Beets in the open ground is grown in two ways: seeds or with seedlings. In this article we will discuss how to plant beets with seeds, as well as analyze the basic requirements for a good harvest.
Varieties of beets for growing in open ground
The choice of variety depends on the purpose of the root. Everyone chooses the kind he needs. For culinary use, the table variety is excellent. 
You can also plant a sugar group for eating. If the root crop is planted for further feeding of livestock, then fodder beet is suitable for this purpose.
The following mid-season varieties of table root have the best culinary properties:
- "Bordeaux 237";
- "Bordeaux odnosemyannaya";
- "Monofilament";
- Gribovskaya;
- "Incomparable A-46";
- "Pablo";
- "Podzimnyaya A-474";
- "Renova".
Did you know? After years of research Scientists have made an interesting discovery: the most deadly (high-quality) vegetables are obtained from those beet varieties whose growing season is less than 150 days.
Landing dates
When planting beets in open ground with seeds, tell the soil temperature. Too premature sowing of seeds in the cold land is fraught with the formation of peduncles on a vegetable, which causes significant damage to the roots. 
The required soil temperature for growing this crop is it is 8-12 ° C. Sweet root seeds sprout at 4-5 ° C. It is customary to start sowing works in the middle of May.
Choosing a place in the garden
When choosing a sowing site, push off from two important conditions: the absence of shade and protection from drafts. The presence of these negative factors leads to decay of the roots.
Lighting
The most important condition for growing the sweet root is to ensure maximum illumination. Place under the root should be well illuminated by the sun. 
Otherwise, the root vegetable ceases to develop. In addition, light contributes to more intense staining of the sweet root.
The best place to plant is an open area protected from the wind. Exclude places under trees, in pits or on hills.
Few people know that in addition to the beneficial properties of the beet fruit itself, beet tops have great value.
What kind of soil loves beets
Beets require fertile soil enriched with mineral or organic nutrients. Soil for the sugar beet usually consists of medium loamy chernozem and peatlands.
The acidity of the soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 5-8). If the level of acidity does not match the above indicators, the roots will be vulnerable to various diseases. 
To help a young root system take root, the ground should be light, loose and deep.
The table beet grows favorably in the beds where onions, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers were previously grown. Cabbage, carrots, chard - vegetables, after which it is absolutely not recommended to sow beets.
Important! The use of fresh manure as a fertilizer for beets is unacceptable.
Sowing root crops in open ground
Let us proceed directly to the peculiarities of growing beetroot.
Soil preparation
The soil for the root is prepared in the spring (early May). Before sowing, the soil is moistened, enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers (humus, compost). Then the soil is loosened at a depth of 5 cm. On the day of sowing on the beds, they make funnels 3-4 cm deep. The distance between the craters should be about 20 cm, and between the rows - 40 cm.
Seed preparation
Beet seeds are sown both dry and after the soaking procedure. Thanks to moisture sprouts appear much faster. For soaking applied solutions of growth stimulants.
The procedure should not last more than a day. Then the seeds are rinsed with warm water, transferred to a cloth and gently dried. It is also permissible to use ordinary ash.
Monitor the temperature in the room where the seeds are. Temperature should not be too lowotherwise your seeds will not germinate.
Landing process
The scheme of planting root resembles a lattice. Seeds are sown in rows, followed by thinning sprouts. Preformed funnels are filled with water. 
Wait a little while until water is absorbed. Sowing of beet seeds is done individually. To facilitate the future process of thinning, it is recommended to plant seeds less frequently. After sowing, the grooves are sprinkled with earth. Then we need to weed the soil and loosen it.
Did you know? Experiencing that the seedlings may not seem, many often put several seeds in one funnel at once. But since the beet seeds are quite large, more than one plant sprouts from one seed. That is why gardeners recommend placing the seeds in the funnels only individually.
Care rules
Beet - unpretentious frost-resistant culture. Care is a moderate dressing, regular watering, timely loosening and competent thinning.
Top dressing
The soil begins to feed when the first shoots appear. It is important not to overdo it with the amount of fertilizer.
This vegetable culture prefers organics, and from minerals in the flesh of vegetables, cracks and voids can form.
As a top dressing, use wood ash, superphosphate, potash and mineral fertilizers, charcoal, urea, potassium chloride.It must be remembered that the use of chemicals is harmful, first of all, to humans.
On distance 5 cm from sprouts make grooves and fill them with a solution of nitrogen fertilizers. When the tops in the ranks come together - this indicates that the time has come to make potash supplement.Correct watering
Beetroot - moisture-loving culture. On average per season, the rate of irrigation per 1 m² is 15-20 liters (2-3 buckets). Watering time comes at a time when the top layer of soil dries out. 
The need for moisture is especially high in a young plant, as well as in the period of thickening of root crops. The best irrigation method is sprinkling. This method helps to wash and refresh the leaves of the plant. Work is desirable to carry out in the evening.
Excessive and frequent irrigation of the soil leads to fungal diseases, and a month before harvesting worsens the taste of vegetables. 2-3 weeks before harvesting, irrigation should be completely stopped.
Important! Before irrigation, add salt to the water (1 tablespoon liter per bucket of water). This will increase the sugar content of vegetables and protect them from fungal diseases.
Thinning
In the process of growth of beets are formed compounds of flowers. Sprouts always germinate nests, which have to thin out. The beds need to be cut in two phases:
- During the formation of two leaves with a root diameter of 2-3 cm (distance between shoots should be 3-4 cm).
- In the stage of formation of 4-5 leaves with a beet diameter of 3-5 cm (distance between plants - 7-8 cm).
All remote shoots preferably immediately landed. In the future, they will also yield.Harvest
Mass harvesting is carried out before the arrival of severe frosts. The root crop is cleared of dirt and released from the leaves.
Try not to overdo the vegetables in the ground, as after falling under the frost beets will be poorly stored. In order not to injure the skin, use forks. 
Gently pry the vegetables with a fork and pull the tops. The bottom root is not trimmed. It is desirable to break off the tops, twisting hands. Then the wound should be dried in the air (directly on the beds).
Sick or ill vegetables sorted on the spot. A good harvest is immediately folded tightly into dry, clean containers.
Important! To protect the beet harvest from pests and various diseases, boxes of vegetables are slightly covered with wood ash or chalk (powder).
Beets have the property of being stored for a long time without changing their taste characteristics and without sacrificing useful qualities. This makes possible year-round enjoyment of fresh and healthy vegetables.
We hope that our notes will help you to grow a good harvest of these juicy and sweet root crops on your plot.
