Contents
Beetroot belongs to the family of haze and is a cold-resistant plant that is very undemanding to the conditions of planting and care, which is recommended to be planted on loose soils and well watered. At what time should beets be planted in the spring, under what conditions, and after what vegetable crops is it best to plant them on their own plot? With all these important questions, today’s article will help you figure it out.
Conditions and antecedents
When should you start preparing for planting beets? Experts strongly advise starting the preparatory stage in the autumn with soil preparation. To do this, it is not only necessary to remove the remaining parts of vegetable crops from the beds, but also to enrich the land with organic fertilizers. When all this is done, the soil will need to be dug up to a depth that is equal to the height of the shovel. Also, subject to the poor condition of the land on the site, it is additionally fed with mineral fertilizers.
To do this, about 20 grams of ammonium nitrate or the same amount of ammonium sulfate, 40 grams of superphosphate, 15 grams of potassium chloride per square meter are added to the soil. From organic dressings, it is customary to use about 4 kg of compost or 3 kg of humus per square meter. In the case when the soil has an increased percentage of acidity, the well-known lime should be added to it.
The bed should not be shaded by anything, otherwise the future vegetables will not have a rich color. Before planting beets in the spring, the ground must also be loosened using a rake for this purpose. Also, the addition of dolomite flour to the soil during this period has proven itself well. The soil for proper planting should be fertile loamy or sandy loamy, having a neutral acidity index. Remember that this vegetable crop has a negative attitude to such types of land as loamy, dense clayey, acidic or waterlogged.
If you did everything right, then the earth is ready for the moment when you are going to plant beets. The soil should also warm up to 5 degrees, because at a lower temperature, the seeds can go into arrows, and then you simply won’t wait for the harvest of your favorite vegetables. There are several ways to properly plant this vegetable crop. The first thing is planting seeds. To prepare them, they are soaked in a growth stimulator solution, or simple ash is suitable. After a day, the seeds should be washed with water, then wrapped in a cloth. Before planting seeds, the ground will need to be moistened. For these purposes, special grooves are made about 4 cm deep, the distance between which should be up to 20 cm. Then water is poured into them. When all this is done, the seeds can be planted individually.
Seedlings will have to be thinned out over time, because more than one plant most often appears from each such seed. That is why it is advised less often to plant seeds immediately. The landing pattern should resemble a kind of lattice. The following beet planting schemes are also known – one-line, which is the sowing of seeds in prepared grooves to a depth of about 4 cm, and it is customary to leave about 45 cm between them, and two-line – its essence is that two furrows are made, the distance between which is up to 25 cm, then a gap of 50 cm is left, after which a couple of lines are made again. Care consists in rare loosening of the soil and timely weeding.
In order not to engage in thinning in the future, you can plant beets with seedlings. It is grown in a greenhouse, making the distance between the grooves about 6 cm, and the seeds are advised to sow 3 cm apart. Planting seedlings is done a month before it is moved to the main place. It is necessary to transplant seedlings when there are about 4 leaves on the plant. Sprouts will definitely need to be hardened, as well as regularly ventilate the room.
When you decide to plant it in the ground, it will need to be carefully watered. Each sprout is lowered by the root system into a clay solution, after which it is planted in the garden according to a special scheme.
If we take into account the compatibility factor of vegetable crops, then we can find out that tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and cucumbers are considered the best predecessors of beets in a personal plot. Experts do not advise planting this plant after carrots, cabbage, chard. And after the beet itself, you can plant crops such as tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers. It is possible to plan the creation of mixed beds, where beets will be planted along the edges, and inside, for example, cauliflower.
Now on household plots you can see three types of beets – root sugar, leaf, which has a beautiful name chard, and fodder. Each gardener himself chooses the type and variety he needs for planting. You can grow beets for your own needs, then a dining room will be an excellent option. And the stern is usually planted by those summer residents who keep cattle. You can also plant beets along the edge of the plot, and celery or kohlrabi in the center.
After all the mandatory conditions for the proper planting of beets have been met, you will only have to loosen and weed the soil in time to provide it with access to oxygen vital for the full growth and development of the crop, as well as fertilize with modern dressings in recommended doses, and carefully water your garden.
Video “Sowing and planting beets”
Optimal planting time
Many gardeners are interested in an important question – when should beets be planted in their backyard? Experts unanimously declare that beets can be planted twice a season. What are the landing dates? For the first time, a vegetable crop can be planted in the garden in the spring, when the earth is already quite well warmed up in depth – at least 10 cm. Usually these dates fall at the beginning of May. It is in well-heated soil that excellent germination of seeds is noted, and their full growth and harmonious development are also possible. The second time beets can be planted in the autumn period, which falls at the end of October. This landing is also called landing before winter. This option of planting a vegetable crop has one huge advantage – beets can ripen early enough, and at the end of July your whole family will have an excellent opportunity to enjoy your favorite root crop.
Video “What to plant before winter”
From the video you will find out which beet varieties are most resistant in late winter and early spring.
