Since the entire beet plant -- both the bright red roots and edible greens -- is edible, an organic approach to growing beets makes them as healthy as possible for consumption. Certified organic beet seeds combined with an organic growing bed, fertilizers and pest control are key to producing beets free of potentially harmful chemicals. Beets are cold-hardy and can grow year-round in areas with mild winter conditions.
Identify a planting location for the organic beets that receives direct sunlight. Choose a location where you haven't recently grown potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips or radishes, which increase the chances of infection with the disease called scab in your beets.
Till organic compost into the garden. Use compost made from organic plants and materials that weren't sprayed with non-organic chemicals.
Apply an organic fertilizer to the garden soil a week before you plant the seeds. Avoid fertilizers that are high in nitrogen, which may increase in leaf growth while decreasing in root growth in your beets.
Sow the beet seeds 2 inches apart in the spring when the soil temperature reaches between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave at least 12 inches between rows.
Thin the emerging beet seedlings to leave 3 to 4 inches between the strongest plants. Pull weeds as they appear so they don't compete with the beets and make them tough. Removing the weeds by hand eliminates the need for herbicides.
Pile organic mulch in the garden around the beet seedlings. Grass clippings that haven't been treated with chemical pesticides or herbicides work well as the mulch. As the beet roots begin emerging from the ground, cover them with the mulch or with additional organic soil to protect them from the sun until they are ready to harvest.
Remove leaves from beet plants that show signs of pest infestation. For example, leaf miners leave lines in the leaves. Spray a stream of water to remove any aphids you see on the beet plants. These removal methods help you avoid pesticides.
Pull out any plant debris that falls from the beets throughout the growing season. This practice, along with regular rotation of beets and other crops, this reduces the risk of downy mildew.
Things You Will Need
- Organic compost
- Organic fertilizer
- Certified organic beet seeds
- Organic mulch
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