In the garden, one of the most popular root vegetables is beets, which even a novice summer resident can grow. This vegetable is used in many dishes. It contains vitamins and other useful elements not only in the root vegetable, but also in the tops, which cannot be purchased in the store.

To grow a vegetable in the country, you need to know the secrets of productive agricultural technology, love the plant and care for it properly.

Beetroot is cold-resistant and unpretentious culture. Compared to other vegetables, growing it is not a hassle. But although the cultivation technology is simple, this does not mean that it is enough to sow seeds in the ground and get excellent results.

When harvesting, such gardeners will be disappointed: without proper care, root crops are often small and ugly in shape, no matter how much you water them.

To avoid a decrease in the quality and quantity of the harvest, there are a number of nuances that are worth considering:

• good lighting and drainage plot;
• neutral acidity level soil;
• adding compost when preparing the soil before sowing;
• preliminary soaking of seeds to disinfect and accelerate germination;
• warming up the soil for sowing, avoiding shootout;
• sowing at a time when there are significant reserves of moisture in the soil;
• maintaining seed placement depth and row spacing;
• at least twice thinning;
• timely weeding and watering;
• fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and microelements.

One of the conditions for beet yield is maintaining the depth of seed placement.

Sowing beets cannot be carried out after small-seeded crops (beets, carrots, dill) and cruciferous(cabbage). Representatives of nightshade and pumpkin crops (cucumber, potato, tomato) will be good predecessors, then the vegetable will grow well.

Agricultural technology of sowing and growing

Sowing beets is carried out in two ways: the most common is sowing seeds in open ground, and the second involves forcing seedlings.

The ripening time of agricultural crops, including beets, depends on the time of sowing.

Any culture has a certain growing season, the determining factor of which is the variety. For example, if a mid-early beet variety is sown, you will need to wait 100 days before harvesting. The countdown is underway from the moment of emergence.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Beetroot is a cold-resistant crop, but it should be sown before the air temperature reaches 6-8 degrees, not worth it. This will eliminate the coincidence of the timing of emergence of seedlings and return frosts, during which the plant is bolted to the detriment of increasing the mass of the root crop.

1. To speed up seed germination, place them in cold water for 24 hours or keep them in warm water for half an hour.
2. Seed placement is carried out to a depth up to 4cm.
3. The width of the row spacing depends on the variety and ambitions of the gardener: when cultivating small vegetables, it is enough to leave 7 cm, and for large ones a distance of 30 cm.
4. The distance between root crops in a row for small specimens is 6 cm, for large ones - 10 cm.

When sowing sprouted seeds, sprouts may appear after three days, and in the case of dry seed, after a week.

If after sowing no care measures are taken and the air has not yet been warmed up, then the emergence of seedlings is noted after a two-week interval.

Planting beets with seedlings

Exists seedling method planting a root crop that will become excellent option for those who are not eager to thin out the beds in the future. Preparation of seedlings begins in advance - a month before the planned planting in open ground.

To use this method, you must take the following steps:

1. In a mini-greenhouse, make grooves with a distance at 5 cm.
2. Place seeds in them at a distance of 3 cm.
3. Moisten the soil well.
4. After the sprouts appear, it is worth ventilating the greenhouse, hardening off the seedlings.
5. When it forms on the shoots four leaves, you need to plant the seedlings on permanent place growth, adhering to the scheme of sowing seeds in open ground.

If the garden is not large enough to accommodate all the desired crops, then there is no need to allocate a separate bed for the crop. Beets can be added to onion or carrot beds.

Root crop care

The rapid appearance of sprouts will require the gardener to carefully care for the crop.

Weeding and loosening

Simultaneously with the first shoots, weeds will begin to grow. Weed control should be carried out regularly to nutritional elements remained in the ground for root growth.

At the same time, you should carry out loosening between rows after rain or watering to ensure air access to the root crop.

Thinning

When a plant forms third sheet, you should thin out the seedlings the first time. When fifth sheet beet crops will need to be re-pulled.

As a result of the first procedure, the distance between the seedlings will become 4 cm, after the second - 6-10 cm. Sprouts that are removed after two pairs of leaves have formed can be planted in an open area and they will take root.

The procedure is carried out on cloudy days after watering or rain.

Watering

During intensive growth When a root crop is formed, soil moisture is very important. Watering should be systematic and abundant - once a week under normal weather conditions.

Application of macro- and microfertilizers

Feed the root crop saltpeter stands carefully. This crop has the ability to accumulate nitrogen in the roots, the consumption of which can negatively affect health. If a gardener is convinced of a lack of this macronutrient, then two feedings will be enough for the entire growing season.

Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers It is better to apply with watering two weeks after sowing. To improve the quality and quantity of the crop, foliar feeding with microelements such as boron, manganese and calcium.

Protection from pests and diseases

Lack of microelements, the presence of fungal infections and pathogenic microorganisms in the soil can lead to a number of diseases: phomosis, downy mildew, rot, root beetle and others. Beets are also often affected by various pests.

The main protective measures include: compliance with crop rotation, timely weed removal near the crop, carrying out treatments with insecticidal-fungicidal preparations.

Secrets of a bountiful harvest

Experienced gardeners who have been receiving good harvest, advise:

1. Sow the seeds as soon as catkins appear on the aspen, then you don’t have to worry about frost.
2. To feast on fresh vegetable already in June, start sowing beets at the end of October.
3. To provide stable harvest from the beginning of summer and throughout the year, sow varieties With different terms maturation and qualities.
4. To increase the sugar content of the root crop, water with saline solution at the rate of a teaspoon table salt on a bucket of water.
5. To reduce soil acidity, add lime when preparing beds for sowing.

So, many garden owners grow beets, but not all of them are happy with the result. Compliance simple rules agricultural technology for cultivating root crops will allow even an inexperienced summer resident to achieve a good harvest.

How to care for the beds, how to stimulate growth and preserve the harvest. In this article we will tell you in what conditions beets grow well, acquire a pleasant taste and increase the root mass characteristic of the variety.

Beetroot: cultivation and care

After sowing, beets develop very slowly at first. Until the phase of 4–5 leaves, plantings should be protected from prolonged drying out and weeds: weeds tend to choke out seedlings and interfere with their growth and development. In addition, the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil, which prevents complete aeration of the beet roots, should not be allowed. Therefore, first of all, young plantings need:

• in regular watering;
• in loosening the soil;
• in weeding.

Adult plants, among other things, are fed by root and foliar methods.

Watering beets

Growing beets in open ground provides for watering three to four times per season, more often during prolonged dry and hot weather. The signal for watering is the drying out of the top layer of soil. From 20 to 30 liters of water are consumed per square of land. Best results gives evening sprinkling, which cleans the surface of leaf blades from accumulated dust.

The vegetable crop tolerates drought well if it is short-lived. But growing beets in excessively wet soil risks fungal diseases and damage to the crop.

ON THE PICTURE: Watering beets should be done in the evening, otherwise the tender leaves will “burn” in the sun.

Loosening the soil

Caring for young beets includes necessarily loosening the soil between the beds to a depth of 4–6 cm the day after watering. If this is not done, the resulting crust will impede aeration of the root system. This will at least slow down the ripening of the crop and negatively affect the quality and quantity of root crops.

ON THE PICTURE: Regular loosening of beet rows promotes the development of healthy, strong root crops.

Weed removal

Growing beets in open ground is associated with the problem of weed dominance. Seedlings grow very slowly and are not able to compete with weeds. Even before the first shoots appear, the plantings can be treated with tractor kerosene, which acts as a herbicide. It is sprayed in an amount of 35–50 grams per square meter. But still, on private plots, we recommend using the good old method of manual weeding, which is often more reliable, not to mention absolutely harmless to the soil.

Beet seedlings with four to six leaves are sprayed with a solution of sodium nitrate. When a characteristic fruit thickening forms on the root, weeds will no longer be able to harm the crop.

Beet feeding: root and leaf feeding

Root feeding of beets

When fertilizing beds with mineral fertilizers, you should keep in mind that beet roots accumulate nitrates. However, not all fertilizers are to blame for this, namely nitrogen fertilizers, in which nitrogen is in nitrate form. Firstly, these are all nitrates (ammonium, calcium, potassium), and secondly, complex ones with marketing names “Spring”, “Autumn” and others “For your dacha”.

How to grow good beets without nitrates? Better to use organic fertilizers (humus, bone meal, etc.) or those in which nitrogen is in ammonia form (you can read more about the forms of nitrogen in our article ""). The first time fertilizer is applied immediately after the first thinning. To grow green mass, you need nitrogen, which can be found in bird droppings or mullein. One kilogram of bird droppings is diluted with 12 liters of water, and a kilogram of mullein with eight liters. The consumption of liquid fertilizers is 12 liters per 10 “squares” of area. To apply diluted fertilizers, grooves are made along the rows five centimeters from the plants.

The second time, when the beet tops close in between the rows, the beets are fertilized with potassium. The source of potassium is wood ash, which is scattered over the beds before watering. Consumption - one glass for every one and a half square of land.

ON THE PICTURE: Wood ash- accessible, cheap, but very effective fertilizer with a high potassium content.

Foliar feeding: advantages and features

Growing beets with foliar feeding is quite effective at the 4-6 leaf stage. Until this moment, the plant must receive a sufficient amount nutrients from the ground. An adult plant can be given fertilizer leaf by leaf, and there are several reasons for this:

• substances necessary for plant nutrition are absorbed from the leaf blade faster and more fully. This is especially true in cases where the plant suffers from stress as a result of untimely watering or recurrent frosts.
• unlike applying fertilizers to the soil, spraying cannot harm root crops in the event of an overdose;
• fertilizers are distributed evenly, reducing the risk of accumulation chemical substances in the soil.

For foliar feeding perfect fit potassium nitrate. Unlike root feeding, the nitrogen of this fertilizer accumulates in the leaves and immediately takes part in the synthesis of sugars, which then enter the root crop, making it sweet and rich in taste. In turn, potassium much increases the shelf life of beets and resistance to fungal diseases. Foliar feeding with potassium nitrate can be carried out in the first half of summer - until the beets grow tops. As soon as this process has slowed down, feeding is stopped so as not to stimulate the growth of tops.

To obtain outstanding results, use complexes of microelements for foliar feeding - copper, molybdenum, manganese, etc. (the store has many options for such fertilizers, consisting only of microelements - buy any). Microelements act in micro doses and do not accumulate in root crops, but they affect the plant’s immunity, accelerate ripening, and increase resistance to stress.

Beet harvest

Growing of table beets and sugar beets ends in late August or early September. By this time, the leaves turn yellow and dry out. Having anticipated warm and dry weather, the plants are dug up with a pitchfork, shaken off the ground and the remains of the tops are cut off, leaving a stump of two centimeters. In this form, the crop is left to dry, after which it is laid on.

ON THE PICTURE: Despite its seeming archaic nature, digging up ripened beets with a pitchfork is one of the most the best ways harvest without loss.

How to grow beets - secrets that not everyone knows about:

1. The sugar content of root vegetables can be increased by adding a tablespoon of salt to a bucket of water for irrigation.
2. Watering should be stopped 15–20 days before harvesting. This will improve the taste of root vegetables and increase their shelf life.
3. Beets grow faster and require less time for weeding and loosening if the beds are mulched.

Root vegetables in nutrition modern man play a smaller role than in the old days due to the narrowing of the range of species used. We have practically stopped eating turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, radishes are rarely on our table, but carrots and beets are still popular and in demand and are used in various dishes.
Amateur gardeners enjoy growing on their plots different varieties beets intended both for consumption as young root crops and for long-term storage. To keep your produce in perfect condition all winter, you need to grow it properly.

If beets with compact root crops are very good for early production, large ones are still better preserved in winter. Where small beets shrivel and wither, large ones will contain more moisture and, accordingly, will be preserved longer and more successfully. In many ways, the size of root crops depends on the beet variety, but insufficient care And good variety may produce small, nondescript products. What needs to be done and how to grow large beets on your site?

Rules for growing beets

If you follow simple rules, growing beets will not take much time and effort, and the resulting harvest will delight you with excellent taste, excellent appearance and excellent preservation in winter time.
Seed selection. It is huge and can satisfy every taste. Choose varieties that are zoned for your area and are most suitable for your soils. In addition to the varieties, it is worth paying attention to the quality of the seeds themselves. Do not buy them from unverified suppliers - they may be old and of poor quality. Don’t be tempted by beautiful packaging - unscrupulous sellers can easily repackage unsold leftover seeds from previous years into new, elegant packaging. Seeds from your own plot or received from friends may also not be of very high quality if they are obtained from uncontrolled cross-pollination. Such a “hybrid” can produce a tasteless root vegetable with a “striped” pattern, more suitable for animal feed. Purchasing seeds from certified growers or sellers provides greater quality assurance.
Selection of plants according to ripening time. You can grow beets for early harvest and for storage; early and late varieties are used for this. But you can also get a harvest of fresh and tasty beets in the middle of summer. For this purpose, mid-season varieties are chosen.

All of them can be sown simultaneously in the ground after the threat of return frosts has disappeared, or you can grow seedlings of early varieties at home, in a greenhouse or hotbed.
Proper and timely sowing of seeds will tell you how to grow large beets. If you want to get a straight show specimen, you need to make sure that this plant receives maximum care and nutrients. Early sowing and properly carried out picking or thinning will help achieve High Quality products.


High-quality soil - both for seedlings and for direct sowing in the ground. Beetroot requires nutritious, moderately dense soil with sufficient moisture. On clay, root crops will “stick out” to the surface; in addition, they will grow worse due to stagnation of moisture and difficulty in “pouring.” Excessively light sandy soils are usually thin and low in nutrients. In clay soils you will have to add sand and deeply cultivate it before winter, and add clay and humus to the sand. Soils for root crops are cultivated in the fall, and in the spring they are only cleared of weeds and the surface layer is loosened. This treatment allows you to get smooth and beautiful root crops; this is the best method for growing tasty beets with minimal effort.
Maintaining crop rotation. Do not grow beets after other root vegetables and related crops. Such lands are infected with diseases and pests, and it will not be possible to get a good harvest from them.
Landing distance. Each plant needs a certain area of ​​nutrition. If the seedlings are thickened, they will interfere with each other and grow small and lopsided. The distance between the roots and the rows depends on the size of the beets, determined by the variety. The larger the beets, the greater the distance both between plants and in the rows. Early bunched products are planted more densely, and varieties intended for storage are planted less often.

How to grow healthy beets without using chemicals? Switch to organic farming. Add plants to the beets that repel pests with their smell, for example, marigolds, alternate with onions and garlic. Treat them not with artificial harmful chemicals, but with infusions of plants from own garden. For good growth improve the soil by adding organic fertilizers rather than chemical fertilizers.

It may not necessarily be humus, manure or bird droppings. Excellent feeding is sapropel - river silt, any plant residues added to the soil after harvesting. Our ancestors knew a simple rule that made their lands fertile without factory fertilizing and spraying. Take for yourself only what you can eat, return the rest to the ground - this is the main postulate of this rule. As a result, the taste of the harvest from clean land is incomparable to that grown in the usual way “with chemicals”.
Moisture. If there is a shortage of it, small, tasteless root vegetables will grow, and if there is an excess, some of the produce may die. The part of the harvest that survives will not be stored well, and the taste of such beets will be watery. Uniform moderate watering throughout the growing season, and especially in the early stages, when the root crop begins to form, will allow you to get excellent tasty beets.
Light mode. Beets love the sun and can tolerate partial shading during the hottest hours.
It is best to harvest in the morning, as soon as the dew has disappeared. In this case, the beets will be as juicy and tasty as possible.

The main stages of planting beets

Beet seeds consist of several individual seeds connected into so-called “balls”. That is why, when sowing seeds in the ground or for seedlings, the grown seedlings will have to be plucked or thinned out.
Sowing for seedlings or in the ground under cover. For seedlings, seeds are scattered over the surface of previously prepared soil, lightly pressed and sprinkled with a thin layer of sifted soil. Spray and cover with film until germination. When sowing in the ground, rows are made for ease of subsequent processing and weeding. If these are early plantings, cover them with film or make a tunnel shelter.
Seedlings dive at the stage of true leaves. Before picking, the crops are watered abundantly. For work, it is convenient to use a diving peg - it is used to pick up the plant and carefully transfer it to another container.
The seedlings that have risen too densely are thinned out in the beds. They are also watered first, and then the selected plants are planted in empty spaces or new beds. New plantings are also watered. For safety and protection from diseases, it is good to water the seedlings with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

As the plants grow, it becomes clear whether it is necessary to carry out repeated thinning and transplant the seedlings. If you watch a video on how to grow large beets, please note that to obtain large plants a significant supply area is required.
Plants grown from seedlings are placed immediately in a permanent place, usually when they have developed 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves. If the seedlings grew in separate containers, it is advisable to plant them in the ground along with a lump of earth. Although beets tolerate transplanting well, this technique will help you get a larger root crop in a short time.
Seedlings need regular watering as the soil dries out. You should not allow the soil to dry out completely - this can significantly slow down the formation of root crops.
Early varieties rarely fertilize - they tend to accumulate nitrates. For medium and late varieties fertilizing is necessary only on very thin, poor soils. Adding chemical fertilizers can significantly degrade the taste of beets.

What do you need to get a large root crop?

If you want to grow large beets, then you just need to follow these points:
Choose a variety with initially large sizes. For example, "Cylinder" when good care will produce very large, juicy and brightly colored cylindrical fruits that taste good and store well. Such large root vegetables are usually used for harvesting or processing.
Sow the seeds on time. Late sowing may not allow the crop to fully ripen and reach its maximum dimensions. Too much early sowing into the ground may suffer from return frosts, which will significantly reduce the yield.
Thinning will help ensure the optimal amount of nutrients arrives. Large root crops will not grow if the planting is dense.
Watering is important for the formation of the root crop and at its stage active growth. As the beets develop, watering is reduced and completely canceled before harvesting. This makes it possible to accumulate maximum sugars in vegetables, make them tasty and extend their shelf life during the cold season.

Many people know how to grow beets in open ground. But someone is doing this for the first time. And he doesn’t realize that there are certain tricks and secrets. Due to lack of skill, they can make mistakes. But you can grow wonderful harvest without a greenhouse, just following some recommendations.

The most frequently asked questions are about:

• land preparation
• seed treatment
• choosing a landing method
• need for care
• feeding
• cleaning time

Let's look at each point to get a first-class harvest.

What kind of land does beets need?

Loose and nutritious. Just not manured! Beetroot is very grateful for mineral supplements, overripe compost or green manure. And it does not tolerate fresh manure at all. When it is applied, the beets become clumsy, often get sick and shoot.

Autumn preparation includes weeding, fertilizing and digging the beds. Be sure to add chalk or lime. Beets really don't like acidic soil.

You can prepare the soil in the spring. As soon as the snow melts, the soil is loosened. This will allow the weeds to sprout earlier, and you will get rid of them so that the young plantings do not suffer.

You need to choose a sunny place for planting beets. She doesn't like shadows. By the way, people say that beets grow better if the housewife's hem is swept over them. That is, along the edges of other beds. But it’s better to give it a separate lane.

Immediately on the day of planting, grooves are made with a handy tool. About 5-7 cm deep. The bottom is dusted with ash. This is a good dose of potassium. Then carefully pour water on it. As soon as it is absorbed, you can plant.

Advice. Planting dates in each region are individual. Focus on the temperature of the earth. It should be above +15°C.

How to plant beets correctly

The depth of planting the seeds is about 3-4 cm. The distance between them is 8-11 cm. No more is needed. Huge root vegetables are impressive, but what will you do with such a firebrand? Cook for three days? Although, if you need it for an exhibition, feel free to double the distance between the seeds.

Planting rows can be spaced 20 cm apart from each other. This is done for the convenience of primary weeding.

Get ready to have to pull the beets apart. From one glomerulus 2 or even 3 plants grow. If this is not done, then you can forget about a good harvest.

Advice. Now breeding offers special varieties that do not require plucking. That's what they're called - single-germ. Look for information on the seed packet.

If the seeds are simply placed in the ground, seedlings appear only after 3 weeks. During this time, it may rain, the soil will become crusty, and seedlings may not appear at all.

In order for beets to germinate in 4-5 days, the seeds must be pre-treated and germinated. To do this, they are soaked in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for 3 hours. This will kill pathogenic bacteria and spores. Next, without washing, the beet seeds are placed in a biostimulant solution for a day. Instructions can be found on the packaging. It is imperative to ensure that the temperature of the liquid does not fall below +20°C. Beets love warmth.

After the expiration date, prepare a wide container. Place a thin layer of clean sawdust, a cotton cloth, and paper napkins on the bottom. Wet thoroughly with clean water. They don’t pour it, they just moisturize it! Treated beet seeds are poured on top and covered with glass or a transparent bag. Place in a warm place.

On the second day you can check. Some seeds should already be hatching. Almost everything germinates on the third. Now you can plant.

Advice. Be careful not to let the backing dry out. If necessary, spray it with warm water.

Seeds or seedlings

Depending on what the beets are intended for, there are two types of planting.

1. Seeds. The method is simple and allows you to get a guaranteed harvest without much effort. The downside is that for early landing he doesn't fit.
2. Seedlings. The method is more troublesome, but it helps to get an early harvest of root crops. Of the minuses: dancing with placing the roots in the grooves, the seedlings are very capricious and painful. You may not get the weather right, and then the survival rate will be very low.

Decide for yourself what is more important to you - to eat one beetroot in July or to harvest a good harvest in the fall? Although, if you have a lot of experience, you can try it. Now there is a lot of information about such experiments.

Advice. If the seedling method was chosen, then never tear off the central root when picking. It is through it that beets receive nutrition in dry times.

What care does beets require?

Small beet plants are very weak, sickly, and weakly stay in the ground. Therefore, they need to be protected from all kinds of misfortunes:

1. Flea attack. In this case, small holes immediately form on the delicate leaves. Therefore, inspect the beets in a timely manner, if necessary, dust them with ash or spray them with insecticides.
2. Earth crust. While the plants have not yet gained a good mass of leaves, they breathe through their roots. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil between the rows. Just be very careful not to damage the roots!
3. Weeds. They grow much faster than beet plantings and create unnecessary shadow. Weeds must be mercilessly destroyed until the leaves in the rows close together. And then the beets will cope on their own. It simply won't let the grass grow.
4. Return frosts. What to do if the weather forecast promised cold weather, but your seeds have just emerged? No need to panic! We install temporary arcs, throw on greenhouse film and wait for the warmth. In case of severe frosts, you can cover the top with non-woven material.

This is the main concern as long as the beets are young. After 6-8 true leaves appear, you can moderate your ardor.

Advice. In order not to run around the beet bed, looking for an insidious weed, you can simply mulch it. This will prevent future growth of weeds and will retain moisture in the ground even in the most drought.

Do I need to fertilize beets?

Beets are very responsive to fertilizing, so do not neglect them. It is best to use foliar, that is, on the leaves. The most suitable is green manure. It's very easy to make.

A plastic bucket is filled to the top with fresh nettles, dandelions, and clover. In this case, it is advisable to chop everything with pruning shears. Or tear it with your hands into pieces about 10 cm long. Place a handful of dry grass on top and fill it with water. Leave it in the sun. Be prepared for a stunning “aroma”. Stir once a day with a wooden stick. After 7-9 days, the wonderful fertilizer is ready.

It is diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1 to 10. And only then the beet plantings are watered. To spray on leaves, you need to dilute 1 to 20. The result will be noticeable the very next day. In total, 4 such feedings are carried out per season.

They can be alternated with watering with salt water. For 10 liters of liquid 1 tsp. table salt. The amount of salt feeding is 2 per season.

By the way, about watering. Beets can grow without them, but then they will be woody and bitter. At the same time, she does not like waterlogging. Root crops quickly become sick from excessive dampness. Therefore, it needs to be watered only when the soil is dry to a depth of 10 cm or more.

About a month before harvesting, all nutritional procedures and watering are stopped. Let the root vegetables grow stronger and accumulate their sweetness. If you continue to do this until harvest, the root vegetables will not be burgundy, but red. Plus, light rings will appear in the pulp.

Advice. If you are not a supporter of organic farming, then use mineral fertilizers. Beets love them too. Just without fanaticism! Follow the instructions strictly and do not exceed the dosage.

When and how to harvest beets

The exact timing depends on the variety. As a rule, cylindrical root crops ripen a month earlier than round ones. In general, it is customary to navigate by foliage. The signal for harvesting is yellowing and wilting 4-5 lower leaves. But you still need to look at the weather. If the forecast predicts heavy rain or frost in the near future, it is better to harvest the beets a few days earlier. Why then dig around in the cold mud?

How to clean properly? You will need pitchforks, gloves, burlap, and pruning shears. Carefully dig up the root crops with a pitchfork, trying not to damage them. Shake off the soil and cut off the tops with pruning shears. The petioles are left about 2 cm. Then they are laid out on burlap to dry in a barn or garage for 5 days.

Some simply spill out onto the floor without any bedding. In principle, this is possible. It's just that burlap allows you to avoid spreading dirt.

Why 5 days? Because during this time, any damage or sores, if any, will appear on the beets. Such root vegetables cannot be stored. But they can be processed into preparations for the winter.

After final drying, the beets can be harvested winter storage. To do this, it is laid out in wooden or plastic boxes, then placed in a cellar or basement. Temperature +6-8°C, darkness and humidity about 75% - ideal conditions for long-term storage of beets.

1. After pulling up beet plantings, do not throw away the plants. If you have a free piece of land, you can try planting them. Caring for such plants is no different from sown ones. The processing is also the same. You may even reap an even better harvest.
2. If you do not want to experiment or there is no free land, then throw away the roots and leave the young leaves. This is an excellent vitamin supplement for salads, borscht, and okroshka.
3. Water the beets using the sprinkling method. This way the sockets are refreshed and washed. There's no harm in it. After each watering, the next morning or day, carefully break the crust on the surface of the soil.
4. There are recommendations for winter planting of beets. Ostensibly to obtain an earlier harvest. But reviews indicate the ineffectiveness of this method. The seeds will still not sprout before the earth warms up. What's the point of planting early in the winter if you can plant it in the spring in warm soil?
5. If you need small root crops for whole preservation, then simply do not pull up the beet plantings and loosen the ground more often. Then they will be small, but fully formed.
6. One of the characteristics of beets is their elevation above the ground. Some root vegetables stick out 2/3 of their length. There is no need to frantically hill it up and cover it from the sun's rays. Beets do not accumulate solanine and do not turn green. Let it stick out, admire it.
7. You should start feeding beets when the root crop reaches the size of a quail egg. You shouldn't do this before. The root system is still too weak.

How to grow beets in open ground? As you can see, nothing complicated. Care, weeding, watering, fertilizer. And now the vinaigrette is from our own harvest, and not purchased.

Video: the intricacies of planting beets in open ground