Beets: features of growing and care in the open field

Now it is difficult to imagine that the beets, which have long and thoroughly settled in our gardens, actually come from the Mediterranean coast. This beloved root vegetable is the basis for delicious dishes, contains many vitamins, is stored for a long time, and it is not at all difficult to grow it.

Beets: choose a variety

There are sugar beets, fodder and leaf beets. It differs in shape and color, as well as in terms of ripening: early ripening, mid-ripening and late varieties. Early ripening varieties are ready for consumption after two or two and a half months, they start to be eaten in the summer, but they are not very suitable for long-term storage. For this, mid-season and late varieties are planted, which ripen in 3-5 months. Beets harvested after they are fully ripe can be stored under suitable conditions for several months. Therefore, when choosing a variety, take into account both the ripening time, and climatic features, and the purpose of the crop (eat or store, that is the question!). Beets are also good because they eat not only roots, but also tops - beet tops are added to salads, okroshka, soups. It is no less tasty and healthy than root vegetables, it's a pity that some people forget about it!

Beetroot: site preparation

When choosing a place for beets, start from the fact that they are very fond of the sun and, of course, from the rules of crop rotation: each time plant them in a new place, do not plant beets after radishes, carrots, and also cabbage (we are talking about all types of cabbage). The most suitable precursors for beets are nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, as well as onions, cucumbers and all types of legumes. The selection is quite large, so you can move the beets to a new location every year. And if your garden is small and you have to compact your crops, planting them on the beds of neighbors, then keep in mind that beets are very friendly and will get along with any vegetable or spice, with the exception of beans. If we talk about the soil, then the beets are quite unassuming - they survive even acidic soils, with difficulty, but still they survive stagnant moisture. But of course, the crop grown on light loamy or sandy loamy soils with normal moisture will be much more abundant and of better quality. The preparation of the site must begin in the fall - dig up the ground, removing the larvae and beetles that come across, and, most importantly, all plant debris. Properly prepared soil is the key to a healthy harvest. Also apply fertilizers in the fall - organic matter (compost or humus) and a complex of mineral fertilizers. Be careful with minerals - beets are sensitive to overdoses, in this case, deformed root crops with cracks and accumulated nitrates can grow. Also, do not use fresh manure as fertilizer. Leave the soil prepared according to all the rules to rest until spring.

Landing

So, spring has come, you have decided on the variety and bought seeds, and prepared soil awaits at the dacha. Now is the time to prepare the seeds. Please note that if the seeds, which initially have a beige-brown color, are cast blue-green or pink, then they have already been treated with potassium permanganate or fungicide, you do not need to do anything else with them, you can immediately plant. If you bought raw seeds, we will cook them. Soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, this is necessary for disinfection. And then leave the seeds on a damp cloth in a warm place for another day.Place the swollen seeds in the prepared grooves (after spilling them with water) at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other (the distance between the rows is 20-25 cm), do not forget that 4-5 sprouts can grow from one seed. Then fill in the grooves and water again. It is necessary to sow when the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees and frosts are no longer expected.

Care

After the emergence of seedlings, they must be thinned out so that the roots can develop normally ("extra" shoots can be transplanted to another place, at this age they take root well). Perhaps, after a while, the thinning will have to be repeated, these plants can already be eaten by cooking delicious borscht from the tops. The rest of the care is usual: water, loosen, fertilize and weed. It is especially important to water the beets so that they have enough room to minimize the chances of developing diseases. This also applies to watering - it is necessary for the growth and formation of root crops, but excessive soil moisture can lead to the development of rot and infections. The first time they water it every 5-7 days, with obligatory loosening, when the beets grow up - watering can be reduced, but it is worth starting from the weather conditions first of all. As we said earlier, beets can accumulate nitrates, so be very careful with the choice and amount of fertilizers. At the beginning of growth, nitrogen fertilizers can be applied, and during the period of root crop formation, potassium and phosphorus, but do not get carried away, strictly calculate the amount. And the closer the end of the summer season, the less fertilizing and watering the beets need. And about 3 weeks before harvesting, watering should be stopped altogether (you should finish with fertilizers in the middle of summer). If we talk about diseases and harmful insects, yes, it is possible. And no, none of my friends have ever encountered this. With proper soil and seed preparation, the likelihood of beet disease is minimal. Possible pests: beet fly or flea, aphid. If you do not want to use chemical insecticides, but prefer folk remedies, then try spraying the plantings with an infusion of onion peels with the addition of liquid soap. Dusting with tobacco dust or ash also helps.

Harvesting and storage

Early-maturing beets can be plucked at any time, it is not necessary to wait for the full period indicated on the seed bag. And late and mid-season varieties that are grown for storage begin to be harvested after the leaves turn yellow and dry. This must be done without fail in dry weather and as carefully as possible so as not to damage the roots. They pry the ground with a pitchfork, leave the beets in the garden for a while to dry out. Then the tops are cut, leaving stalks 2-3 cm long, shaking off the remnants of the earth and carefully examining the tubers - only healthy specimens with intact skin are suitable for storage. They are dried in a ventilated room, then laid out in wooden boxes, sprinkled with sand and slightly powdered with chalk (to protect from diseases). Beets should be stored at a temperature not higher than +2 degrees and high humidity. Damaged root vegetables that have not passed quality control for storage can be processed by preparing salads, dressing for borscht, or simply frozen by cutting or grating.

As you can see, there is nothing supernatural in growing beets, no seedlings, no complicated agricultural technology. The whole secret is that you need to follow the rules of crop rotation, and also devote enough time to preparing seeds and soil, then you will not have to fight diseases and harmful insects, and the quality of the crop will surprise and delight you.