Beetroot is one of the rare vegetables where the whole plant earns its place — root and leaf both worth eating.
Beetroot is a fast, undemanding root crop that can be sown direct in succession for a rolling supply through summer. It’s often overlooked that the young leaves are edible too, similar to chard.
Sowing & growing calendar
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | Sow in March | Sow in April | Sow in May | Sow in June | ||||||||
| Harvest | Harvest in June | Harvest in July | Harvest in August | Harvest in September |
Care details
- Sow March – June
Sow direct, a few weeks apart, for a rolling supply.
- Harvest June – September
Lift when roots reach golf-ball to tennis-ball size — smaller is more tender.
Growing tips & common problems
- Thin clusters to one seedling per station — beetroot 'seeds' are actually small clusters that germinate together.
- Lift while still small for the most tender roots; left too long, older beetroot turns woody.
- Twist off the leaves rather than cutting when preparing for storage, to stop the roots 'bleeding' colour.
Grows well with
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