plant beets in spring
During spring sowing, beet seeds are soaked in a solution of trace elements - boron, molybdenum - for 18-20 hours and sown only in well-moistened soil. Optimal timing spring planting is considered the period from May 1 to May 10. The seed sowing rate is 1.5 - 2 g per 1 sq. m. You should be aware that planting too deep inhibits seed germination due to oxygen deficiency, and too shallow causes the seeds to dry out or be blown out by the wind.
Experts advise planting beets during spring sowing to a depth of 2-3 cm at a distance of 8-10 cm. To plant beet seeds, you can make small grooves at a distance of 40 cm from each other, or you can sow them on a flat surface, covering the seeds with a 2-cm layer on top soil. If you are late with the sowing dates, then beet seeds are planted only in grooves, which are well watered from a watering can and lightly sprinkled with a layer of soil on top, and then with a mixture of humus and peat.
When 3 true leaves appear on the beet shoots, they must be carefully thinned out and this procedure repeated in phase 5 of the true leaf. Beets need watering and loosening the soil to ensure oxygen access to the roots. It is also recommended to feed the plants twice during the growing season. mineral fertilizers. The first dressing is applied after the first thinning - 10 g of urea per 1 sq. m, the second - after closing the tops - 8 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium chloride per 1 sq.m. Chlorine fertilizers will prevent the accumulation of nitrates in root crops.
How to plant beet seedlings in open ground
Beets can also be grown in seedlings for earlier harvests. Prepared and soaked seeds are sown in containers according to the scheme 4 by 4 cm. Sowing is done 30-40 days before planting in the ground. Beet shoots can not be dived until the very landing in open ground, which is recommended to be carried out in the second half of May. For 1 sq. m plot planted 40-45 seedlings with 3-4 true leaves.
You can grow sugar, fodder or table beets not only in the southern and central regions of the country, but even in Siberia and the Urals. The main thing is to know how and when to plant this tasty and healthy vegetable in open ground, which is often called beetroot by the people. Success in growing a root crop depends on the variety chosen, climatic conditions, soil characteristics and the availability of sufficient light.
Methods and timing of planting beets
You can sow beet seeds in spring or autumn. Specific landing dates depend on the region and weather conditions. It is advisable to carry out spring sowing work when the snow has already melted, the air has warmed up to + 6 + 8 ° С, and the earth has still retained moisture and managed to thaw to a depth of 10-15 cm. In the southern regions, the weather allows you to sow seeds as early as April, in the central regions and the Moscow region, favorable conditions fall on the first decade of the last month of spring.
Autumn sowing is recommended when the soil is slightly frozen and the threat of thaw has passed. The return of warm weather is fraught with premature germination of seeds and the death of sprouts. The length of our country is so great that it is difficult to name the exact dates of landing. Long-term observations of experienced gardeners can serve as a guideline:
Moscow region- from mid-November to early December;
Leningrad region - end of November;
Ural– from October to November;
Siberia- mid-October.
Winter sowing has several advantages, which allows most summer residents to choose this particular method:
During the time spent in the cold ground, the seeds undergo natural hardening. Therefore, plants grown in this way have strong immunity, are highly resistant to disease, insufficient watering and frost.
Since beet seedlings appear much earlier in spring than during spring sowing, the first root crops can be harvested as early as early summer.
By planting beets in the winter, you won’t have to waste your time in the spring, but you can pay more attention to those crops that cannot be planted in the fall.
Interesting! Exists folk omen, according to which the sowing of beets should be carried out after the cherry trees shed their leaves. You can rely on the centuries-old experience of your ancestors and use the hint of nature.
Selecting a landing site
Any garden and field work begins with the choice of a suitable place. The plot for beets must meet several criteria:
Root crop prefers longer duration daylight hours and minimal or no shading. It is under the influence of sunlight that intense staining of vegetables in their characteristic color occurs. Any shading during the day is contraindicated.
The planting bed must be protected from through winds.
It is better to choose a place on a southern or southwestern slope, where the soil warms up faster in spring.
You can not plant beets in a lowland or where groundwater lies close to the surface.
It is important to take into account the rules of crop rotation and remember after which crops a useful root crop will grow best. This will increase the yield of the selected variety and prevent mass damage by diseases or pests:
You can not plant beets in the same area for several years in a row, as well as after radish, radish, daikon and any kind of cabbage.
Neutral precursors include carrots, tomatoes, and onions.
It is favorable to plant a root crop after potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, green manure and any winter crops.
On the next bed you can place a radish, onion, kohlrabi, cucumbers, radishes and beans.
Near the beet plantation, the neighborhood of corn, leeks, potatoes, spinach and celery is undesirable.
Sowing beetroot can be resumed in the same place only after 3-4 years. After harvesting the root crops, the plot can be planted with cucumbers, sweet or hot peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, cauliflower or white cabbage.
Rice. 1. The famous Bordeaux variety
Soil preparation
The area intended for beets must first be prepared:
Apply the required amount of organic and mineral fertilizers - 4-6 kg of rotted manure (fresh can not be used), 60 g of potassium sulfate and 40 g of superphosphate for each square meter of land.
If possible, add wood ash, and to neutralize acidic soil - dolomite flour, ground chalk or fluffy lime (0.5-1 kg per 1 sq. M.).
Dig to the depth of the shovel and level the surface of the bed with a rake.
Along the way, remove the remains of previous crops, weeds and rhizomes.
When all the work to improve the fertility and structure of the soil has been completed, you can start cutting furrows, depending on the chosen planting pattern:
Single line. Furrows are located at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other.
Two-line. Cut the grooves not one at a time, but two at a time next to an interval of 25 cm. Leave a distance of 50 cm between the double “lines”.
The optimal depth of spring sowing is 2-3 cm, winter - 3-4 cm.
Rice. 2. One-line beet landing pattern
Features of spring and winter beet sowing
The process of planting beets in open ground is simple. The seeds of the root crop are quite large, so it is easy to distribute them individually in the grooves. However, the technology of spring and autumn field work is significantly different.
Spring sowing beetroot in the garden
Stimulation of beet seeds should be carried out in the following way:
Soak overnight in warm water(+35+37°C), adding any growth stimulator. Epin, diluted according to the instructions, or hydrogen peroxide at the rate of 1 tbsp is best suited. l. for 0.5 liters of water.
Place the seeds between layers of toilet paper or tissue paper, moisten generously and cover with cling film or a plastic bag.
Sowing operations can be carried out when the soil warms up to +5°C. If you hurry up a lot and put the seeds in cold soil, the plant will go into the arrow and will not give the long-awaited harvest.
The prepared planting material must be distributed into pre-watered grooves at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other. If it is planned to grow large root crops, it is advisable to increase the interval to 10 cm. The approximate seed consumption is 1.5-2 g per 1 sq. m with spring crops and 2-3 g - with autumn-winter. Do not worry if the sowing was carried out more closely - this is easy to fix during the first thinning, without which it is impossible to get high-quality vegetables.
After the beet seeds are sown, the grooves should be sprinkled with a mixture of earth, humus and coarse-grained river sand, lightly tamped with a hand or a wide board so that no air pockets remain in the ground. The final stage of spring planting in a seedless way is watering the beds. A sufficient amount of moisture will provide the necessary boost of energy for the germination of the crop.
2-3 plants appear from each beet seedling, so young shoots must be thinned out:
1st time in the phase of the formation of the first leaf, leave a distance between seedlings of 3-4 cm;
2nd time after the appearance of the second pair of leaves and an increase in the root crop in diameter up to 1.5 cm, maintaining a distance between plants of 8-10 cm.
It is better to thin out beds with beets on a cloudy morning after another watering or rain. Extra sprouts removed from the site can be planted elsewhere
Winter sowing of seeds in open ground
When planting winter beetroot, seeds are not soaked: they are sown in dry soil, and after leveling the soil, the beds are not watered. This rule is very important, since any excess of moisture can provoke premature germination of beets and their death when frost occurs.
To avoid the risk of losses from freezing, you can increase the consumption of seeds and sow them more closely, and thin out in the spring. It is advisable to mulch the beds for the winter using any available material: sawdust, peat, humus, pine litter, spruce branches.
In the spring, when the snow melts, the mulching material must be removed from the bed, and the bare ground should be covered with a transparent film to create a greenhouse effect. When single sprouts appear under the polyethylene, the shelter must be removed.
Choosing a variety of table beets
Getting a good harvest depends not only on meeting the planting dates and proper care. It is very important not to make a mistake with the choice of variety. Vegetable growers recommend giving preference to varieties bred by domestic breeders. Such plants are better adapted to the climate of our country, while foreign varieties may not give the promised yield.
|
Variety name |
Ripening period, days |
Root shape |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rounded or slightly flattened |
Resistant to florescence and cercosporosis |
||
|
rounded |
It has juicy, tasty pulp, high immunity to diseases and flowering. |
||
|
Egyptian flat |
Elliptical |
It is resistant to drought and flowering, has a high keeping quality. Suitable for autumn-winter cultivation |
|
|
red ball |
rounded |
Not prone to stalking and flowering. Lower temperatures affect yields in a negative way |
|
|
rounded |
It has a high yield - up to 6 kg per 1 sq. m. - and medium resistance to shooting |
||
|
rounded |
Drought tolerant, considered one of the most beneficial varieties for human health |
||
|
Cylinder |
Elongated in length up to 10-16 cm, cylindrical |
The variety is characterized by excellent keeping quality, high yield, excellent sweet taste, high content of vitamins and niacin. |
|
|
rounded |
Resistant to flowering, the fruits do not deteriorate until spring. Beets of this variety can be eaten even raw. |
||
|
Polar flat K-249 |
Flat with a thickened axial spine |
Suitable for cultivation in northern regions. Not prone to coloring, well transported and stored |
|
|
Cold resistant 19 |
rounded |
Juicy, pleasant to the taste, but not able to be stored for a long time |
|
|
Cylindrical |
Differs in good keeping quality, suitable for long-term storage and canning |
When choosing a beet variety for spring planting, you can give preference to varieties with the best taste or high yield. For winter sowing, it is worth purchasing seeds of early ripe, non-shooting and cold-resistant varieties of beetroot.
Rice. 3. Sweet beet variety Cylinder
Growing beet seedlings
In order for the plants to have time to form a high-quality root crop, a long growing season will be required. When sowing seeds at the end of May or June, it is not always possible to harvest before the onset of frost. And if seedlings are planted within the specified time, then the ripening period of vegetables will be significantly reduced.
Therefore, when asked how to plant beets, many experienced summer residents answer that they prefer the seedling method. It is suitable for producing early vegetables, and can also be used in regions with short summers and cool climates where the soil and air warm up late.
Sowing beets for seedlings in the spring should be carried out 3-4 weeks before the planned planting in open ground:
Soak the seeds for 1-2 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
Transfer them to damp cheesecloth or toilet paper moistened with Epin's solution or warm water.
Leave until pecking, placing in a plastic bag.
Pour the soil for seedlings into cassettes, plastic cups or boxes, pickle with Fitosporin solution.
Arrange the seeds that have hatched 1 piece into a separate cell or cup, when planting in a common container, maintain an interval of 3 cm between the seeds and 5-6 cm between the grooves.
Sprinkle beets with a thin layer of soil and water well.
Seedlings need to provide at least 10-12 hours of daylight, slightly moist soil, a constant moderate temperature without sharp fluctuations and daily airing.
You need to dive seedlings only once, and then on condition that they are in a common box. Sprouts from cups can be planted outdoors when they have 4 true leaves.
You need to plant young beets in the garden in warm, cloudy weather so that the plants can adapt to new conditions. For better acclimatization of seedlings, a few days before being transferred to the ground, it is useful to take it out into the open air, increasing the time of stay every day. The soil at a depth of 10 cm by the time of planting should warm up to + 8 + 10 ° С.
Important! Before transferring plants to open ground, they must be well watered.
Soil preparation for planting seedlings is carried out in the same way as before sowing seeds: the rules for digging, fertilizer application rates and the planting scheme are identical. For each sprout, you must first shorten the central root by a third.
Rice. 4. Growing beet seedlings in cassettes
Caring for beets in the open field
For better rooting, beet seedlings should be immediately watered with a solution of humate, and for protection from the sun, an arched shelter should be built from any non-woven material. As the beetroot grows, when the tops increase and practically close, the shelter can be removed and the area mulched. This measure will ensure that moisture is retained in the ground and prevent unwanted growth of weeds. Further care for vegetables consists in regular watering, weeding, loosening the soil and fertilizing.
Watering
The culture tolerates short-term drought well, but for harvesting bountiful harvest, it is necessary to take care of sufficient saturation of the earth with moisture. Watering the beds with beetroot is necessary as the top layer of soil dries. It is better to do this at sunset or in cloudy weather.
An effective method of watering is sprinkling, so many gardeners use this option. However, you should not get carried away with watering too much, as excess moisture in the soil can provoke fungal diseases.
Estimated water consumption per 1 sq. m. is 20-30 liters, the minimum number of irrigations per season is 3-4 times.
Advice! To improve the taste of beets, increase their sweetness and keeping quality, it is recommended to water the beds twice with a weak solution of table salt (1-2 tablespoons per bucket of water): the first time in the initial fruit formation phase, the second time 2-3 weeks before the planned harvest harvest.
Weeding and loosening
The next day after each watering or rainfall, the area with beetroot should be loosened to a depth of 5-6 cm. This will destroy the integrity of the soil crust, which makes air exchange difficult and inhibits the growth of vegetables. Along the way, weed sprouts should be removed, which take away nutrients from table or fodder vegetables.
Weeds are terrible only for young shoots, and when the tops of the leaves close up, weeds will no longer harm beet plantations. Some gardeners use tractor kerosene to control weeds. They spray the area with liquid even before the small seedlings appear. At the same time, the consumption of kerosene is small - only 35-50 g per square meter.
top dressing
For the formation of root crops, a sufficient amount of mineral and organic substances that increase soil fertility is necessary. During the season, it is necessary to carry out several top dressings, the composition of which will depend on the phase of development of vegetables:
After the first thinning of seedlings, fertilize the beds with beetroot solution (1 liter per 8 liters of water) or bird droppings (1 liter per 12 liters of water). The approximate consumption of liquid top dressing is 10-12 liters per 10 square meters. m. It is necessary to introduce organic matter not under the plants, but into small grooves made at a distance of 5 cm from the plants.
When the tops close, the beets must be fed with wood ash - before the next watering, scatter it over the surface of the site at the rate of 1 cup per 1.5 square meters. m.
No less useful experts consider foliar top dressing of beets, which is carried out by spraying the leaves. This method helps plants to better assimilate some microelements, which, when applied by root, turn into a form inaccessible to garden crops. For foliar feeding, milk of lime, diluted at the rate of 200 g of dry lime per 10 liters of water, or saline solution (1-2 tablespoons per bucket of water), is well suited.
Harvest and storage
Early ripe beet varieties ripen in mid-summer. The diameter of root crops by that time usually reaches 5-14 cm. They can be used for cooking first courses, salads and other culinary recipes.
The main sign that the root crops are ready for harvesting is yellowed and dried tops. Depending on the variety and region of cultivation, harvesting begins in late August or early autumn. A cool day with no rain is best for digging up vegetables:
Dig up the root crops with a pitchfork, trying not to pierce the pulp, clean from lumps of earth and cut off the tops, leaving two-centimeter petioles. On sandy soils, vegetables are recommended to be pulled out by hand.
Sort out the crop, separate spoiled and damaged specimens. Use them for cooking or preparations for the winter.
Remove high-quality vegetables to dry in a dry, ventilated room where the sun's rays do not fall.
After a week, the beet crop is transferred to permanent storage. For these purposes, a cellar or basement with an air temperature of 0 + 2 ° C and a relative humidity of not more than 90% is suitable. In more warm conditions beet will wither, hurt and deteriorate.
Containers with beets (plastic or wooden lattice boxes) are recommended to be placed at a height of 10-20 cm from the walls and floor surface.
Rice. 5. Harvesting root crops
The main nuances of planting beets and caring for them are shown in this video.
Beets are a biennial crop. After planting, large leaves grow, as well as a root crop. In the second year, flowers with seeds appear. The root crop has different size, shape and mass. The size of the root crop depends on the variety, as well as the conditions of detention. The root crop has a rounded and conical shape. From one square meter you can harvest 3-4 kilograms of crop. Professionals collect 4-6 kilograms of crops.
Planting a crop requires compliance with certain rules. It is advisable not to plant beets next to corn. Corn is able to draw a huge amount of moisture from the ground. In such conditions, the beets will feel hungry.
Landing
The yield increases if you plant a plant next to such crops:
- Beans.
- Tomatoes.
- Potato.
- Spinach.
- Garlic.
- Salad.
- Radish.
Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 5-6 degrees. Sprouts begin to sprout after 1 week. Shoots are resistant to cool climates. Withstand sprouts down to -2 degrees. An adult plant can withstand temperatures down to -4 degrees. For beets, the optimum temperature is 18-20 degrees. When the beets form a root crop, the need for heat increases. During this period, the air temperature should be from 20 to 25 degrees.
Selection of a plot of land
It is best to plant the crop on loose and moist soil.. The right option there will be a land with a low content of alkalis and acids. On alkaline soils, the plant does not produce a crop. It is necessary to plant a plant in illuminated areas of the earth. The culture begins to stretch when it lacks sunlight. Under such conditions, there is a risk of crop failure.
Fertilizer is applied a year before planting. Organic mixtures are used as fertilizer. If fertilizer was not successful last year, apply humus before planting. Humus is introduced into the soil with the calculation of 4 kg per 1-2 meters of land. If the earth has high acidity, then lime is added. Lime is added to the ground with the calculation of 300-700 grams per 1 meter.
How to plant seeds
You can start planting seeds then, when the spring temperature reaches 5-6 degrees. Before planting, the seeds are soaked in water so that the seedlings quickly sprout. Seeds are dried at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. During the drying period, single seedlings appear. Dry seeds must be sown.
Seeds can be sown in such a way that later they do not thin out. To do this, it is necessary to observe the proportions in planting, as well as properly process the seeds. In this case, the distance between the holes should be 10 centimeters. Seeds must be treated with top dressing. Top dressings that contain oxygen are especially useful. The seeds in this case will be strong, and the sprouts will be strong. Such seedlings appear quickly, and there is no need to thin them out.
It is necessary to sow in three lines. Seeds are buried in the ground to a depth of 4-5 centimeters. Heavy soil can slow down beet growth. In heavy soil, it is necessary to sow to a depth of 3 centimeters. Yield depends on weather conditions. Beets are able to freeze when the temperature drops below 5 degrees. Planting beets in 2 terms allows you to get a guaranteed harvest. The first landing takes place at the beginning of May, and the second at the end.
Culture needs to be fed so that there are no problems with the harvest. For 1 season, 3 top dressings are carried out.
You can thin the beets twice when necessary. First thinning occurs when a plant has 2 leaves. Leaves appear 10 days after germination. There should be a distance of 3-4 centimeters between the sprouts.
Second thinning occurs when 3-4 leaves appear. The distance between plants should be 8-10 centimeters. Thinning is best done after rain or watering. The plant is easy to pull out of the wet ground. But it is not necessary to pull out the beets entirely. To carry out thinning, it will be enough to pinch the greens. This method eliminates the possibility of damage to the root of the remaining plants. Do not dive varieties with an elongated root crop. When transplanting such varieties, the integrity of the roots is injured. As a result, the root crop grows defective.
It should be borne in mind that round root crops are not injured during transplantation. Varieties with such a system are not subject to injury after plucking. To make beets sweet, they are fed with fertilizers containing magnesium and boron. Nitrogen is applied when the leaves do not grow well.
Watering and tillage
Attention should be paid to soil care. Soil needed loosen regularly. Loosening eliminates the appearance of a dry crust on the soil. At first, the earth is loosened to a depth of 5 centimeters. Gradually, the depth increases to 10. A root crop should be spudded if it looks out of the ground. Beetroot loves moisture. The root crop begins to dry out as it peeks out of the ground. Cultivated beds need to be watered. The beds are moistened before planting, as well as after sowing.
Throughout the season it is necessary carry out regular watering. It is best to water with a watering can. For watering beets, special sprayers are well suited. These sprinklers automatically irrigate. Sprayers evenly distribute moisture throughout the area. Thus, water evenly moisturizes the entire area. Breaks between watering are not allowed when the root crop is actively forming. Watering stops a month before harvesting.
Beets are one of the most useful and vitamin vegetables in the country. Everything in beets is edible, including the leaves. She goes to salad, and to a side dish, and to borscht. This popular root vegetable is good because it can be eaten both raw and boiled. And what is important - it is tasty and appetizing of any size, not to mention a cocktail of a huge amount of useful ingredients.
Even a novice summer resident can grow this wonderful plant in his area without much hassle, especially if he listens to proven tips and recommendations for choosing a place for planting, preparing a garden bed and the intricacies of sowing beet seeds in open ground (or pre-seedlings).
According to the ripening period, beets can be divided into the following varieties (from the first shoots to the moment of harvesting):
- early ripening-medium early (80-110 days);
- mid-season (110-130 days);
- late ripening (130-145 days).
The most popular varieties of early or early ripening beets include the following: Early Wodan, Carillon, Red Ball, Mona, Egyptian and Gribovskaya flat, Action, Nastenka. 
- Mid-season varieties are represented by the following: Bordeaux-237, Sonata, Crimson Ball, Valya, Detroit and Cold-resistant 19.
- Among the late-ripening, the following are common: Lettuce, Matron and Cylinder.
Interesting! Varieties of beets often differ in that some grow on the surface, while other root crops "sit" exclusively in the ground. So, for clay soils the first ones (which crawl to the surface) are better suited.
When to sow beet seeds in open ground in spring: optimal timing
Beet is considered a relatively heat-loving vegetable, so it is worth planting when the temperature of the earth warms up to +8, and the air to +10..+12 degrees.
Interesting! The popular landmark for sowing beets is the moment when small leaves the size of a penny will appear on the birch.
Planting dates depending on the region and variety
Thus, the timing of sowing beets varies depending on the climatic features of your place of residence.
For example, in the South (in Krasnodar, in the Kuban), the root crop can be sown already in the second half of March-April. But in middle lane(Moscow region) suitable dates for planting beets in open ground are in early-mid May, in Siberia and the Urals - in the second half of May.
However, you should not rush into planting beets early - it is better to wait until the end of the return spring frosts and only then start sowing seeds.
By the way! Varietal affiliation does not affect the time of planting. Early varieties do not plant earlier, as well as later - later. It just doesn't make sense.
According to the lunar calendar in 2020
If you want to choose certain date for planting a root crop, then you will always come to the rescue moon calendar.
Yes, most auspicious days for sowing beets for seedlings or in open ground according to the lunar calendar in 2020 are:
- in April - 5-7, 9-15, 17-22, 27-30;
- in May - 2-6, 9, 11, 12, 20-22, 29-31;
- in June - 7-9, 11-14.
If you already turn to the lunar calendar, then you should know that it is even more important not to plant a vegetable on unfavorable dates, and this is in 2020 (the days of the Full Moon and New Moon, as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because this is a barren and dry sign - italicized):
- in April - 8, 15-17 , 23;
- in May - 7, 13-14 , 22;
- in June - 5, 9-11 , 21.
According to lunar calendar, from the magazine "1000 tips for summer residents."
How to plant beets in open ground: sowing rules
Preparing seeds for planting
You can always plant beets with dry seeds, but to improve germination, it is advisable to pre-soak and germinate them.
You can germinate beet seeds before planting in different ways:
When using any method of seed germination, the essence is approximately as follows: the seeds are placed on a damp surface, the container with which is placed in a warm place where the temperature fluctuates around + 20-22 degrees, and make sure that the seeds do not dry out, periodically adding water to capacity.
Benefits of germinating beetroot seeds:
- You can immediately see which seeds have sprouted and which have not. Thus, it is possible to achieve better germination in open ground.
- When planting with germinated seeds, seedlings appear much faster, as a rule, by 4-6 days.
Bed and soil
Beetroot grows well in lighted beds, so it should be planted where there is often sun.
You can even plant the root vegetable close to the trees on the south side, where the sun will nourish the vegetable for at least half a day.
Advice! If your dacha is located in a lowland and the places are relatively swampy, then it is better to plant beets (and not only them) to high beds. Many gardeners, in principle, love and successfully grow vegetables in such beds.
Excellent predecessors for planting beets are legumes, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers. But cabbage is not a very good predecessor; after it, it is not recommended to sow a root crop.
It is advisable to prepare the soil for growing a root crop in advance, even in the fall. Although it's okay if you start cooking it right in the spring, shortly before planting.
Beets, like all other root crops, need a very good and loose soil, and in clay it is simply difficult for them to grow. Digging up the soil costs about a shovel bayonet (20-25 cm).
If you have too much sandy ground, then you can improve its composition by introducing high-quality humus or compost (3-4 kg per 1 sq. meter of beds) by adding a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate to it (30-40 grams) and then thoroughly digging and mixing everything.
If your soil is too heavy (clayey), then in addition to humus or compost and superphosphate, you should add peat and quite a bit of sand to the soil.
Beets do not like acidic soils so if you have hyperacidity soil, then it should be deoxidized in the fall, adding lime or.
If you add it to the soil in advance, then this will also have a very good effect on the vegetable. You can also do this during planting and subsequent top dressing.
Note! It is impossible to introduce fresh manure into the soil for beet beds, even in autumn, especially in spring. This root crop is very fond of accumulating nitrates, which we absolutely do not need.
Sowing in the garden
Many experienced vegetable growers recommend making grooves along the edge of the garden. With such a planting, the root crops will grow large, and the bed itself will be beautiful. Good neighbors for beets can be onions, dill, tomatoes, cabbage and lettuce.
By the way! There is even such a saying: "Beetroot loves to rub against the hem of the hostess."
Step-by-step instructions for planting beet seeds in open ground in spring:
- Prepare the seeds: soak and germinate.
- Choose a place for the beds and make grooves 2-3 cm deep.
- It is good to shed the grooves with water.
- Spread the seeds. Seed material should be planted at a distance of about 3-4 centimeters from each other. In the aisle - at a distance of 20-30 centimeters.
- This root crop is very fond of, so it is recommended to pour it a little immediately after sowing.
- Then fill the grooves with earth and again sprinkle a little with ash.
- Mulch with sawdust (lightly, a thick layer is not necessary).
- Cover with foil to protect against recurrent frosts and for a greenhouse effect. As soon as shoots appear, the film can be removed.
Video: sowing beets with germinated seeds
Sowing beet seeds for seedlings
If you want to get an earlier harvest, you can plant beet seeds for seedlings. The main specificity of sowing is that the planting capacity must be high enough, because we are planting a root crop.
By the way! Beets grown through seedlings will not require future thinning for obvious reasons.
Agrotechnics for growing beets through seedlings is quite simple: watering is necessary as the soil dries up, as well as a bright place. When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, a small root crop can be planted in open ground.
On a note! If you want to get a little confused and try to get an earlier harvest, then sow beets for seedlings. If not, then it grows beautifully and in a seedless way.
Further care for beets after planting
Advice! About, how to care for beets outdoors to grow sweet root crops, read
If you care about your future health and are “addicted” to beets, then be sure that you are quite capable of growing a crop of juicy and large root crops. Of course, first of all, for this it is necessary to initially plant beets correctly in the spring.
Video: when and how to sow beet seeds in open ground
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Table beet is an indispensable root crop in cooking. But not everyone knows how to properly plant it and care for the crop.
Let's take a closer look at how to plant beets and care for them.
Varieties and features of beets
The most popular variety of this root vegetable is the table beet. That is what every summer resident grows. It has a red fleshy root crop.
In addition to the dining room, there are also the following types:
- fodder beet;
- sugar beet.
These two types of root crops are rarely cultivated by summer residents, only if there is a need to feed animals with them. They are not suitable for human consumption.
There are a lot of varieties of table beets. For our area, it is better to choose varieties of domestic selection:
- burgundy 237,
- gourmet,
- crimson.
They tolerate climatic conditions best and have good yields.
How to prepare the soil before planting beets
Since beets are a very light-loving plant, therefore, for sowing, you need to find an area unshaded by tall plants in the garden. The soil before sowing the root crop needs to be fluffed up a little to ensure a sufficient flow of oxygen.
In addition, mineral fertilizers must be applied. Manure is not very suitable for beets, as nitrates will get into the root crop from it. The best option There will be the use of fertilizers such as:
- ammonium nitrate;
- potassium chloride;
- superphosphate.
When planning a place for planting beets, it is necessary to take into account seasonal crop rotation. Beets can be planted in the same place no more than 4 years later.
The best predecessor for it might be:
- cucumbers;
- white or cauliflower;
- potato;
- tomatoes.
After these plants, many minerals remain, which are necessary for the growth of beets.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Seeds also need to be prepared for sowing. To do this, they are soaked in a special solution.
A solution to stimulate growth is prepared from 1 liter of warm water, at a temperature of 30 degrees, to which 1 tablespoon of ash is added, one teaspoon of soda and superphosphate, and a fourth of a teaspoon of boric acid.
We leave the seeds in this solution for a day, after which they need to be washed in clean water. After washing, the seeds should be wrapped with a damp cloth and left in a warm place for 3 days. After this time, the seeds are ready for planting.
When to plant beets
Beets can be planted in spring or autumn. In spring, seeds can be planted in open ground only when the earth reaches a temperature of 10 degrees, at a depth of 10 cm. This usually happens in early May. But experts advise sowing beets in early June, so it will be better stored in winter.
Autumn sowing is carried out in October - November. The main thing is to have time to do this before the first frost.
Beet root planting methods
There are 2 ways to sow beets:
- immediately into open ground;
- seedling cultivation.
The first way is the most common. Beets are sown in rows, at a distance of about 45 cm. The sowing depth is within 2-3 cm. The distance between seeds should be no more than 13 cm.
You can plant more densely, but when seedlings appear, it will be necessary to thin out the crop, since several plants grow from one seed at once. It is necessary to remove the weaker ones in order to give more nutrients and moisture to the remaining ones.
Growing seedlings involves getting a crop earlier than when sowing in the ground. In the greenhouse, seeds are prepared and planted in the same way as when planting in open ground. After the plants reach 5 cm in height, the weakest are removed from them.
When the height of the selected plants reaches 8-9 cm and they have at least 4 leaves, you can transplant to the garden. To do this, the plants are cut with the ground from the greenhouse and seated at a distance of 17 cm from each other in rows. The distance between rows should be at least 33 cm.
Beet care and pest control
A growing plant needs care and fertilizer. Watering beets often is not worth it. This can lead to cracking of the root crop and loss of its color and taste.
During the growth period, beets can also be additionally fed with mineral fertilizers diluted in water.
Beets are very fond of care. It constantly needs to be rid of weeds and protected from pests. Aphids do great harm to her. You can fight the pest folk ways. An infusion of onion and dandelion husks, which are poured with boiling water in equal proportions, helps well. With the cooled infusion, you need to sprinkle beet leaves. Aphids also do not tolerate wood ash.
Harvest beets after the leaves begin to turn yellow. The main thing is to have time to collect before frost. Excess soil is removed from root crops before storage and leaves are cut off. Beets are best stored in the basement, stacked in separate boxes and sprinkled with sawdust.
