Beetroot

How to sow

Sow 2 cm, loose deep compost. Use peat-free coco. Keep the surface just moist.

Germination 7–14 days in the crop record.

Growing

1. Sowing — Day 0. Sow 2cm deep, 5cm apart. Each "seed" is actually a cluster — expect multiple sprouts.
2. Germination — Days 7–14. Keep moist. Thin to strongest seedling per cluster when 5cm tall.
3. Leaf growth — Weeks 2–4. Keep soil consistently moist. Leaves are edible at this stage.
4. Root swelling — Weeks 4–6. Do not disturb. Keep watering consistently — dry spells cause woody rings.
5. Harvest — Weeks 8–10. Twist off leaves, pull root. Oversized beetroot becomes woody and loses sweetness.

Keep at or above 7°C where the crop record sets a floor.

Harvest

First cut around 8 weeks.

Twist off leaves, pull root. Oversized beetroot becomes woody and loses sweetness.

Common mistakes

• Harvesting too late — Large beetroot develops woody internal rings and loses sweetness. Pull at golf-ball size (5–6cm diameter). Smaller is sweeter and more tender.
• Inconsistent watering — Irregular watering causes woody, zoned rings inside the root. Water every 2 days consistently. Never let the compost fully dry out.
• Pot too shallow — Beetroot needs 20cm+ depth for proper root development. Use deep pots. Shallow containers produce stunted, distorted roots.
• Throwing away the leaves — Beetroot leaves taste like Swiss chard and are completely edible. Sauté with garlic and olive oil, or use young leaves raw in salad. Zero waste.

In the kitchen

• Roasted — Wrap in foil, roast at 190°C for 45–60 minutes until knife-tender. Peel after cooking.
• Raw salad — Grate or thinly slice raw beetroot. Dress with orange juice, olive oil, and dill.
• Hummus — Blend roasted beetroot with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic. Vibrant pink.
• Pickled — Slice thinly, pack in jars with red wine vinegar, sugar, and bay leaf. Ready in 24 hours.
• Beetroot leaves — Sauté young leaves with garlic and olive oil — they taste like Swiss chard. Zero waste.

Questions

Sources

1. Beetroot Seed Pack
2. Coco Soil treatise
3. HubWīk contents
4. Grower knowledge + RHS Growing Guides