Beetroot is one of the easiest and most rewarding crops you can grow in the UK. Sweet, earthy, and packed with nutrients, it suits small pots as well as full allotment rows. This guide covers everything about growing beetroot — from sowing and spacing to plugs, pots, and UK timing — so you can raise tender baby beets in summer and hearty keepers for autumn and winter.
Growing beetroot is straightforward for beginners and efficient for experienced growers. It’s a quick win — many varieties are ready in 8–12 weeks — and the plant is forgiving provided you give it even moisture and space to swell. Beyond ease, beetroot earns its place because it’s nutritionally dense, versatile in the kitchen, and productive in a small footprint. Young leaves can be harvested like spinach; roots can be enjoyed raw, roasted, pickled or juiced. Grow a short row for salads or scale up for winter stores — either way, it’s a reliable, good-value crop.
Start with soil. Beetroot prefers a light, fertile, well-drained bed with a pH around 6.5–7.5. Avoid freshly manured ground, which can cause forking; instead, dig in well-rotted compost the season before, or top-dress with compost a few weeks pre-sowing. Choose a sunny position and aim for steady moisture from emergence to harvest. Irregular watering is the main cause of woody or split roots. A balanced, general fertiliser raked in before sowing is sufficient — beetroot doesn’t need heavy feeding if the soil is in good heart.
For a continuous supply, make small sowings every two to three weeks from spring into midsummer. This staggered approach spreads the workload and keeps the roots at their sweet spot rather than giving you one big glut.
Raising beetroot in modules is a neat way to get a head start in cool springs and to plant at perfect spacing. Sow one seed cluster per cell in a low-nutrient seed compost, cover to about 1.5–2 cm, and germinate at 15–20 °C. Move to bright light as soon as the seedlings appear. Grow on cooler (12–16 °C) to keep plants stocky, then harden off for a week. Transplant at 3–4 true leaves before the young roots circle in the cell. Set plants at the same depth as in the module, firm in, and water thoroughly with a gentle rose or by puddling the holes.
Good beetroot is mostly about three things: spacing, moisture and timing. Space singles at roughly 10 cm within the row and 30 cm between rows if you want full-sized, uniform roots. If you prefer clusters for baby beets, sow or plant a small pinch together and leave 15–20 cm between clumps, pulling the largest roots first and letting the rest bulk on. Keep the bed evenly moist from sowing to harvest; light mulching after establishment helps hold moisture and suppress weeds without smothering the crown.
Timing matters too. Sow once soils are reliably warming (aim for 7–10 °C at seed depth) and choose bolt-resistant strains for early sowings. Hot, dry snaps can trigger bolting; a little shade netting or fleece during heatwaves and consistent watering will keep plants on track. Harvest at the size you enjoy — golf ball to cricket ball — rather than waiting for maximum size, which can mean tougher flesh.
New to this? Start small and grow beetroot in a short row or a deep trough on the patio. Choose one reliable mainstay and one “fun” variety, and sow little and often. Here are five popular Growseed options with distinct strengths:
Tip: If you’re unsure where to begin, grow Boltardy for rock-solid reliability, then add colour and character with Golden or Chioggia. Limited space? Cylindra makes the most of narrow beds and troughs.
Growing beetroot from seed is the most economical route and gives strong tap-rooted plants. A beet “seed” is actually a corky cluster containing multiple embryos, so several seedlings often emerge from one spot. Prepare a fine, crumbly tilth, draw shallow drills 2 cm deep and 30 cm apart, and sow the clusters along the line before covering and firming with the back of a rake. Water to settle the soil.
Germination takes about 7–14 days, quicker in warm soil. As soon as seedlings show their first true leaves, thin them. For single roots, leave one plant every 10 cm; for baby beets, allow small clumps to grow together and harvest at golf-ball size. Thinnings needn’t be wasted — the leaves are excellent as microgreens and the tiny roots are delicious in salads.
The rhythm is simple: sow into a warm, moist seedbed; thin early and evenly; keep growth steady with regular watering; and harvest at a modest size for the best texture and flavour. If a dry spell hits, water deeply once or twice a week rather than sprinkling little and often — you’re aiming to moisten the full root zone.
Growing beetroot in pots is perfectly doable if you choose a container at least 20 cm deep and use a free-draining compost blend (multi-purpose mixed with a little grit). Sow thinly and resist the temptation to cram too many plants in — spacing still matters in a pot. Keep containers in full sun and water evenly; pots dry out quickly in wind and heat, so check daily in summer. Compact, dependable varieties are the easiest to manage in containers, and regular picking of baby roots keeps the planting productive.
From sowing to harvest, you’ll see distinct phases: germination (7–14 days) as the corky clusters split and sprouts appear; a short seedling phase while true leaves establish; a longer period of root swelling when steady moisture is most critical; and finally maturity, usually 8–12 weeks from sowing depending on variety and weather. Harvest when roots are the size you like — smaller for tender sweetness; larger if you plan to store or pickle — and twist off foliage to reduce bleeding.
Be guided by soil warmth as much as the calendar. Outdoors, most UK gardeners can sow from April once soils are warming; with fleece or cloches you can start in March. Continue until late July for main-season crops. Early sowings benefit from bolt-resistant varieties and protection from cold snaps; late sowings appreciate a well-watered bed to keep growth moving in summer heat.
In the UK, a practical window is March under cover, April to July outdoors. In milder southern gardens, protected March sowings establish well; in cooler northern and high-altitude sites, April is safer for direct sowing. If in doubt, check the soil: when it no longer feels cold to the touch at finger depth — or is consistently above roughly 7–10 °C — it’s time.
Direct sowing is simplest, but transplants from cell trays work well if you plant before the roots spiral. Set singles at about 10 cm in the row and keep rows 30 cm apart. Water in thoroughly and, if conditions are windy or scorchingly bright, use a light fleece for a week to help plants settle without stress. Avoid freshly manured ground to reduce forking and keep the crown just at the soil surface.
Draw a shallow drill 2 cm deep, water the base if the soil is dry, then sow thinly and cover. Firm the soil so seed has good contact; this improves and evens up germination. Thin in two passes — first to a few centimetres once seedlings are sturdy, then to your final spacing — rather than doing it all at once. This gentle approach limits shock and keeps growth steady.
If you’re planting beetroot plugs, choose sturdy seedlings with one plant per cell. Plant at the same depth as they grew in the tray and close the soil around the plug to remove air pockets. Water well, then keep the bed evenly moist for the first fortnight. Slugs appreciate young beet plants; a few organic pellets or regular evening patrols will save you heartache.
For dependable results, sow small amounts from March (under cover) or April (outdoors) through to late July. In warm spells, germination is fast; during cool, unsettled springs, a cloche or fleece lifts soil temperature and shelters seedlings. Succession sowing is the simplest way to match your household’s pace of eating — a short row every few weeks is better than one big sowing.
Across the UK, March to July covers most situations, with earlier protected sowings in the south and later outdoor starts in the north. If you’re on heavy clay, consider starting in modules to avoid crusting and compaction; transplant gently as soon as roots hold the cell together.
Spacing sets the size. For full-size roots, aim for 10 cm between plants and 30 cm between rows. For baby beets, grow in small clumps 15–20 cm apart and harvest the largest first. In containers or troughs, keep the same plant-to-plant distances; crowding reduces root size and can make textures uneven. Whatever the system, thin early and evenly so every plant has room to swell.
Lift beetroot when they’re the size you prefer; smaller roots are tender and sweet, larger ones suit roasting, pickling and storage. Use a fork to loosen the soil if it’s compacted, then pull gently by the base of the stems. Twist off the tops to a couple of centimetres to minimise bleeding. For short-term storage, keep unwashed roots in a cool, dark place. For longer storage, trim leaves, dry the skins, and layer roots in boxes of just-damp sand somewhere frost-free and cool. Check periodically and remove any that soften.
Leaves riddled with tunnels usually indicate leaf miner; pick off affected leaves promptly to break the cycle. Patchy growth and brown, hollow centres can signal boron deficiency — avoid over-liming and keep soil organic matter up. Most flavour problems trace back to irregular watering or leaving roots too long; steady moisture and timely harvesting keep beetroot sweet and tender.
Whether you’re sowing your first packet or refining an allotment plan, beetroot is a low-effort, high-reward crop. Focus on a warm seedbed, steady moisture and sensible spacing, and harvest at a modest size for the best eating. With a couple of sowings of a reliable variety like Boltardy and one or two colourful wildcards, you’ll enjoy beautiful roots from early summer right through to the colder months.
Browse our range of beetroot seeds to get started — and don’t forget to save a row for winter roasts and pickling.