Planting and caring for beets in open ground

Beets: planting and caring for them outdoors is actually quite simple. Unlike tomatoes or peppers, you don't need to plant seedlings in winter and tend to them daily. Beet seeds can be planted directly in the ground; the main thing is to wait for them to germinate, and subsequent growth will be rapid and consistent.

How to prepare seeds correctly

Due to its slow germination, beets require pre-preparation of the seeds. First, check the seeds for germination, then soak them in a nutrient solution for 24 hours.

How to make a nutrient solution (options):

• Take a quarter teaspoon of boric acid, half a teaspoon of nitrophoska, a liter of water at 30 degrees;
• For a liter of water at 30 degrees, take a teaspoon of superphosphate;
• For a liter of water at 30 degrees, take a small spoon of table water;
• You can also soak a teaspoon of wood ash in a liter of water at 30 degrees;

Beet seeds should be rinsed after soaking and wrapped in a damp cloth. Place in a warm place and wait a few days for the seeds to swell.

Important! Avoid placing seeds in a room with a low temperature. This is bad for any root crops, as it can cause the development of a flower stalk, which will not benefit the harvest.

You can also grow beets from seedlings, although this is not necessary. Start the seeds in a greenhouse two weeks before planting them outdoors. When the shoots reach 5 cm (2 inches) tall, thin them out, and when the seedlings reach 8 cm (3.1 inches), they are ready for transplanting.

Features of planting in open ground

Next, looking at the stages of work and photos of beets: planting and care in open ground, the question arises about where exactly to plant this root vegetable. You can safely choose a part of your plot where cabbage, cucumbers, or potatoes were previously grown.

The soil, of course, needs to be prepared for planting. This includes digging and adding mineral fertilizers. When the soil temperature has reached 10 degrees Celsius, you can plant the beet seeds. You can also plant beets in late October or early November.

How to sow seeds

Beet seeds are planted Rows. Leave about 45 centimeters between them. If you plan to plant in strips, the distance between rows can be 25 centimeters, but you need to ensure the width between rows is 50 cm. After planting, be sure to water the beds.

Important! If you previously grew beet seedlings in a greenhouse, you need to plant them in furrows, leaving an average distance of 15 cm between them.

We provide proper care

Beets: planting and care in open ground. Fertilizing is first on the list of proper care for the crop. This is done after the initial weeding of the seedlings, and then should be repeated after four weeks. It is best to use nitrogen- or potassium-based fertilizers.

In addition to fertilizing, you will need to constantly loosen the soil so that root vegetable to ensure maximum airflow. Beets also need to be watered regularly, but not too frequently (1-2 times a week is sufficient).

Advice! When watering, ensure that water penetrates the soil to a depth of at least 15 centimeters. To achieve this, it is recommended to loosen the soil after each watering. During leaf formation, in dry weather, water up to three times a week.

One seed typically produces up to three sprouts. Therefore, thinning the beets is essential. This is best done after rain or heavy watering. However, avoid thinning the first sprouts until a couple of true leaves have emerged. A normal distance between plants for optimal growth is two centimeters.

About the problems of growing

The most common problem gardeners face when growing beets is soil crust. To prevent this, the soil must be loosened. When first loosening, don't go deeper than 4 cm, and then you can go up to 8 cm. If a crust forms rapidly after rain, you can loosen the soil to a depth of 10 cm. Pay attention to how this is done. Growing potatoes wisely without weeding or hilling.

Beets: planting and care in open ground. Diseases won't bother you if you provide the crop with proper care. As you can see from the information in this article, care is quite simple. The main thing is not to overwater and to regularly loosen the soil.