Beets Seed Starting Tips

Sow seed in shallow trenches ½ (8 mm) inch deep and be sure to heel or stamp the soil firmly in; beets often fail to germinate when there is insufficient contact with the soil. Sow seed 2 inches apart and later thin to 4 inches (5-10 cm) apart for large storage beets, closer if growing for baby beets or greens.

How do you start a beet seed?
Do beet seeds need to be soaked before planting?
Can you start beets in seed trays?
How long do beetroot seeds take to germinate?
Do beets need full sun?
When should I start my beet seeds?
Can you use egg cartons to start seeds?
Why won't my beets germinate?
Are beets hard to germinate?
Can you start carrots in seed trays?
How many beets does a plant produce?
What happens if you don't thin beets?

How do you start a beet seed?

Sow seeds ½-inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in rows that are about 1 foot apart. After sowing, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Each wrinkled beet “seed” is actually a cluster of 2 to 4 seeds, so you will need to thin the young plants to 3 to 4 inches apart once the greens get to be about 4 inches tall.

Do beet seeds need to be soaked before planting?

Soaking Seed: Beets can be slow to germinate under normal conditions, and particularly so in the early spring. One way to speed things up is to soak beet seeds over night before planting. We use warm water with just a touch of liquid kelp. If you don't have kelp the soaking still benefits.

Can you start beets in seed trays?

In each container, plant two to three beet seeds a half-inch deep in high-quality seed starting mix. After seedlings emerge in 5 to 8 days, thin them to one per container. In a few more weeks, you'll have one strong plant per container, and each can be planted out in the garden without disturbing the roots.

How long do beetroot seeds take to germinate?

Beetroot seeds are relatively large and are easy to handle and space out along the row. Roots are ready in as little as 7 weeks if picked young, but can be grown on for around 12 weeks for larger roots.

Do beets need full sun?

Exposure – Beet seeds need full sun and cool temperatures to thrive. Beets are a cool season crop and planted in spring and fall. Full sun is considered to be 6 hours plus of UV light. This means even if it is cloudy, on a clear day that area of your garden would be in full sun for 6 or more hours.

When should I start my beet seeds?

Start beets from seed or transplants. Seed is viable for 4 years. Start seeds in the garden about 4 weeks before you expect the last frost. Beets can be started indoors, but they—like most root crops—are difficult to transplant to the garden with success.

Can you use egg cartons to start seeds?

You can use egg cartons as a seed-starting tray! Depending on the type of carton you have, you can even cut apart the individual sections and plant them, as the carton will biodegrade. Be sure to poke small holes for drainage, and put the cartons on a tray or in a shallow pan to catch any residual water.

Why won't my beets germinate?

Temperatures were too high when beets were planted; seed fail to germinate in hot weather. Mulch planting bed with aged compost. Keep planting bed evenly moist until seedlings emerge. Seeds rot or seedlings collapse with dark water-soaked stems as soon as they appear.

Are beets hard to germinate?

Each beet seed is actually a hard little cluster of 2 to 4 seeds. It takes several days or even a week for the outer seed coat to soften and allow the seeds inside to germinate. It's important to keep the soil consistently moist during this period. Once the seeds have germinated, you will need to thin out (and eat!)

Can you start carrots in seed trays?

You can grow carrots in starter pots, or flats, but if you do, make sure to use seed starting trays that are at least two inches deep and don't forget to move them into the garden when the seedlings are only one or two weeks old. ... Sow two seeds per cell and thin to one if both seedlings emerge.

How many beets does a plant produce?

One beet plant does produce one beet root. But, to add complexity, one beet seed may grow many beet plants. Beet 'seeds' are actually seed clusters, with between 1 and 6 viable plants inside. You'll have to pick the hardiest and thin out his neighbors.

What happens if you don't thin beets?

Of all the mistakes that are made growing beets, failing to thin seedlings is probably the most common. Even if you're obsessive about seed spacing as you sow, you'll still need to thin once seedlings emerge. ... And crowded beets aren't happy beets — you'll get plenty of beet tops, but only spindly roots beneath the soil.