Even in Smallest Backyard Plot, the Beet Grows On

Question: I only have a small vegetable bed. Do I have enough room for beets? If so, what types will do well and how do I grow them?

H.P., Yorba Linda

Answer: Beets do well in small gardens. They’re an attractive plant and all of their parts are edible, so you’ll be using your space wisely.

Generally, they can be grown year-round in Southern California.

Native to the Mediterranean, the original beet (Beta vulgaris) did not have an enlarged root. Today’s garden beets derive from that original beet. The first large-rooted beets were noted in literature around 1550 A.D. in Germany.

Today, beets are grown extensively in Germany and France, where they are cooked before they come to market. In the U.S., Wisconsin and New York are the leading beet producers for processing, and Texas grows the most beets for the fresh market.

Beet varieties produce both edible roots and greens. There are varieties that have better tasting foliage, such as ‘Lutz Green Leaf,’ which also yields large red roots.

‘Detroit Dark Red’ has been the standard garden beet for years and still remains popular. ‘Perfected Detroit’ is available from several seed companies. ‘Golden’ is a yellow beet that won’t bleed color when pickled. And ‘Chioggia’ is a striped Italian heirloom beet that has a more mellow flavor than other beets and mild tasting, bright green tops. Its interior flesh is marked in alternating rings of cherry red and creamy white.

Unlike the varieties already mentioned, ‘Cylindra’ produces an elongated beet, which allows for more uniform slices, but if your soil has a

hardpan or rock layer underneath, or is very heavy clay, stick to the other turnip-rooted beet varieties, because ‘Cylindra’ will probably be deformed in poor soil.

Beets do best in full sun in deep sandy-loam but will yield satisfactory results in well-drained soil, even in partial shade.

Make new plantings every few weeks for a nearly continuous harvest.

Sow seeds 2 to 4 inches apart at a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch, either in rows at least 1 foot apart or in a block planting.

Except for single-seeded varieties such as ‘Monopoly,’ each beet seed is actually a dried, shriveled fruit containing as many as eight true seeds, which is why seedlings appear in clusters, even when you thinly sow the seeds.

Beets are bothered by pests such as beet leafhoppers, which can infect beets with curly-top virus. They are also attacked by beet leafminers and flea beetles. Growing them under row cover will offer protection from such pests.

The best quality beets are produced when growth is rapid and uninterrupted. If there is too little water, the beets may become tough and woody, so be sure to keep your beet patch moist.

If there is too much competition either from weeds or from other beets, yields will be decreased and the beets may be deformed.

Therefore control of weeds and timely thinning of beet seedlings is crucial to success. Thin enough so that the plants are at least 2 inches apart and use the thinnings by cooking them like greens with the tops and roots.

Avoid overhead watering and clean all plant debris from the garden after harvest to reduce the spores of a fungus that can cause leaf spot.

Harvest at any size, but consider that they are best when they’re no larger than about 2 inches across. They will keep longer if all but 3 inches of the tops are removed, which will reduce water loss from the roots.

The usual preparation method is to boil the beets in their skins until they’re tender, but many people really like them baked. To do so, cut the tops back to about 3 inches, clean them and place on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour until a fork pierces the beets easily.

Remove from the oven, cool and take off the skins and remaining tops. Baked beets may then be prepared in any style or simply buttered.

--UCCE Master Gardener Mary C. Steele of Laguna Niguel researched and wrote this column.

Have a problem in your yard? University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners are here to help. These certified horticultural volunteers are dedicated to extending research-based, scientifically accurate information to the public about home horticulture and pest management. They are involved with a variety of outreach programs, including the UCCE Master Garden hotline, which provides answers to specific questions. You can reach the hotline at (714) 708-1646 or send e-mail to ucmastergardeners @yahoo.com. Calls and e-mail are picked up daily and are generally returned within two to three days.