Growing Beets in Containers: A Step-By-Step Guide

Growing beets in containers offers so many benefits, especially for gardeners with limited space or poor soil conditions.

Containers allow you to control the soil quality, ensuring the ideal balance of nutrients for healthy beet growth. This way of growing beets also makes it easier to manage pests and diseases, as well as provide consistent watering and drainage.

Beets grown in containers can thrive in small areas like balconies or patios, and their compact size makes them a perfect choice for urban gardening.

In addition to all of that, harvesting is simpler, as the beets are easy to access, and you can plant them in succession for continuous harvests.

How to Grow Beets in Pots

Beets are relatively easy to grow in pots and provide not only a nutritious root vegetable but also delicious greens. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you successfully grow beets in pots.

1. Choosing the Right Container

Beets need space for their roots to grow, so the container size is important.

• Size: Choose a container that is at least 10–12 inches deep. The width can vary, but the deeper the container, the better the beets will grow. Ensure that your container can accommodate multiple plants spaced at least 3–4 inches apart.
• Material: Containers can be plastic, clay, or fabric grow bags. Each has pros and cons, but make sure the container has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging, as beets don’t like soggy soil.

2. Selecting the Right Soil

• Soil Type: Beets prefer well-draining soil. Use a light, loose potting mix enriched with organic matter like compost. You can create your mix by combining standard potting soil with equal parts compost and perlite or sand to improve drainage.
• pH: Beets prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil, with a pH range between 6.0 and 7.0. You can test your soil’s pH and adjust if necessary with lime (to raise pH) or sulfur (to lower pH).

3. Choosing Beet Varieties

Some beet varieties are better suited to container gardening:

• ‘Detroit Dark Red’: One of the most popular and reliable varieties.
• ‘Golden Beets’: Known for their sweet flavor and golden color.
• ‘Chioggia’: An Italian heirloom with striking red-and-white striped flesh.
• ‘Baby Beets’: Smaller varieties that mature faster and are perfect for containers.

4. Planting Beets

• Sowing Seeds: Beets are best grown from seed rather than transplants, as they don’t like to have their roots disturbed.
  • Soak the seeds in water for 12 hours before planting to encourage quicker germination.
  • Sow seeds about 1 inch deep and 3–4 inches apart. If you’re planting in rows, make sure rows are about 12 inches apart. In a container, a wider spacing allows for larger beets.
  • Thin the seedlings once they’re about 1–2 inches tall, leaving the strongest plants. Thinning is crucial, as beets need room to develop large, round roots.

5. Watering and Care

• Watering: Beets need consistent moisture to grow properly, but they don’t like standing in water. Water your container thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry, making sure water drains out of the bottom.
• Fertilizing: Beets are light feeders, so avoid over-fertilizing, especially with nitrogen-rich fertilizers, which can promote leaf growth at the expense of the root. A balanced organic fertilizer or compost tea applied every few weeks will provide sufficient nutrients.
• Mulching: Mulch the top of the soil with straw or grass clippings to help retain moisture and keep the soil temperature consistent.

6. Sunlight Requirements

Beets grow best in full sun, so place your container in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing indoors, place the container in a sunny window or use grow lights.

7. Managing Pests and Diseases

• Common Pests: Beets can be attacked by aphids, flea beetles, and leaf miners. Inspect your plants regularly, and use organic insecticides like neem oil or insecticidal soap if necessary.
• Diseases: Beets are generally hardy but can be susceptible to fungal diseases, particularly in humid or over-watered conditions. Ensure proper air circulation around your container and avoid overwatering to prevent root rot and mildew.

8. Harvesting Beets

• Harvesting Roots: Beets are typically ready for harvest 7–8 weeks after planting, depending on the variety. You can begin harvesting once the roots are about 1.5–3 inches in diameter.
  • Loosen the soil around the beet carefully and pull it up by the greens.
  • You can harvest beets when they’re small (for tender baby beets) or let them grow to their mature size.
• Harvesting Greens: Beet greens can be harvested as they grow. Snip the outer leaves when they’re about 4–6 inches tall, leaving the smaller, inner leaves to continue growing. Beet greens are nutritious and can be used in salads, stir-fries, or smoothies.

9. Successive Planting

Beets grow quickly, so you can practice successive planting. Once you’ve harvested a batch, replant the container with fresh seeds to enjoy multiple harvests throughout the growing season.

10. Storing Beets

If you harvest more beets than you can use, store the roots:

• Fresh: Store fresh beets in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
• Preserved: You can also pickle or can beets for longer storage.

More Tips for Success

• Rotate your crops: If growing beets in the same container year after year, rotate with other crops to prevent soil depletion and pest buildup.
• Cold Tolerance: Beets are cold-hardy, and you can grow them in cooler weather or start them early in spring. They’ll tolerate light frost but should be protected from hard freezes.
• Grow Indoors: If you want to grow beets indoors, make sure they receive sufficient light from a grow lamp, as indoor conditions might not offer enough natural sunlight.

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