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Beta /beːta/

Common name: Beet · Beetroot · Swiss chard · Sugar beet

Beta A small genus of flowering plants in the amaranth family, native to the coasts of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, with the sea beet as its best-known wild species. The single species Beta vulgaris has been bred into a remarkable range of crops, including beetroot, sugar beet, Swiss chard, and mangel-wurzel. Beets grow best in cool weather with full sun and loose, evenly moist soil, and both the roots and leafy tops are edible.

Care summary

Sun Full sun to partial shade
Water Evenly moist soil; about 2.5 cm (1 in) per week
Soil Loose, fertile, well-draining, pH 6.0–7.0
Hardiness
Mature height
Pet safe

Fun facts

  • About a fifth of the world's sugar comes from sugar beets, a cultivar group of this same species.
  • The vivid red pigment betanin is used as a natural food coloring — and is why beets stain everything.
  • Beetroot juice is studied by athletes for its dietary nitrates, which may improve endurance.
  • Each beet "seed" is actually a dried fruit cluster containing several true seeds, so thinning is essential.

Common problems

    • Cover beds with fine insect netting
    • Remove and destroy mined leaves
    • Rotate beet crops each season
    • Water at the soil line only
    • Remove infected leaves promptly
    • Rotate plantings to fresh ground yearly
    • Sow in well-drained warm soil
    • Avoid overwatering young seedlings
    • Thin seedlings for better airflow