Golden beets offer a vibrant, sunny alternative to red beets, providing a milder, sweeter flavor profile with a subtle nutty finish. Their bright gold color is appealing because it does not bleed or stain when cooked or handled. Successful cultivation requires attention to specific soil and spacing needs.
Preparing the Planting Location
Golden beets thrive best in full sun, requiring a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight each day. Proper root development depends heavily on soil that is loose, deep, and well-draining, ideally a sandy loam texture. Before planting, you must amend the soil to ensure there are no large rocks or compacted areas that could misshape or stunt the developing roots.
The ideal soil pH for beets is slightly alkaline to neutral, ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. Testing and adjusting your soil to this range is important, as beets will not tolerate highly acidic conditions. A soil test may also reveal a deficiency in boron, a micronutrient essential for preventing internal black spots in the roots. Avoid incorporating too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer into the bed, as this nutrient encourages lush leaf growth at the expense of developing a substantial root.
Sowing Seeds and Managing Early Growth
Beets are a cool-season crop, best planted in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in late summer for a fall harvest. To ensure successful germination, sow the seeds directly into the prepared garden bed, as beets do not transplant well. Plant the seeds about one-half inch deep and one to two inches apart in rows spaced a foot apart.
A unique aspect of beet cultivation is that each wrinkled “seed” is actually a cluster containing two to six embryos, known as a multigerm seed. This structure means that multiple seedlings will often emerge from a single planting spot, creating immediate and severe competition. This density makes thinning the most critical step for proper root formation; without it, the crop will fail to produce sizable roots.
Thinning must begin once the seedlings are one to two inches tall and have developed their first set of true leaves. To avoid disturbing the delicate roots of the keepers, use a small pair of scissors to snip the weaker seedlings at the soil line, rather than pulling them out. The final, healthy plants should be spaced three to four inches apart to give each one adequate room to mature into a full, round root.
Essential Care During the Growing Season
Consistent and deep moisture is essential throughout the growing period. Irregular watering causes stress that can lead to tough, woody roots or, in the case of sudden heavy watering after a dry spell, can cause the roots to split. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist, providing about one inch of water per week, especially during dry stretches.
Since the soil was pre-amended to avoid excess nitrogen, supplementary feeding is usually minimal. If a mid-season boost is necessary, apply a balanced fertilizer that is lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium to encourage root swelling. Weeds compete vigorously with young beet plants, so keep the area clear by hand-weeding, taking care not to disturb the beet’s shallow root system.
Beets are susceptible to common garden pests like leaf miners, whose larvae tunnel through and damage the edible leaves. While the root remains safe, severely damaged leaves reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and grow. Applying a floating row cover immediately after planting can deter pests, or you can manage small infestations by crushing the visible larvae between your fingers. Cercospora leaf spot, a fungal disease, is minimized by ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering.
Harvesting and Storing Golden Beets
Golden beets typically reach maturity and are ready for harvest between 50 and 70 days after planting. The roots are generally ready to be picked when they are between 1.5 and 3 inches in diameter. Harvesting them at this young stage ensures the most tender, sweetest flavor, as larger roots can sometimes become fibrous.
To harvest, gently loosen the soil around the root with a fork. Twist the root out of the ground by grasping the base of the stems. Immediately twist the greens off, leaving a one-inch stub of stem attached to the root. This stub prevents the root’s internal moisture and color from bleeding out during storage.
For short-term preservation, store the unwashed roots in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to two months. The highly perishable greens should be stored separately in a bag and used within a few days. For long-term storage, pack the roots in moist sand, peat moss, or sawdust and keep them in a cool, dark location, such as a root cellar, at 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.