Red Table Beet Seeds

The Red Table Beet is a classic cool-season root vegetable prized for its deep-red, earthy-sweet roots and tender, edible leaves. Each round to globe-shaped root has smooth crimson flesh that roasts, boils, pickles, or grates beautifully into salads, while the young foliage works like chard. Unlike the industrial sugar beet of the same species, this is a true table beet bred for flavour and colour on the plate.

Planting

Sow the corky seed clusters 1.3-2.5 cm deep in a sunny, open spot. Each cluster yields several seedlings, so space sowings about 10 cm apart with rows 30-46 cm apart. Germination takes roughly 7-14 days; soil at 13-24 C is ideal, while soil above 27 C reduces emergence. Thin while seedlings are young (around 2.5 cm tall) to 7.6-10 cm, avoiding deep cultivation near the developing roots.

Fertilizing

Beets are moderate-to-heavy feeders. Side-dress with a nitrogen fertilizer (21-0-0) about 6 weeks after emergence. Ensure adequate boron for healthy roots, but never band boron fertilizer directly beneath the seed, as it can severely burn seedlings.

Care

Water regularly and uniformly, especially through the first 6 weeks; drip irrigation is best. Avoid drought stress, which triggers bolting, and excess water, which favours leaves over roots. Watch for leaf miner, flea beetles, leaf spots, and root rots. Harvest when roots reach about 4-7 cm across; larger roots turn woody.