How to Grow Beets? A Detailed Guide to the Key Cultivation Techniques of This Beta vulgaris Variety

Beetroot is a variety of the beet species in the genus Beta of the Amaranthaceae family. Its swollen fleshy root is used as a vegetable and can be eaten raw or cooked, or processed into canned goods. The flesh is crisp and tender, slightly sweet, and highly nutritious. Beetroot originated along the Mediterranean coast, and is cultivated on a small scale in China. It prefers warmth and plenty of light, grows well in sandy loam, and dislikes acidic soil. In recent years, the number of vegetable growers planting beetroot has increased somewhat, so let's take a look below at the key points of beetroot cultivation techniques.

1. Site selection and land preparation

Choose loam that is level, has deep soil, good structure, and convenient drainage and irrigation. Practice crop rotation for more than 42 years; suitable preceding crops are wheat, soybean, rapeseed, and corn. Do not plant beetroot after beetroot or in alternating strips with the previous beetroot crop. When preparing the land before sowing, clear away the straw and debris of the previous crop, and use measures such as deep plowing, harrowing, smoothing, and rolling to promote seed germination and seedling emergence.

2. Seed treatment

Choose seeds with a seed ball diameter of more than 2.5 mm, a thousand-seed ball weight of more than 20 grams, a purity rate of more than 98%, and a germination rate of no less than 75%. Before sowing, treat the seed with thiram, seed-dressing dual, or dexon at 0.8% of the seed amount, or soak the seed in warm water.

3. Sowing

(1) Sow early at the right time

The starting temperature for beetroot seed germination is 3~4°C. Generally, sowing takes place in early to mid-April, when the daily average temperature at a soil depth of 5 cm reaches above 5°C. In northern production areas, the sowing period must not be later than early May. In the ridge-cultivation areas of Northeast China, the thinning density is generally 4000~6000 plants per 667 sq m. In North China, Northwest China, and summer-sowing production areas, bed cultivation is mostly used, with narrower row spacing, and the thinning density is generally 5000~7000 plants per 667 sq m.

(2) Roll the soil after sowing

The purpose of rolling is to connect the soil capillaries, which helps draw up the subsoil moisture and ensures there is enough water when beetroot germinates. In dry early plots with strong spring winds and rapid evaporation, and on saline-alkali land, beetroot is most prone to sprout drying after sowing. If timely rolling measures are not taken, insufficient moisture will affect seed germination.

4. Field management

(1) Check seedlings and fill gaps

Check the seedlings immediately after emergence. If the missing-seedling rate is above 15%, replant by hand-transplanting with soil attached.

(2) Cultivation and weeding

During the beetroot growing period, cultivation and weeding must be carried out at least 3 times. Cultivation and weeding should be done in a timely manner when weeds are small, according to the occurrence and growth patterns of weeds and in combination with the climate conditions of that year. After beetroot emerges and rows are visible, cultivate 1~2 times. The first cultivation should be 8~10 cm deep, and the second cultivation after thinning should be 14~16 cm deep. The third cultivation

For weeding, before the rows close, use a large plow share to ridge the soil, so as to hill up the soil and open drainage furrows.

(3) Fertilizing and watering

At the seedling stage, apply 2 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 0.3 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 0.3 kg of potassium fertilizer per 667 sq m; during the rapid leaf-rosette growth period, the demand for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increases sharply, so apply 6 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 3 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 2 kg of potassium fertilizer per 667 sq m at this stage; during the root sugar-increase period, apply 4 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 3 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 5 kg of potassium fertilizer per 667 sq m; during the sugar accumulation period, control the nitrogen level to avoid excessive leaf growth, which consumes a large amount of photosynthetic products and lowers root quality. According to crop growth, apply appropriate amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer evenly, adding 0.4 kg of phosphate fertilizer and 0.5 kg of potassium fertilizer per 667 sq m. Water 4~6 times throughout the growing period; the watering principle is to control at both ends and promote in the middle. The first watering should control the seedling stage to encourage deep rooting. When the seedlings are not drought-stressed, delay the first irrigation as much as possible. When beet leaves wilt during the day on sunny days and recover at night, irrigate slowly with a small amount of water, leaving no dead corners. The last watering should be a quick runoff irrigation 15 days before harvest. Water evenly, without missing any area or causing waterlogging.

5. Harvest

Digging, picking up, and heaping beetroot should be done as continuous operations, achieving the “four timely” and “four clean” practices, namely timely digging, timely picking, timely topping, and timely heaping, and clean digging, clean picking, clean topping, and clean transport, so as to prevent the roots from being exposed to wind and sun for a long time, losing water and wilting, or suffering frost damage that lowers quality. The best harvest period is from late September to early to mid-October. At this time, most old leaves turn yellow and wither: the leaf rosette becomes loose, and the leaves stand obliquely or lie prostrate; root growth slows and tends to stop, the texture becomes crisp, and the root weight and sugar content reach their highest levels, so harvest should be carried out promptly.