Vegetable

Growing beetroot

Beta vulgaris · Amaranthaceae
By Hannah Price · Updated 12 November 2026

Beetroot calendar

Beetroot sowing, planting and harvest calendar (UK)
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sow indoors		Sow indoors in February	Sow indoors in March
Sow outside				Sow outside in April	Sow outside in May	Sow outside in June	Sow outside in July
Plant				Plant in April	Plant in May
Harvest						Harvest in June	Harvest in July	Harvest in August	Harvest in September	Harvest in October

Timings suit lowland southern and central Britain and most of Ireland. In northern England and Scotland, or in a cold spot, start two to three weeks later in spring and finish earlier in autumn.

Overview

Beetroot is one of the easiest roots to grow and one of the quickest, so it is a good crop for beginners and for filling gaps. Both the roots and the young leaves are edible, and modern varieties come in gold, white and striped forms as well as deep red. Several short sowings through spring and summer give a steady supply rather than a glut.

Varieties to try

'Boltardy' is the standard choice for early sowings because it resists running to seed in cold spells. 'Pablo' is a smooth, round F1 with good flavour. 'Chioggia' has pink and white rings inside and does not stain the chopping board, while 'Burpees Golden' has a mild, sweet taste. 'Cylindra' grows long, cylindrical roots that slice evenly for pickling.

Soil and site

Best soil: Fertile, well-drained soil that holds moisture, not too acid.

Choose a sunny spot with reasonably fertile, crumbly soil. Beetroot is less fussy than carrots, but very acid or compacted ground gives small, woody roots. Add some compost before sowing rather than fresh manure. It grows well in raised beds and in containers at least 25 cm deep, and fits between slower crops.

Sowing and planting

For an early crop, sow two seeds into each module under cover in late winter and plant the clumps out in April without splitting them. Outdoors, sow from April, or March under cloches in mild areas, in drills 2 cm deep. Soaking the knobbly seed in water for an hour beforehand speeds up germination. Sow a short row every three weeks until mid-July.

Spacing: Each seed is a cluster that gives several seedlings; thin to one per 10 cm.

Care

Each seed produces a small cluster of seedlings, so thin them to 10 cm apart once they are a few centimetres tall; eat the thinnings in salads. Keep the soil consistently moist, as dry spells make roots tough and encourage bolting. Hoe carefully to avoid nicking the swelling roots, which then bleed. Little feeding is needed on decent ground.

Harvesting and storing

Pull roots when they are between golf-ball and tennis-ball size, alternating along the row so the rest have room to swell. Twist the leaves off rather than cutting them, to stop the colour bleeding. Maincrop roots sown in June can be lifted in October and stored in boxes of damp sand or compost in a cool, frost-free place.

Common problems

Beetroot is mostly trouble-free. Bolting is the main nuisance and is usually caused by sowing too early in cold soil or by drought; use bolt-resistant varieties and water in dry weather. Seedlings sown in cold, wet modules can suffer from damping-off, so use fresh compost and clean trays. Birds sometimes peck young leaves, which a strip of netting prevents.

Read more on the problems that most often hit beetroot:

Not sure what you're looking at? Try diagnosing it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for beetroot come round in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. Each month page lists the rest of the garden's jobs for the same weeks.

Grow alongside

Sources

Names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; timings and spacings reflect UK growing practice and were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.