How to plant beets correctly in spring

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

To achieve the best results, you need to follow a specific planting technology and know how to plant correctly. There are some subtleties of sowing culture and caring for young plants. In this article, we will consider when to sow beets in the spring.

How to choose the right place

In order for this horticultural crop to grow efficiently enough, it is necessary to choose areas that are open to sunlight. In no case is it recommended to plant beets under bushes or trees.

It is also necessary to take into account the proximity of groundwater. Despite the fact that the plant is moisture-loving, the area should not be too wet.

From a neighborhood point of view, beets tolerate companions such as:

• cucumber;
• beans.

In this case, in no case is it unacceptable to plant beets next to cabbage of any kind.

Also, experts recommend observing crop rotation. This avoids infestation by various parasites and does not deplete the soil, leaving the beets without the minerals they need.

How to prepare the soil before planting

Young beet seedlings need to provide everything necessary for effective green mass gain and rooting. The same recommendations must be followed in the event that this plant is planned to be planted directly with seeds in open ground.

1. Soil with neutral acidity will be ideal.
2. If the soil is acidic, then liming is carried out.
3. Loams are softened with superphosphate.
4. When digging, about 5 days before planting, it is necessary to apply complex fertilizers.
5. All large clods must be broken, leveled with a rake, so that the surface is a fine-structured soil into which not only seeds can be introduced, but also young plants can be planted. Otherwise, large pieces of soil can damage young shoots.

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How to prepare seeds for planting

Regardless of whether the seeds will be planted in open ground or for seedlings, they must be pre-treated.

If the seeds of a plant are bought in a package, and the manufacturer has taken care in advance to carry out all the necessary manipulations to increase the germination and strengthen young shoots, then this will be immediately visible after opening the envelope with seeds.

Beet kernels will have a certain shade that is not inherent in natural seed. Most often, special growth stimulants and antiparasitic solutions are used for processing.

If the seeds were harvested on their own or the manufacturer did not perform the processing, then it will be necessary to do it on their own. If you want to speed up the process of germination of seed material and give young plants more vitality, then you need to soak them for 2-3 days in warm water, in which a growth stimulator is diluted.

In this case, it is necessary to control so that the water does not evaporate, and add it all the time if necessary. Moreover, you cannot pour cold water, but exclusively warm water, as this will further stimulate the opening of the grains.

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It is necessary to dilute the growth stimulant only in the concentration indicated on the liquid package. After soaking the seed material of the beet, the water must be completely drained, the seeds must dry out slightly.

Only in this form can they be introduced into the soil, otherwise they begin to stick together. As a result, then the planting will need to be thinned out.

The most productive varieties of beets

Naturally, it is almost impossible to say unequivocally which varieties of beets are best suited. After all, it all depends on who and what wants to get on their site.

If the emphasis is on frost resistance, which is very relevant for the middle lane and the northern regions, then you should choose the following beet varieties:

• Red ice.
• Siberian.
• Wintering.
• Masha.

There are varieties of beets that are very undemanding in terms of care, watering and a wide variety of dressings. These include varieties such as:

• Borscht.
• Pablo.
• Bravo.
• Cylinder.
• Egyptian.

If you want to get the sweetest root vegetables possible, then you should pay attention to such types as:

• Mona.
• Valento.
• Incomparable.
• Mulatto.
• Beard.
• Cylinder.

It is necessary to choose one or another type of red root crop directly with an eye to what needs to be obtained in each specific case.

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The subtleties of planting seedlings

Beets are very demanding on the availability of nutrients in the soil. It is for this reason that it is necessary to select the right nutrient soil.

To do this, you can use a store substrate, to which vermicompost is added. The two components are mixed evenly with each other and they are filled into cassettes or individual cups.

Then the soil mixture is slightly compacted and small depressions are made in it. To get beet seedlings, you need to use cups about 5 cm high and 3.5-4 cm in diameter.

One seed sits in an individual cup or cassette cell. After application to the soil, sprinkle with earth and water abundantly.

Then, without fail, the landing is covered with glass or film. Thus, a mini-plaque is formed. But until the seeds hatch and the first shoots appear, the containers are placed in a dark place.

The temperature during this period should be maintained in the range of + 20 … + 23 ° С. Within 3 to 7 days after the moment the seed is placed in the soil, the first beet sprouts should appear.

After that, it is necessary to regularly water it, preventing the soil from drying out. When mass shoots of beets are formed, it is necessary to remove the film and put the containers in a room with a cooler temperature. The optimal range will be + 15 … + 18 ° С.

Once the beet leaves have reached a height of 5 cm, they are ready to be planted outdoors. And here it is important to observe one more essential point.

Since the beet transplant procedure is painful, it is necessary to plant the entire contents of the cup in open soil, that is, do not expose the root system of the seedling.

Suitable dates for planting beets

Planting crops can be done in two stages. This is exactly what experienced gardeners recommend to do. Thus, you can get 2 harvests - at the beginning of summer and in autumn.

In the earliest spring, when night temperatures do not drop to a significant minus, you can plant beets in open ground. In the southern regions, the second half of April is suitable for this, while in the middle lane this period is shifted to the end of May. In this case, the beets germinate quickly enough if the temperature conditions are appropriate.

If the crop is planted too early in the middle lane, then the sprout is more likely to start giving an arrow and stop developing the tuber. Therefore, it is worth keeping the optimal time here, otherwise the gardener runs the risk of getting too small beets on his table that are not suitable for their taste.

In principle, autumn planting is also allowed, but only cold-resistant varieties. Then in the spring you can get an excellent harvest of beets.

You just need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Apply seeds exclusively to the soil before the first frost.
2. It is not necessary to additionally moisturize the planting.
3. If the winter is not very snowy, then try to cover the beds.
4. When the first shoots appear, gently weed them, remove weeds so that they do not drown out young plants.

Summarize

To obtain a high-quality beet crop, the following rules must be observed:

1. Select suitable varieties for a specific region.
2. Choose a suitable, open, sunny site for planting.
3. Avoid cabbage proximity.
4. Water regularly, as beets are too sensitive to lack of moisture in the soil.