How to grow beets outdoors from seeds?

A gardener's dream come true that grows in all weather conditions? This is beet, the most useful and vitamin-rich vegetable in the country. Everything is edible in beets, including the leaves. It goes into salad, side dish, and 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 colossal amount of useful components. Even a novice summer resident can grow a wonderful plant in his area without much hassle, especially if he listens to our advice and recommendations on the choice of beet varieties, on the intricacies of planting seeds in open ground and on the correct cultivation technique.

Beet variety selection

In terms of ripening, beets can be divided into the following varieties (from the first shoots to the moment of harvest):

• early maturing-medium early (80-110 days);
• mid-season (110-130);
• late ripening (130-145).

The most popular varieties of early or early ripening beets include: 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: Saladnaya, Matrona and Cylinder.

Beet varieties are often distinguished by the fact that some grow on the surface, while others "sit" exclusively in the ground. So, the former are better suited for clay soils.

When and how to plant beets outdoors

Landing dates

Beets are considered to be a relatively thermophilic vegetable, so it is worth planting when the temperature of the earth warms up to + 6-10 degrees. In other words, the sowing time of beets varies depending on the climatic characteristics of your place of residence. For example, in the South (in Krasnodar, in the Kuban), the root crop can be sown around the second half of March-April. But in the Middle Lane (Moscow region), the suitable dates for planting beets in open ground are in early-mid-May, and in Siberia and the Urals - in the second half of May.

Variety also affects planting time. For example, the early ones are usually planted earlier, and the later ones - later. The bottom line is that if you plant late varieties early, the root crop will grow too rough.

By the way! A popular guideline for sowing beets is the moment when small leaves the size of a penny appear on the birch.

If you want to choose a specific date for planting a root crop, then the lunar calendar will always come to your aid.So, the most favorable days for sowing beets for seedlings or in open ground according to the lunar calendar in 2018 are:

• February - 20-25 (if only you live in the South and want to plant seedlings first);
• March - 8-10, 19-23, 27;
• April - 5, 7, 9-11, 19-23;
• May - 9-11, 21-23.

Important! If we turn to the lunar calendar, then it is worth knowing that it is even more important not to plant a vegetable on unfavorable days. And this is in 2018: in February - 14-16; in March - 1-3, 16, 30; in April - 15, 17, 29-30; in May - 14-16, 28-30 and in June - 12-14, 29.

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.

There are several ways to germinate beet seeds before planting:

When using any method of germinating seeds, the essence is approximately the following: 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 the container ...

Benefits of sprouting beet seeds:

• It is immediately clear which seeds have sprouted and which have not. This will achieve better germination in the open field.
• When planted with germinated seeds, seedlings appear much faster, usually by 4-6 days.

Garden bed and soil

Beets grow well in lighted beds, so it is worth planting where there is often sun.

You can even plant a root vegetable near the trees on the south side, where the sun will saturate the vegetable for at least half a day.

Advice! If your summer cottage 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 precursors for planting beets are legumes, onions, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers.

It is advisable to prepare the soil for growing root crops in advance, you can even in autumn, although it's okay if you start preparing it right in the spring shortly before planting.

Beets, like all other root crops, need very good and loose soil, and it is simply difficult for them to grow in clay. Digging up the soil is about the bayonet of a shovel.

If your soil is too sandy, then you can improve it by introducing high-quality humus or compost, adding a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate to it, and then carefully digging everything up and moving it around.

If your soil is too heavy (clayey), then in addition to humus or compost and superphosphate, you should add peat and very little sand to the soil.

Beets do not like acidic soils, so if you have high acidity of the soil, then you should deoxidize it by adding lime or dolomite flour. If you have clay soil, use more. If sandy, then a little less.

If you add wood ash to the soil in advance, it will have a very good effect on the vegetable. You can also do this during planting and subsequent feeding.

Note! You can not add fresh manure to the soil for the beet bed, and even in the fall, especially in the spring. This root vegetable is very fond of accumulating nitrates, which is absolutely not necessary for us.

Video: the subtleties of planting beets in open ground

Sowing in the garden

Many experienced vegetable growers recommend making grooves.along the edge of the garden. With this planting, the roots will grow large, and the garden 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: "Beets like to rub against the hem of the hostess."

Step-by-step instructions for planting beet seeds in open ground:

1. Prepare the seeds: soak and germinate.
2. Choose a place for the garden and make grooves.
3. It is good to spill the grooves with water.
4. Spread out the seeds. Seed should be planted at a distance of about 3-4 centimeters from each other. In the aisle - at a distance of 20-30 centimeters.
5. This root vegetable is very fond of wood ash, so it is recommended to pour in a little immediately after sowing.
6. Then cover the grooves with earth and sprinkle with ashes again.
7. Mulch with sawdust (lightly, a thick layer does not need to be done).
8. Cover with foil against returnable frost and for a greenhouse effect. As soon as shoots appear, the film can be removed.

Video: sowing beets with sprouted seeds

Sowing beet seeds for seedlings

If you want to get an earlier harvest, then 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 thinning in the future, for obvious reasons.

The agrotechnology of 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, then 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 reckless way.

Caring for beets after planting in open ground: cultivation agrotechnology

If the planting of beets was carried out correctly, then friendly shoots will appear already on the 4th-6th day.

Further basic care for beets consists in loosening, timely thinning (most importantly), watering and feeding.

Almost immediately after germination, you need to start loosen the garden (even more so if it rains) so that the air flows faster to the roots. Otherwise, it may start to hurt (if flooded with water).

Thinning

On a note! Need for thinning is explained by the fact that 2-4 sprouts most often appear from one beet seed (therefore, its seeds are also called glomeruli). If you do not thin it out, then it simply will not have room for normal development, and the root crops will grow small.

Thin out beets are necessary only after watering (or rain) and preferably in cloudy weather. It is recommended to water the tops so that the foliage also receives moisture.

Beets need several thinning per season, usually two:

Video: caring for beets at the beginning of growth (first thinning)

Video: Mid-Growth Care (Second Thinning)

Watering

The first plentiful watering of beets is usually done after the first thinning. Then you need to water about 1 time a week.

As you know, beets are very fond of water, especially since they need to be watered often and abundantly during dry periods of summer, for example, in July. The optimal water consumption is 10-15 liters per 1 sq. meter of the garden.

It is worth increasing the frequency and number of watering as the root crop grows. If he lacks moisture, then the fruits will grow small, rough and tasteless.

Watering beets should be stopped about 1-2 weeks before harvest.

Top dressing

If you have not filled the soil with a sufficient amount of organic matter and mineral fertilizers, then for the successful cultivation of beets you will need to feed it several times.

As a rule, for the first time, the beets should be fed the next day after the first thinning, for example, with herbal infusion. The root crop responds to this fertilizer just fine.

If you want the beets to be sweet, then about a month before harvesting (this often coincides with the second thinning), you can 1 time sprinkle with brine (at the rate of 15-20 grams of salt (1 tablespoon) per 10 liters of water) or you can use a solution of sodium nitrate.

Beets also need boron fertilization, for example, with "Mag-Bor" fertilizer (1 tablespoon per bucket of water) or with the help of boric acid (1/2 tsp for 1 bucket of water). Top dressing consumption 10 liters per 1 sq. meter. Without a sufficient amount of boron, the root vegetable may grow a hollow center, or the core will become dark.

You can also feed beets during the season according to the following scheme:

• The first feeding, as a rule, is carried out exclusively with the help of organic matter. A solution of mullein or chicken droppings is being prepared (1 kg is taken per 1 bucket of water). Then it is infused for several days (usually 4-5 days is enough). Now 1 liter of the infused solution is diluted in a bucket of water and poured onto the garden with the help of a watering can, and then watering with plain water is performed in order to wash the leaves. Alternatively, you can use an ash solution (1-1.5 cups of ash should be thoroughly mixed in a bucket of water).
• The second feeding should be done after about 12-15 days using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
• The third feeding falls on the second thinning. You need to re-apply the phosphorus-potassium fertilizer of your choice to the garden bed.

Video: the intricacies of growing beets to improve their taste and keeping quality

Beet harvesting and storage

Naturally, you need to have time to harvest the beets before the onset of frost. Moreover, delaying the timing will lead to the accumulation of an excessive amount of nitrates in the root crop, which should not be allowed.

So that the beets do not wither during storage, when harvesting, the leaves must be shortened to 2 centimeters, they do not need to be ripped out at all, subsequently they will dry out themselves. It is also important to leave the root (tail) at the end of the root crop.

Important! You can find detailed information on how to store beets after harvest. in this article.

If you care about your future health and are "addicted" to beets, then rest assured that you are quite capable of growing a harvest of juicy and large root crops, which is perfectly stored until the New Year and later. To do this, it is necessary to follow all the rules of sowing and proper care: regular loosening of the soil, removal of weeds and timely watering.

Video: how to grow large beets

Beets are one of the favorite garden crops and can be found in almost every garden plot. The secret of a good harvest of beets lies in the correct choice of varieties, timely planting and good care.

Growing beets in the open field

Variety selection

There are quite a few varieties of table beet used in cooking. Experienced gardeners recommend planting several varieties of different ripening periods. At the same time, the harvest is removed in two periods, early varieties for use in summer, mid-season and late ones - for canning and storage.

The most popular varieties:

• early - Libero, Incomparable A 463, Vinaigrette Jelly;

Beetroot Vinaigrette Marmalade

• mid-season - Smuglyanka, Negritanka, Larka;

Beetroot

• later - Cylinder, Ataman.

Beet Ataman

In addition, when buying, you should pay attention to the purpose of the variety - for fresh consumption and cooking, for canning, for storage. The shape and color of the root crop is a matter of taste, but it has been noticed that varieties with uniform pulp without rings are more juicy.

Varieties with uniform flesh without rings are more juicy

Preparation of a site for beets

Beets love warmth and bright light, so they need a sunny area with nutritious and loose soil. It grows well on peat soils, sandy loams and loams with high fertility. In order to ensure a high yield, it is better to prepare the area for beets in the fall.

Good predecessors of this culture are:

• tomatoes and peppers;
• cucumbers, pumpkins and zucchini;
• greens, legumes, cereals;
• onion garlic.

Land preparation

It is not recommended to plant beets after:

• potatoes;
• all types of cabbage, radish;
• carrots, celery and parsnips.

Beets grow worst of all on the plots where their closest relatives were grown: chard, fodder, sugar and table beets.

The site is dug at the end of the garden season or in early spring on a shovel bayonet with the fertilizers indicated in the table.

It is important not to exceed the recommended doses of mineral fertilizers, otherwise the root crops will turn out to be loose, with voids and cracks. You can replace fertilizers with organic matter: rotted manure that has lain in the herd for at least two years, humus, ash.

The beds are best done just before planting.

It is better to do the beds just before planting, so more moisture will remain in the soil, and the seeds will germinate faster. The soil is loosened and leveled with a rake, if it has time to dry out, you need to water it well, after which you can start sowing.

Seed treatment

Beet seeds

Beetroot seeds are shriveled drupes and are fairly large in size so they can be easily planted at intervals. Commercial seeds are often treated with stimulants and fungicides and are easily recognized by their bright pink or greenish color. Such seeds do not need processing, it can even harm. They are sown dry without preparation in moist soil.

Beet seeds treated with stimulants and fungicides

The color of untreated beet seeds is brownish, sometimes sandy with a greenish tinge. Before planting, it is recommended to prepare them in the way described below.

1. Soak the seeds in room temperature water for several hours. Floated seeds are thrown away, they usually germinate late, give small irregularly shaped roots.
2. Drain the water and immerse the seeds, wrapped in gauze, in a solution of Epin, Zircon or another germination stimulator. They are kept in solution from half an hour to 4 hours, focusing on the instructions for using the drug.
3. Remove the stimulant from the solution and place in a warm place for 12-24 hours. During this time, the seeds swell, some of them peck, after which you can start planting.

Beet seed processing

Planting beets in open ground

In order for the beets to please you with a good harvest, it is important to correctly determine the planting dates. Single shoots appear at a soil temperature of 5-7 degrees, but massive and friendly shoots can be achieved only when the earth warms up to a temperature of 13-16 degrees at a depth of 8-10 cm.

This usually does not happen until mid-May. It was pointless to plant beets in open ground before - being in cold, damp soil, the seeds can rot, and the emerging plants will then go into the arrow.

Beets are usually planted no earlier than mid-May.

On the prepared beds, grooves are marked with a depth of about 2 cm. It is convenient to make them using a board, pressing it with its end into the loosened soil - the bed of the grooves will be dense, and the planting depth will be the same. By choosing a board of the desired width, you can also use it to mark the distance between the rows. It should be:

• 10-15 cm for small root crops intended for summer consumption or pickling;
• 20-30 cm for varieties with large roots for winter storage.

The grooves are poured from a watering can, preventing erosion, and left until the water is absorbed. Seeds are laid out on the bottom of the grooves, maintaining an interval of 4 to 10 cm, depending on the size and purpose of the selected variety. From above they are covered with soil or well-rotted humus and watered.

Planting beets

For large planting volumes, you can make a template, as in the figure, while the distances between the plants will always be the same.

Sowing template for beets at the same distance

Video - The subtleties of planting beets in open ground

Beet care

Beets are unpretentious and drought-resistant, but they can only give a high yield with good care and adherence to agricultural technology.

1. In dry and hot weather, beets are regularly watered from a watering can by sprinkling. It is better to use water that is settled and heated in the sun. At the same time, the leaves are refreshed, the plants perceive the feeding better, and grow faster.

   In dry and hot weather, beets are regularly watered from a watering can by sprinkling

2. Beets must be loosened regularly to prevent the appearance of a hard soil crust. It is better to do this in the morning after watering.The depth of loosening is no more than 3-4 cm, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the roots.
3. Mulching will help reduce the frequency of watering and loosening, and also reduce weeds. Sawdust, straw, humus are used as mulch.

   Mulching will help reduce the frequency of watering and loosening

4. It is necessary to weed the beets regularly from the emergence of shoots to the closure of the leaves, after which weeds are not afraid of it.
5. In the phase of two true leaves, the plants are thinned out, leaving a gap of 3-5 cm between them. The second thinning is carried out when the roots reach 1.5-2 cm in diameter, while leaving enough space between them for the selected variety. Plucked plants can be used to make soups and salads.

   In the phase of two true leaves, the plants are thinned out

6. Frequent feeding of beets with properly prepared soil is usually not required. On poor soils in the first weeks after germination, you can water the seedlings with infusion of mullein or chicken droppings.
7. It is recommended two or three times during the growing season to feed the plants with a complex fertilizer containing trace elements: potassium, boron, copper, molybdenum. Dusting with ashes is also helpful, and will also help with pest control.

   It is recommended to feed the plants with complex fertilizer two or three times during the growing season.

Diseases and pests of beets

With good care, beets rarely get sick and are affected by pests, but for a full harvest it is important not to miss the first signs of the disease.

Fomoz		Fungal disease, accompanied by the appearance of spots on the lower leaves and dry rot of the core of the root crop. The reason is a lack of boron, it is necessary to feed with boric acid
Cercosporosis	Cercosporosis of beet	It affects plant leaves, impairs the growth and development of root crops. The reason is a lack of potassium, it is necessary to feed with potassium chloride or ash
Downy mildew, downy mildew		It can be identified by a gray-purple bloom on the underside of the tops, then they begin to dry out or rot. The plant must be sprayed with fungicides, it is better to do this prophylactically in the phase of 2-3 leaves
Corneed		An infectious disease affecting seedlings. At the same time, the leg becomes thin, turns black, and soon the plant dies. Disease occurs when there is a lack of aeration on heavy damp soils
Fusarium		Occurs in dry weather with insufficient watering. Leaf cuttings darken, root crops crack with the formation of a white bloom at the site of damage
Brown rot		It appears, on the contrary, at high humidity and excess nitrogen. It manifests itself as a brown or gray bloom on root crops. When rot appears, the fruits are removed, and the site is not used for growing root crops for 4-5 years

Compliance with all recommendations will allow not only to get a good harvest, but also to keep it until the next season, while the roots will be juicy, tasty and healthy.

Video - How to grow beautiful, healthy and tasty beets

Beetroot (beetroot) is one of the most popular root crops grown in household plots. There are two ways to plant beets: seeds and seedlings. There is no fundamental difference between them. The yield mainly depends on the structure and fertility of the soil, and many varieties of beets are quite loyal to weather conditions. If you correctly make a ridge, then you can get high-quality fruits both in a drought and in a rainy summer.

Soil and bed preparation

When choosing a place for beets, you should pay attention to what crops occupied the planned area last season. Planting this root vegetable is categorically not recommended after cabbage, but after potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin and greens, the beet will grow well. Carrots, peas and onions are neutral precursors. When grown on an industrial scale, beets are planted after winter wheat and rye.

The beets are planted in a well-lit place for a long time.There should be no dense bushes, spreading trees, fence, walls nearby. It is advisable to choose a high part of the site that is not flooded by torrential rains.

It is worth considering the basic requirements for the soil for beets.

• Acidity in the range of 6.2-7.5. If there is a lot of colza, wild sorrel and horsetail on the site, then the soil is acidic. Root vegetables will be small, ugly in shape. Lime or dolomite flour must be added. When preparing a ridge for beets, moderate liming is possible in the year of planting.
• The optimal soil is loose, rich in organic matter (loamy, sandy loam, black soil). Growing beets in too clayey soil without special preparation and sanding is a waste of time and effort. The fruit will be fibrous, tough, and bitter.
• The depth of the arable soil layer is from 25 to 30 cm.

Under favorable conditions, root crops develop quickly, and an accelerated accumulation of sugar occurs.

Advice

Excessive lime content in the soil leads to a decrease in the ability of beets to assimilate micro- and macroelements. It is important to respect the dosage.

Fertilization

Beets are demanding on the content of micro and macro elements in the soil. For reference: 1 ton of root crops extracts from the ground up to 7 kg of nitrogen, about 3 kg of phosphorus and up to 9 kg of potassium. While the root system is still weak, the plant especially needs phosphorus, then intensive absorption of other nutrients begins.

It is optimal to prepare a ridge for beets in the fall, adding rotted manure, compost (about 15-20 kg per 1 m2) and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to the soil. Mineral dressings can be embedded in the soil before planting. Of the complex additives, NPK 13-12-19 or CAS are usually used.

For winter sowing of beets, the following complex of fertilizers (per 1 m2) is applied to the soil:

• half a bucket of manure, humus or compost;
• 30 g of potassium chloride (chlorine ions prevent the accumulation of nitrates);
• 30 g superphosphate.

Advice

Beets are very fond of organic matter, but the introduction of fresh or semi-rotted manure before planting will lead to a deterioration in the taste and presentation of the fruit.

In preparation for planting, the soil is carefully dug to a depth of about 30 cm, all clods are broken, the surface is leveled and slightly compacted. Many gardeners plant beets along the ridges - long, high ridges like potato ones. Thus, the root crop is better ventilated, receives more sun, and is protected from rot and souring. This is especially true for heavy soils. If the soil is fertile and loose, then carpet can be planted.

Landing dates

Beet seeds can germinate at temperatures of 3-4 ° C, but the process will take about 25 days. At 6-7 ° C, seedlings will appear on the 10-15th day, and when the temperature stabilizes to 11-18 ° C, the period will be only a week. It makes no sense to sow beets until the soil at a depth of 6 cm warms up at least to 7-8 ° С, since there is a high probability of death of seedlings from frost (the sprouts will not tolerate -1 ° С).

Planting beets in the spring in different regions is carried out at their own time:

• North Caucasus - 1 decade of April;
• Central Black Earth Region - 3rd decade of April;
• north of the Central Black Earth Region, Non-Black Earth Region, Volga Region, Bashkortostan and Altai - 1 decade of May.

Long-term storage late beets are sown in the second decade of May, you can plant them until June 10. Such varieties will have enough time before frost to fully mature, and they are stored much better than early and mid-season ones.

The terms are given roughly, for each year they may vary depending on weather conditions.

You can sow beets in a greenhouse or in boxes about a month and a half before planting in open ground. The scheme of embedding into the substrate: 4 x 4 cm. This method is suitable for regions with unstable weather. The maturation period of root crops with the seedling method of cultivation will accelerate by 2-3 weeks.

You can plant beets with seeds in the fall. There are special varieties for this, since ordinary species will begin to shoot and will not produce a crop.Sowing beets in autumn is beneficial for regions with cool, short summers. The sowing date comes when stable frosts begin, the soil is covered with a crust. In the Urals or Siberia, the right time is November. There are no general recommendations on how long to sow beets in the winter. It is important not to miss the last period before the earth "grabs" (3-4 ° C below zero). According to popular observations, the optimal time is the moment when the leaves are completely shed by the cherries.

It should be noted that autumn planting beets are not suitable for long-term storage.

Seed preparation

Beet seeds are fruit lumps, in which several seeds are collected (from 2 to 6 pieces). For this reason, many novice gardeners are surprised when, with a neat schematic sowing of seed-egg capsules, heap shoots suddenly appear from the garden bed.

Beet seeds planted in spring will hatch faster if prepared. The easiest way is to soak for a day in a solution of one of the following products (for 1 liter of warm water):

• a quarter teaspoon of boric acid and half a teaspoon of nitrophoska or nitroammophoska;
• 1 teaspoon superphosphate;
• a teaspoon of baking soda;
• a tablespoon of wood ash.

A day later, the seeds are washed, wrapped in a damp cloth and kept at room temperature for 3-4 days, not allowing the bundle to dry out.

When planting in autumn, you do not need to soak the seeds.

Sowing technique

Immediately before the spring planting of the beets, the ridge is loosened about 5 cm deep and leveled. Sowing or planting seedlings is necessary either in cloudy weather, or in the evening, so that the soil does not wind up and the seedlings do not die from the hot sun.

Planting beets in open ground with seeds is carried out according to the following rules:

• rows are made at a distance of at least 30 cm;
• on loam, beet seedlings are embedded in grooves 2-3 cm deep;
• on sandy and sandy loam soils - 3-4 cm.

In dry weather, the ridge is spilled with water in advance (in an hour or two), in rainy weather it is enough to moisten the grooves. After 3-4 days, it is recommended to loosen the soil with a spring or wire rake. After this procedure, the beets come up more amicably.

When shoots appear, they must be carefully thinned out. This procedure is carried out twice: in the phase of two true leaves, leaving a distance of 3-4 cm between the seedlings, then in the phase of 3-4 leaves. The average gap between beet sprouts as a result should be 10-20 cm. How much to leave depends on the variety, usually the step is indicated on the seed package.

Advice

If you leave too large gaps between the plants, then the roots will grow large, difficult to heat treatment.

Excess beet sprouts should not be thrown away. If before the procedure it is good to shed the earth, and pry the seedlings with a special spatula (you can use a spoon handle), then the roots will not be damaged. The seedlings will quickly take root in another place, and the shape of the fruit will not suffer in the future, as is the case with carrots.

Podzimny sowing of beets is carried out in dry soil. The seeds are placed in grooves 4 cm deep and covered with a loose substrate (you can mix soil with sand). Then the soil is lightly compacted, the bed is mulched and covered with dry leaves or spruce branches. In the spring, the shelters are removed, the soil is spilled with nitrogen fertilizer, and a film is laid on top until the first shoots appear.

Care

The main care for young beet sprouts is to moisturize and loosen. A crust must not be allowed to form on the soil. Loosening is done carefully, while the plants are small, you can do this with an ordinary old fork. Beets are responsive to this procedure, therefore it is recommended to carry it out until the foliage closes.

Top dressing

The first feeding of beets with mineral fertilizers (nitrogen) is carried out after thinning, the second (complex) - after closing the tops.

Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the main elements needed by beets.If there are no complex mineral fertilizers at hand, then ash, previously mixed with compost, can be added to the soil. Consumption: 3 glasses of clean ash per 1m2.

Advice

It is better to apply nitrogen fertilizers for beets in several portions and not to abuse them, since their excess contributes to the accumulation of nitrates in root crops. Fractional application reduces the negative effect by 2 times. The best form is urea (10 g per 1 m2).

The second top dressing of beets (when the fruit is about the size of a walnut) consists of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Consumption: 8 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium chloride per 1 m2. Nitrogen is no longer used.

If there is not enough boron in the soil, then the beets react by rotting the core. The deficiency of copper and molybdenum also negatively affects, which can be replenished with foliar feeding (in the 10-leaf phase). For this, liquid micronutrient fertilizers are used, which contain boron in organomineral form and manganese in chelated form.

If the beets develop slowly, rounded yellow spots appear on the tops, then there are signs of a lack of potassium and too acidic soil. In this case, watering with milk of lime will help. Recipe: 200 g of fluffy lime, 80 g of potassium chloride, diluted in 10 liters of water. The solution should be enough for 10 running meters of landings (along the line).

In case of reddening of the beet tops (sodium deficiency), it is necessary to sprinkle the ridge with ash and sprinkle with salt water (1 glass of salt per 10 liters). This procedure will also increase the sugar content of the root vegetables.

Watering

The watering regime for beets depends on the weather. In the first month and a half of plant development, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Young beets are very fond of evening sprinkling. After this procedure, the tops freshen up and acquire a high turgor.

If the summer is not too hot, then growing beets outdoors will not be a hassle. After the tops are closed in the aisles, the moisture will erode more slowly, and the root crop is already able to get food from the deeper layers of the soil.

Watering beets stops about a month before harvesting.

Diseases

Competent agricultural technology minimizes the likelihood of beet diseases caused by soil quality. Increased acidity is the cause of root defects, such as:

• scab in the form of cracks and growths on fruits;
• phomosis (zonal spotting on the leaves) - the disease can also be the result of a lack of boron;
• blackening of the pulp;
• root-eater, "black leg" (at the seedling stage);
• voids in the root crop.

However, all of the above can also occur due to an excess of nitrogen or with unbalanced feeding, therefore, fertilizer must be applied correctly.

Fungal diseases can develop: peronosporosis, cercosporosis, manifested by drying of the tops. Only treatment with fungicides (HOM, Fundazol, Carbendazim, copper oxychloride) can help.

Pests

Growing beets in the country can be unsuccessful for years if wheatgrass grows around the garden and the soil is acidic. This is the most comfortable habitat for the larvae of the click beetle - wireworms. It is they who are able to turn any root vegetable literally into a sieve.

It is possible to reduce the number of these pests of beets only by regularly used control methods:

• select yellow worms manually when digging:
• bury potato tubers in traps;
• exterminate wheatgrass, calcify the soil;
• periodically use special equipment (for example, "Provotox" granules).

Leaf and root beet aphids can also cause damage. Regular spraying with Green Soap solution, Pyrethrum will help to destroy the pest.

Beet fleas eat away the leafy pulp. In the fight against them, ash, tobacco dust, pollination with Hexachloran is effective.

If white winding passages appear on the leaves of the beet, it means that the larva of the miner moth lives in them. With a small scale of damage, the leaves break off and are destroyed. In case of mass infection, treatment with the drugs "Fufanon", "Bi-58 New" is used.

In most cases, growing beets in private plots is not a big deal. If there are few weeds, and soil cultivation in spring and autumn is done correctly, then the risk of attack by pests is minimal. Crop rotation is also an effective protection measure.

Many gardeners plant both late and early beets in the plots, providing themselves with a fresh harvest and a supply of root crops for the winter. This is an unpretentious plant, the seeds of which sprout quickly enough, the seedlings are patient to adverse weather conditions, and to get a good harvest, it is enough to competently prepare the garden bed.

Beetroot is a well-known and healthy vegetable. It is easy to grow and has a long shelf life. In the rather harsh conditions of our country, it provides us with the necessary vitamins during the harsh winter and during the spring beriberi. Subject to the conditions, if you care for and love the plant, planting this vegetable with seeds in open ground is not difficult.

The correct timing for planting beets in open ground

Beets are planted in many different ways. It can be planted with seeds or seedlings. They do this in spring or autumn, it is important to observe the correct dates. Spring planting of seeds in open ground is carried out in 1-2 decades of May, after the soil has completely warmed up.

If the seeds are placed in insufficiently heated soil, the seedlings will begin to shoot and a good harvest can not be expected.

You can plant beet seeds in the fall, late October or November, it depends on your region. Landing is carried out when the air temperature drops to -4 degrees. You should not rush to planting, if the planted seeds wake up under the influence of heat, they will die.

When planting seeds for seedlings, boxes are stored at home or in a greenhouse

Sometimes beets are planted with seedlings. With this method, seeds are planted at home in special boxes. You can plant seeds in the country in a greenhouse or greenhouse.

Seeds for seedlings need to be sown in early April, one month before they can be placed in open ground. Planting beets with seedlings allows you to get an early harvest and save seeds, since sprouts that remain after thinning can also be planted in the beds.

The most popular varieties for growing in the country or in the garden

Beetroot can be sugar, feed or canteen... Sugar and fodder varieties are usually grown on an industrial scale and are not sown in summer cottages. In garden beds, it is more common to see beets.

There are a lot of popular varieties, they differ in growth rate and storage duration. All table varieties are distinguished by their high taste and color brightness. Here are just a few:

1. Detroit... An early variety, specimens are not very large with excellent taste. Root crops of bright burgundy color without rings on the cut, weighing about 200 g. The variety provides high yields.
2. Cylinder... Mid-season fruitful root crop. Fully lives up to its name. Beets are red, cylindrical in shape up to 16 cm in length. It is resistant to diseases and has a long shelf life.
3. Dark girl... Mid-season variety with excellent yield. Delicious, does not lose color when cooked. Weight 300-350g. Possesses good keeping quality.

Some varieties are great for the middle lane, others for the Urals and Siberia. When choosing seeds for planting, be sure to take into account the weather characteristics of your region.

Varieties to plant in Siberia and the Urals

In the Leningrad and other cold regions, they are especially popular Merchant's wife, Cold-resistant 19, Ordinary miracle... These varieties are distinguished by excellent resistance to disease and cold, high yield. The cylinder has also taken root well in these regions.

Cold resistant 19

To plant in the suburbs

Many varieties are grown in the Moscow region and the western regions. Some gardeners prefer juicy early varieties that cannot lie until spring, but are very tasty and provide vitamins in autumn and winter. Others plant late varieties, less juicy, but stored for a very long time.

Early varieties include Red ball, Detroit, Mulatto... All of them give high yields, are distinguished by their color intensity and good taste.

Bordeaux, Cylindra and Mona, also liked the Muscovites. These are later varieties, with high yields and wonderful taste, are stored for almost a whole year.

Instructions for planting beet seeds in open ground

Soil preparation

Before planting a vegetable according to step-by-step instructions, you need to prepare a bed for beets, do this in the fall... A sunny, open, well-drained place is chosen, on which cucumbers, tomatoes or onions were previously grown. The vegetable does not grow well in places where carrots or cabbage used to live. Does not tolerate the neighborhood with celery and garlic.

You can plant a vegetable in the same place in 3-4 years... It does not tolerate waterlogging, it is better not to place the beds on clay soils. Sunny, well-drained planting areas are what this vegetable needs to grow well.

The selected area is completely cleared of any plant parts (roots, seeds, leaves). Humus is introduced into the soil, a complex of mineral fertilizers and the earth is dug to the depth of a shovel. To make the soil for the beets less dense, the soil is mixed with sand or sawdust. Wood ash is an excellent top dressing for a vegetable.

Beets cannot tolerate fresh manure at all.

If the soil in the selected area is acidic, add a little lime, changing the pH to neutral or alkaline. The optimal value for beets is 6-7.

In the spring, the soil in the garden is loosened with a rake and complex mineral fertilizer... The culture needs nitrogen and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, as well as pest control.

Planting seeds in spring

Beet seeds

The seeds are sorted out and they need to be kept in solution for a day. growth stimulant or wood ash... For the preparation of which 2 tbsp. l of ash is poured with a liter of warm water, mixed well.

After 2 days, the solution is drained, it is possible to soak not only beets in it, but also the seed material of other vegetables. Ash provides seeds with a complex of essential minerals. After a day, they are washed and placed in a damp cloth, before planting.

In the garden, even grooves are drawn with a depth of 2-3 cm... These grooves are shed with water, some gardeners prefer warm water. When the water has been absorbed, large beet seeds are placed one by one at a distance of 10 cm from each other and sprinkled with earth.

Beet seeds are multi-germ, one beet seed gives 2 to 6 shoots... The sprouted seeds are thinned out after the appearance of 2 leaves. The second time the procedure is carried out when the 4th sheet appears.

Autumn landing

Often, beet seeds are sown in open ground in the fall, when the air temperature drops. up to -4 degrees... In this case, the soil is prepared in the same way, but the bed is made high, 20-25 cm, so as not to be washed away by melt water. The grooves during autumn planting are deeper, 4 cm.

Seed material during autumn planting does not need to be soaked and the garden is not watered.

For autumn planting, dry seeds are planted in dry ground.

Benefits of autumn planting:

• seed material perfectly tempered over the winter;
• early friendly shoots are provided;
• time is freed up for other gardening matters;
• harvest ripens much earlier.

This method has only one drawback, but it must be taken into account. Harvest of beets planted before winter not stored for a long time.

To protect the seeds from frost, the garden bed is covered with straw on top, you can throw snow. In the spring, when the air warms up to + 7-10 degrees, the straw is removed. This method allows you to get an early harvest, even with a delay in the spring heat.

Planting seedlings at home

Seeds are planted in special boxes or under a film in the country, a month before landing in open ground... The distance between the rows is 5-8 cm, between the seed material is 3-5 cm.When 2 leaves appear, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots, after the appearance of 4 leaves, it is watered abundantly, carefully, together with a lump of earth, transferred to open beds.

Before planting in the ground, the seedlings begin to harden, daily removing the film and airing the sprouts at home. For the sprouts to get used to them, they need 7-10 days.

Plant one sprout at a time, after 10 cm... At a tender age, the sprouts take root well in a new place. Such a successful method allows you to get a high, early harvest and save on seeds, because all the sprouts can be planted.

Beet seedlings are planted in the ground, one sprout every 10 cm

At what distance and according to what scheme to plant in the ground

On narrow and long beds, the vegetable is often sown across, with the distance between the seeds 10 cm, and between the rows 20-25... This method makes it easier to care for crops. This is a one line way.

With a two-line planting method, two even furrows are made at a distance 25 cm from each other, then leave a free tape 50 cm wide. So alternate landing. A three-line scheme is also used, when a vegetable is planted in 3 rows, through 20-25 cm... This is done to facilitate watering, weeding and loosening the soil.

To grow a large crop, beets need to be watered regularly and loosened in the soil in the beds.

Beetroot is an unpretentious vegetable that gives excellent yields if you follow the tips and secrets described. Gardeners grow it in the southern regions, Belarus, the Chelyabinsk region, the middle lane and the northern regions. It is good, in the first courses we are accustomed to, in various salads, they make preparations for the winter from it.

It keeps well, providing us with the necessary minerals and vitamins until the next harvest. It is able to cleanse the blood and normalize digestion. All these qualities have made beets popular among different nations, and the history of their cultivation goes back many centuries.