How often to water the beets after planting outdoors?

Beetroot has been and remains a popular vegetable used in many dishes. Growing it outdoors requires certain skills and knowledge. It is important to observe a number of conditions if you want to get a rich and high-quality harvest. And proper watering is one of the ingredients for successful beet growing.

How often to water the beets?

Experienced gardeners have long noticed the connection between compliance with watering norms and crop yield. How to properly water carrots and beets in order to achieve a 2-3-fold increase in yield - we will soon find out about this.

It must be said right away that these two root crops do not belong to moisture-loving vegetables. A minimum of watering, no waterlogging - and they will answer you with a good harvest. A week or more may pass between waterings, beets with carrots will not suffer from this, since they know how to economically use liquid. But its excess will lead to negative results.

The only exception to the rule is how to water the beets after planting in the ground. While the plant is still very young and weak, you can water more often. The soil should remain moist to the depth of the roots, but without excessive moisture.

To determine how much and with what frequency moisture is needed for root crops, you just need to stick your finger into the garden in several places. If the top 2-3 cm layer of the earth is dry, and then the soil is wet, you do not need to water the beets and carrots. You can do the same by sticking in a shovel and seeing if the dirt has stuck to it or not. This will keep your hands clean.

If we talk about how to water beets in the open field, keeping in mind the method of watering, then it must be said that it is best to water them by rain, that is, from a certain height and from a diffuser on a watering can or hose. By watering and washing the leaves, you promote better beet growth.

Stop watering completely one month before harvest. This will contribute to an increase in sugar levels in fruits and their better keeping quality.

Beets are not among the plants that have an increased need for water. But even for such an unpretentious culture, competent and timely watering is very important. Knowing certain rules, terms, being able to independently determine the degree of soil moisture and the need for watering, you can, with little effort, get a good return and increase the yield several times. In this article, we will look at how to water beets in the open field, we will analyze various methods of watering for a summer residence.

How to grow beets: infographic

For the specifics of growing beets, see our infographic below ⇓.

Download tips for growing beets in infographics in png format

► Video tutorial fromElena Diaculescu"How often and with what to water the beets in the open field?"

In a practical video, expert gardener Elena Diaculescu tells in detail how to water, care for beets outdoors in the country + bonus how to deal with heart rot ⇓.

How often to water the beets? Assessment of soil condition

Often inexperienced gardeners have the opinion that the more often the plants are watered, the better. But this is far from the case. Both lack and excess of moisture negatively affect the development of root crops. To determine the need for watering in each specific case, you need to know, at least approximately, the moisture content of the soil.

The scheme developed by well-known scientists E. Folkenberg and V. Kozhemyakin, which helps gardeners-practitioners to solve the issue of watering needs, will greatly help in this matter. The dependence of the appearance of the soil on the degree of its moisture content with recommendations for watering is presented in the table below.

Soil condition and recommendations for the watering period	Appearance
Dry, requires good watering	Dry as powder, crumbling, does not collect in a lump
Moderate, requires watering	In whom the earth collects, but when dropped from a distance from chest to ground, it will crumble
Good, requires watering in hot weather	In whom the earth gathers, does not break when falling, the soil does not stick to your hands
Optimal, no watering required for 7 days	Easily rolls into a ball, sticks to your hands
Excessively damp, stop watering for up to 2 weeks or more	When pressing a clod of earth, drops of water appear

Comparison of watering methods for beets

Below we will consider and evaluate various ways of watering beets in a summer cottage.

Watering beets with a watering can

It seems to be a well-known method, but it also has its own small features:

• Sown beet seeds or young sprouts begin to water even outside the beds or boxes with seedlings, since the initial heavy drops erode the ground and can bare the seeds or damage the seedlings.
• When the watering can is led over the plants, the water pressure must remain uniform so that the soil receives the same amount of moisture.
• Finishing watering, the watering can is started behind the garden bed, without stopping the water supply, so that its sharp emissions do not break the sprouts or tops.

In a small summer cottage, spot watering of beets is used with a watering can

Pros and cons

+) The advantages of the method are purposefulness, because all the moisture will go to a specific piece of land or under a certain single plant. Also, an undoubted advantage is the absence of a crust when watering.

-) The disadvantages include the inefficiency of watering a large area.

Advice #1. Choose a watering can of no more than 10 liters, small ones will have to be constantly refilled, and a larger volume will require significant physical effort. Pay attention to the convenience of the handle, the length of the spout, the reliability of the joints and material. Small nets-nozzles at the end of the watering can are good for seedlings, and for adult plantings of beets, larger ones are suitable.

Watering beets with a hose

• Apply if the planting area is considerable. The hose is connected to the plumbing system and stretched over the area. Choose two-layer, flexible and durable products, preferably with nylon braid reinforcement.
• Spray nozzles are used, while the water jets enter in small portions without harming the crops. The hose can be extended using adapters for its sections.
• Often, the hose is left on the beds, making the pressure small, and as the soil is saturated with moisture, it is transferred to another area. It is necessary to observe that the pressure does not erode the soil and does not knock down the plants.

If the suburban area is medium in size, then, as a rule, watering with a hose is used. This reduces labor costs

Pros and cons

This is a good method for a medium-sized area, and as the area increases, the length and weight of the hose will increase, causing it to bend and kink. Moving will be a significant physical cost. A product made of low-quality material may begin to leak and deteriorate over time, and high-quality products are more expensive in cost.

Tip # 2.Wrap the hose on a special reel, the plants will not be damaged when it is transported around the site.

Drip irrigation of beets

Produced with special irrigation systems that are installed when laying the site.There are various designs of dropper systems on sale, many vegetable growers make them with their own hands.

Drip irrigation is the best way to supply moisture to beets. Thanks to this method, the plants will constantly receive the required amount of moisture, which will have a beneficial effect on development and increase the yield.

Pros and cons

Drip irrigation forms a zone of directional moistening on the garden bed, saves water, and is suitable for all types of soils. The method does not create a crust on the garden bed, significantly reduces labor costs. Less additional material costs.

Sprinkling

The irrigation method is permissible, since the beet tops are not affected by diseases when water drops on it.

Pros and cons

+) The advantages include: the absence of a crust in the garden bed, there is no need for loosening after watering, the earth is well saturated with moisture.

-) Cons: material costs for installing the system, a constant and high pressure in the water supply system is required to supply water.

Irrigation water requirements

• For a good harvest, irrigation water should be warm enough, within + 12-23 ° C. Very cold artesian and well is recommended to be used only with preliminary settling in containers for its natural heating.
• Tap water contains a lot of chlorine and must also be defended.
• Do not use excessively hard water, it is harmful to plants. This water can be softened by adding a small amount of oxalic acid (4 g per 20 l of water). For the same purposes, the addition of wood ash (60 g per 20 l), peat (200 g per 2 l) or simple settling for 2-3 days in a container is used, the sediment is drained.

Rate and number of irrigations

The amount of watering directly depends on the weather conditions and the growth phase of the plant.

Remember that excessive moisture will give the root crop a wateriness and a bad taste, and its disadvantage is woodiness, bitterness and hardness, such specimens are poorly stored. With insufficient watering, the tops dries and becomes burgundy, the roots are small, and with an excess of moisture, the leaves turn yellow, the roots rot, weeds and diseases develop.

An approximate irrigation scheme is as follows:

• Pre-sowing watering is carried out before planting seeds. If the soil is dry enough, watering should be carried out in several passes, each time allowing moisture to be absorbed.
• At first, seeds planted in the ground and young plants that have already appeared require more water. The top layer of the soil should be constantly moist, but without excess. Keep in mind that during this period it is optimal to conduct more frequent watering, but with less moisture - after all, soaking is not required for a greater depth, the consumption is 100 liters per 10 sq. M.

It is important to ensure that the soil of the emerging seedlings does not dry out

• Watering must be done after the breakthrough of the seedlings, so that the plants left behind take root faster.
• An increased amount of water will be required in the growth phase of the root crop, approximately 150 liters per 10 sq. M. In this phase, on the contrary, it is permissible to water the beets less often (1 time per decade, depending on the weather and soil condition), but in a larger volume.
• On hot days, the amount is increased by an order of magnitude, up to 200 liters per 10 square meters, adjusting the frequency depending on the aridity and soil condition.
• 2-3 weeks before collecting in the bins, watering is stopped, since it is necessary to interrupt the growing season and dry the roots for better safety from diseases and keeping quality.

If there is no possibility of frequent watering, you can cover the soil with a layer of mulch - peat or straw, so the moisture will be better preserved until the next watering, even on especially hot days.

The soil on the beet beds is covered with a layer of mulch so that moisture does not evaporate

Basic rules for watering beets

• Irrigation water must first settle and warm up to air temperature. Too cold temperatures are detrimental to beets - they can cause shock and stop development, weaken the plants.In addition, cold water is poorly absorbed. This rule is especially important for young shoots.
• Water the plantings, allowing the water to be well absorbed, repeating watering if necessary. If the land on the site is significantly dry, then watering is carried out several times a day at short intervals until the soil is restored.
• Make sure that the water falls directly under the plant itself, and does not spread over the garden.
• On cool days, watering beet plantings should be done in the morning or afternoon, since the dim sun will not greatly evaporate moisture, but will create an additional thermal effect. Watering in the late afternoon can damage the roots from cold, damp soil.
• Watering in hot weather is useful if carried out in the evening. Moisture during night hours will not evaporate instantly, but will be beneficial. Watering the beds in the daytime, under the scorching sun, is extremely unfavorable: the soil overheats, intense evaporation occurs, and drops of moisture, being a kind of lenses, can damage the tops, causing burns.
• When watering with a hose, it is preferable to use mesh nozzles, making sure that the jet does not hit hard, eroding the ground and exposing the roots.
• Planting is better to water abundantly and not as often than every day, but little by little. Small-scale irrigation will moisten only the upper layer of the earth, the moisture will quickly evaporate, and the plants will receive nothing in the end.

Answers to topical questions of gardeners

Water should fall under the plant, and not spread over the garden

Question number 1.How should beets be watered on clay soils?

Clay soils are dangerous for plants with stagnant water. It accumulates in the upper layer due to poor water permeability, creating waterlogging during irrigation, the roots rot and remain without oxygen access. This condition creates erosion, crusting and cracking of the earth. It helps to improve the structure of the soil: the introduction of peat, compost, sand, loosening. Watering should be done in small amounts, adjusting the frequency wisely.

Question number 2.If the soil is sandy, what are the features of watering root crops?

The sand quickly passes water down and dries very quickly. Therefore, the roots have an increased need for moisture. Watering is required often. Such types of soils require an improvement in the structure and the introduction of humus, peat, compost.

See the table below for the wetted area of ​​sandy soil during irrigation.

Type of sand in the soil	Soil wetting area, radius in m.
Coarse fraction	0.13 — 0.47
Small fraction	0.4 — 0.93

Question number 3.How do I care for my irrigation water storage tanks?

Water tanks are usually made of iron sheets by welding and installed at some elevation above the ground. To prevent the metal from rusting, it must be painted black for good heating of the water in the sun, it can be coated with bitumen or bitumen mastic. At the end of the season, the water must be drained so that the container does not burst with frozen ice.

Question number 4.What types of pipes are used for irrigation water supply at the site?

The following types of pipes are usually used: metal simple and galvanized, plastic, asbestos-cement, cast iron.

Question number 5.What is soft water supply?

For "soft" water supply, reinforced or ordinary rubber hoses are used, which are often buried in the ground to a depth of 30 cm, so they are less damaged by the sun. It is recommended to disassemble the system for the winter and store the hoses rolled up indoors.

Recommendations of experienced gardeners for watering beets at different stages of ripening

When planting beet sprouts, the soil must be sufficiently moist.

I want to share my experience on how to grow beets and achieve good harvests. For beet beds, a certain algorithm of actions has been developed:

1. Sowing. For a day, I definitely keep the seeds in water so that they are properly saturated with moisture. In the garden, I make shallow grooves and water them with slightly pink potassium permanganate. I spread the seeds, and after sprinkling them with earth, I moisten it again.
2. Planting care before germination. The ground should be constantly moist, so I water it from a watering can every evening, if there was no rain that day.
3. Care for the first shoots. When the first beet leaves appeared, I gently loosen the earth, and water it again a little, but every day. After a while, I thin out and plant part of the sprouts to another place.

4. Care of grown seedlings. When the plants reach more than 10 cm, watering can be reduced and only make sure that the ground does not dry out. Do not forget to loosen the beds a day after the next watering or rain.
5. Caring for plants in the growth phase of root crops. Abundant watering is sufficient once a week. And in very intense heat, as the soil dries out.

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Watering each vegetable crop, carried out in a timely manner and according to all generally accepted norms, has a good effect on the amount of the crop, which becomes several times larger. That is why many gardeners are interested in how often and how competently to water the beets planted in their backyard.

Watering recommendations

Already when sowing beets, the soil should be as moist as possible so that the vegetable crop grows normally. And after that, you will need to take care of regular watering. If your beets lack moisture, then, like carrots, they can eventually grow very rough and straight wood. Thus, we found that for normal growth and full development of beets, not only sufficient sunlight and heat are required, but also a good nutrient medium, as well as proper soil moisture - in order to get large and tasty root crops in the season. Not a single summer resident will refuse to get a double return of vegetables filled with vitamins at a fairly modest cost, which is why below we will talk about how it is necessary to correctly water plants such as beets and carrots.

There are vegetable crops that are very fond of moisture in huge quantities. But experienced gardeners know that beets, like carrots, are not one of them. Since both crops need rare watering, which does not in any way imply waterlogging of the soil. Only if this important condition is observed at the end of the season can one expect good fruiting from the plants.

Since both crops quite economically consume the liquid that has entered the ground, even if someday you will not be in the country for about a week, beets and carrots can easily do without watering these days. Try not to over-water your vegetables, which can make your vegetables look watery and tasteless. At first, immediately after planting the beets, it is recommended to do watering several more times than later, when it takes root. The sprouts require less moisture than adult plants. Already at the beginning of July, it will be necessary to water the beets, like carrots, with at least 15 liters of water per square meter.

There are no specific irrigation rates, the main thing is to control so that the whole land remains sufficiently moist from the inside. Watering beets, as well as carrots, is advised about once a week.

So how can you tell when your crops need moisture? Stick your finger in the ground in the garden bed, and do this in several different places. In the event that the upper few centimeters are dry, but then the ground will be wet, then you do not need to water yet. You can use another method of checking - using a shovel, deepening the bayonet, and then looking to see if there will be wet earth adhering to it. If so, then you are watering your backyard properly. Watering beets, like carrots, will be required when the land from the garden is dry, directly crumbly. Many gardeners are mistaken, watering the area either daily, or too sparsely. In both cases, there will be minimum benefits for vegetables.Because with a lack of moisture in the soil, only weeds will be happy. If the beets feel a lack of moisture, then their tops will grind and become burgundy.

Thus, the correct watering of beets, like carrots, is not only a responsible business, but also quite delicate. It is important to observe a reasonable measure in order to end up with a decent harvest of your favorite root crop. As the experience of many gardeners shows, certain recommendations can be made for the implementation of competent watering. When starting to it, water the plants so that moisture gets on the bed itself, and does not spread along the tops. If you follow this, then the water will certainly fall into the soil. In this way, you will help your crops to avoid the possibility of becoming infected with dangerous fungal infections.

If you are deeply convinced that you need to water your vegetables every day, then we hasten to note that it is in this case that your plants will not be able to receive more moisture. On the one hand, it seems paradoxical and not logical, but on the other hand, it is all very simple to explain... Water from the surface of the earth can evaporate relatively quickly, while the roots do not have time to be saturated with it. Therefore, as already mentioned a little above, experts strongly recommend watering the site less often, but with a fairly large amount of water.

As for the summer period, these days beets, as well as carrots, require watering a little more often, and this is natural. The best time for watering on hot days is the evening hours. This can be easily explained - it is at night that the bulk of the liquid will fall specifically into the soil and be able to bring tangible benefits to the plants, and will not evaporate, as during the day. As for the cooling period, then the watering time should be postponed to lunch or morning. In this way, you will help your root crops avoid unpleasant root decay. Not all gardeners can constantly come to their own personal plot and carry out timely and correct watering of the planted vegetable crops. Therefore, the creation of mulch in the garden has proven itself well. If she is present on the site, then even under extreme heat conditions, your plants will be able to wait a week before your next arrival.

Another exciting moment for many gardeners is watering root crops with water and salt. Many people believe that such spraying has a beneficial effect on the formation of excellent taste in vegetables. Experts question this method, because they believe that salt in the soil structure can disrupt the normal water-salt balance. In the southern regions, they even carry out a merciless fight against soil salinization. However, some summer residents successfully use salt watering, and believe that within reasonable limits it brings its share of benefits. In any case, you will have to decide, planting beets and carrots in your own garden from year to year, and accumulating personal baggage of knowledge, as well as invaluable experience.

Video "How to grow delicious beets"

Learn how to grow tasty, ripe and healthy beets in this video of helpful tips for gardeners, as well as how to water properly.

It has long been noticed that carried out according to the rules and correctly selected for each culture separately

watering

affects the amount of the crop, increasing it by 2-3 times. How often should you water

carrot

and beets to achieve this result? We'll talk about this in more detail below. After all, it is unlikely that some summer resident will refuse to receive, at minimal cost, a double return of vitamin vegetables from a favorite site.

Irrigation rates

There are moisture-loving vegetables, for which excess moisture is simply a life-giving force that they absorb in large quantities. But those who want to know how often to water carrots and beets are probably aware that both root crops do not belong to such specimens. Rare watering, a minimum of waterlogging - it is to such a rate of moisture that they will respond with good fruiting.They will quite tolerate a week before your next arrival at the dacha, as they use liquid sparingly. Its abundance will only negatively affect root crops, make them watery.

 

How often to water the beets after planting? Until the roots are still strong and the plants remain weak, it is better to do this a little more often. There is no specific norm, just make sure that the soil remains moist inside the entire depth of the roots.

Of course, sprouts require much less water than mature plants, so always make sure there is no excess water. So, already at the beginning of June, it is required to make 1 sq. m. not less than 15 liters of water. And at least once a week, but more often if necessary. By the way, watering is allowed even after 15 days, but the watering rate in this case increases and will amount to 10 square meters. m. not less than 600 liters.

When moisture is required: learning to identify

If you are in doubt about how often to water the beets in the open field, and think that once or twice a week will not be enough, then try to learn how to independently determine whether the plant needs moisture or not yet. To do this, simply stick your finger into the soil of the bed in different places. If the layer on top (2-3 cm) is dry, but then wet, then there is no need to add water.

A mechanical check, without getting your hands dirty, is possible if you stick a shovel, deepening it on a bayonet within the garden bed itself. Then pull it out. Is there any dirt on it? So there is enough moisture. When the soil only slightly adheres to the shovel, but at the same time squeezes well in the hand, you can also postpone adding water for at least another day. Only when the ground is crumbly and dry, watering is required.

Beets, of course, do not like excess moisture, because because of this, the amount of oxygen in the soil decreases, the roots of root crops rot, acidity rises and the earth is simply washed out. The abundance of dampness equates to creating an excellent environment for the spread of disease. But too little watering will not do anything good for the beets either. By the way, both of these mistakes are made by most summer residents - they water

garden

either daily or very sparsely. With a lack of moisture, liquid is obtained only by weeds, while beets are left without it. Do you think you will get a good harvest in this case? Of course not.

You can also find out that the beets need more frequent watering if you just inspect the tops. With a lack of moisture, it acquires burgundy shades and becomes shallow.

 

Useful Tips

For a summer resident who is interested in how often to water the beets, the following tips will come in handy:

• Pour water into the bed itself, do not let it spread over the tops. So all the moisture will immediately enter the soil, and you will reduce the possibility of the appearance of fungal diseases.
• For those who like to water every day, but little by little, it is worth saying that this way your plants do not receive enough moisture, oddly enough. It will evaporate very quickly from the surface, and the roots themselves will not absorb it. The conclusion follows from this: let the procedure be carried out less often, but with an abundant amount of liquid.
• Water the beets frequently during the hot season. And better in the evening. During the night, most of it will go deep into the earth, and if the event was held in the morning, a lot will evaporate.
• In case of cold snaps, try to move the watering time to lunchtime or morning hours. A rare sun, evaporating moisture, will give additional heat, as well as reduce the risk of the possibility of root rot.

Not every summer resident is able to regularly visit the dacha and take care of the planted garden, but at the same time everyone would like to get a good harvest, high-quality and large root crops. In order not to think about how often to water carrots and beets, you can arrange mulch on the beds. By the way, this is an excellent solution for those who cannot come to the country more than once a week. In this case, even in extreme heat, the vegetables will wait for a new watering and will give birth well.

Mulching is done, as a rule, from peat or straw, or it is simply allowed to cover the soil with homespun material. In this case, you do not have to worry about the frequency of watering and add moisture abundantly once a week.

Try to learn how to determine your own watering rates specifically for the beets from your site. After all, someone's dacha is located in a hot zone, while someone lives where an abundance of heat is an anomaly. Learn to understand your site, and then questions about the frequency of watering will cease to worry you, but at the same time you will receive a rich harvest of not only beets or carrots, but also other vegetables and fruits.