Growing Beets: Easy, Tasty, and Beginner-Friendly

Beets quickly became some of my garden favorites. They’re simple to grow and beginner friendly. Plus, they’re delicious, store well, and add great colour and nutrients to your plate. In addition to the classic red beets found in stores, there are golden and multicoloured varieties like the Chioggia with its white stripes. 

Here is what helped me to grow Beets.

Golden and Red Beet growing next to each other on garden

Why grow Beets

  • They’re easy to grow, low maintenance, and delicious.
  • Beets are nutritious, store well, and you can harvest the roots and leafy greens.
  • They’re great for beginner gardeners, especially for direct sowing.

When to plant Beets

Beets are a cool-season crop, so they’re best planted in:

  • Early spring, as soon as the soil is workable
  • Or again in late summer to early fall, for a second harvest
  • For warmer climates they can be grown in winter.

Where to plant Beets

  • Full sun, but partial shade will also work
  • Loose, well-draining soil — roots need room to develop
  • They grow nicely in raised beds but of course as well in ground. 

How to Sow Beets

  • Direct sow the seeds — beets don’t love transplanting. They can take a while to germinate. Soaking them in water overnight before planting can help with germination.
  • I sow them about 20 cm apart and 1-2cm deep. They can also be thinned.
  • Think of how big you want each beet to get and space accordingly
  • Each seed is actually 2 to 4 seeds (called multigerm). After germination you can see that each seed can produce several plants. They can be thinned so that all the energy goes into one only. When left in a cluster, multiple beets grow together. They can be harvested separately which allows the remaining to bulk up.
Cluster of Golden Beets growing together in vegetable garden

Water & Care

  • Beets are low maintenance once germinated.
  • But keep the soil consistently moist especially until they have germinated and when the plants are young but don’t overwater.

Harvest

  • The greens when they’re a good size — use them like spinach or chard
  • The roots once they reach the size you like: small and tender, or bigger and heartier. Because they are cold tolerant, they can also be left in the ground and harvested as needed. Beets can be stored long term in a root cellar. But they also last in the fridge. Cut off the greens about 2 cm from the root.

  • For a steady supply beets can be sown in succession every 2–3 weeks. That way, you’ll always have fresh beets coming in.

Harvesting three red beet from garden

Growing beets is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to fill your garden and your plate. If you’re just starting out, they’re the kind of crop to try — and rewards you with delicious results.

👉 Check out my post on Starting a Veggie Garden if you’re just beginning, or my DIY Seed Starter Box for more planting ideas!