It's Time to Harvest Your Beets Now—3 Tips on How to Do It Right (2024)

Beets are aneasy-to-grow vegetable in the garden that can be harvested about 7 to 8 weeks after planting theseeds. Once they reach golf ball size (about one inch in diameter) you can begin to enjoy the root vegetable.

You'll get the best-tasting beets if you plant them during the cool weather of early spring or fall. Excessive heat and allowing the roots to become too large can produce tough, fibrous beets.

Learn the best harvest methods and when to gather beets in the garden

3 Clear Signs That Beets Are Ready to Pick

• The "shoulders" are peeking out above the ground. If the shoulders (or top) of the beet are showing above ground level, the beet is usually ready to harvest.
• The size of the beet is at least an inch. Loosen the soil a bit around the beetroot and feel the size of the root. If it is at least one inch in diameter, the beet is ready to be removed from the soil. If it's smaller than you'd like, rake the soil back around the beet and wait a few days before picking.
• It's been 2-3 months since you planted. Most beet varieties take between 50 and 60 days to reach maturity. Harvest spring-planted beets before the soil gets too warm and fall-planted beets before the ground freezes.

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How to Harvest Beets the Right Way

When it's time to harvest a section of beets from the garden, use a garden fork or spade to gently loosen the soil in the row. Be sure to work at least six inches from the crown of the beet plants to be sure you don't puncture the roots.

Grab the beet plant at the base of the leaves, give it a gentle twist, and pull it to remove it from the soil. Once harvested, the greens should be cut about one inch from the root. Beet greens can be washed and prepared like any other greens.

Picking Leaves vs. Roots

If you love the mild, earthy flavor of beet greens, you can pick them and still have a plentiful beetroot harvest. The key is to snip only two or three leaves from each plant.

The beetroot needs leaves so it can fully form, so don't harvest all of the leaves. Younger leaves are more tender, while those longer than six inches can be tough.

Of course, beet seeds can be planted just for the greens if you prefer them over the roots.

6 Additional Tips for Growing Beets

• Space beet plants or seeds 3 to 4 inches apart so the roots have room to develop.
• Beet seeds contain several embryos and once they germinate, you will need to thin the plants when they are 2 inches. Wash and use the tender leaves in salads.
• Beet greens grow well in partial shade, but the roots need full sun to develop properly.
• Beets prefer low nitrogen fertilizer—otherwise, you'll have lots of greens but tiny roots.
• Try different beet varieties in the garden to find one you enjoy: chioggia is a sweet-tasting Italian heirloom with distinct red- and white-striped flesh, goldens have carrot-colored roots, and formanovas are cylinder-shaped beet growing up to 8 inches long and perfect for uniform slices.
• Expect about 5 to 10 pounds of beet from 10 feet of planted row.