Harvest beets when root tops are 1 to 1½ inches in diameter then again not more than 3 inches in diameter. Beets which might be allowed to get so much greater than 3 inches (7 cm) during endlessly grow to be difficult and fibrous.
When to Harvest Beets
- Beets mature 45 to 60 days after sowing.
- Beets are cool-season plants that broaden absolute best at temperatures between 60° and 65 °F (15-18°C).
- Beets do not broaden successfully and style will go through if grown where sunlight temperatures are consistently greater than 80°F (26°C).
- Where winters are mild and the soil is well-drained, go away beets inside the ground as long as imaginable.
- Where the ground freezes, elevate beets previous to the soil freezes or protect them under a 12-inch (30 cm) thick layer of mulch–leaves, straw, or hay—that covers the planting bed and extends out 18 inches (45 cm) or additional. If protected from freezing, the mulch may also be pulled once more all over the winter and roots lifted.
- Beets stored inside the garden must be harvested previous to new top enlargement begins in spring. Roots stored inside the ground will have to be used inside a day or two of harvest.
How to Harvest Beets
- It’s absolute best to tug beets when the soil is dry. Pull or elevate roots reasonably from the garden so as to no longer injury or injure them. Use a garden hand fork to loosen the soil around the roots if essential.
- Twist off the greens after lifting the roots. Decreasing away the best possible of the root will function it to bleed. Getting rid of the tops previous to storage will a really perfect deal lengthen storage lifestyles.
How to Store Beets
- Store the best roots; damaged or bruised roots may not store successfully and will have to be eaten temporarily after harvest. Gently rub soil from the roots previous to storing them. Don’t wash roots previous to you store them; must you do, you must without a doubt dry them completely.
- Store beets in a cold rainy place as as regards to freezing as imaginable without actual freezing, 32°-40°F (0°-4°C) and 95 percent relative humidity.
- Store beets inside the refrigerator located in a perforated plastic bag inside the vegetable crisper drawer. Beets will keep inside the refrigerator for 1 to a couple of months.
- If there’s no room inside the refrigerator, beets can be packed in a container—a bucket or plastic storage box or cooler–in rainy sand, peat moss, or sawdust. Don’t pack roots too tightly; if the roots touch they are able to start to rot; you must without a doubt go away 2 inches (5 cm) of insulating matter subject matter spherical at the top, bottom, and sides of the stored roots. Set the lid loosely so that there is superb air transfer and place the container in a cold place an identical to a basement, garage, or shed.
- Take a look at roots in storage endlessly and remove any that show signs of decay.
Additional guidelines at How to Increase Beets.
