Are My Beets Ready to Be Harvested Yet?
Growing roots in your kitchen garden can be intimidating. I mean, what are those plants even doing under the dirt anyway? And how do you know when they've finished doing whatever it is they're doing?
The truth is that root crops like beets or carrots can take their sweet time to grow to a size that's worth harvesting. And if you've never pulled a beet out of the ground a wee bit too soon, then you just haven't been at it long enough yet.
But if you want to be as certain as possible that it is, in fact, time to harvest your sweet beets, here are three signs to look out for.
Sign Number 1
You're Nearing the Beets Days to Harvest on Your Seed Packet
Most beets are ready about 55 to 70 days after planting, depending on the variety you're growing. Check your seed packet for the days to maturity and then begin checking on your beets at the beginning of the harvest window.
Sign Number 2
Your Beets Pass the Shoulder Test
Clear the soil area around the base of one or two (or three) of your beet plants.
Without uprooting the plant, take two fingers and make a circle around the base of the beet plant. Apply pressure until you can feel the top "shoulders" of the beet. Expose the top third of the beet, if possible.
You make the call. If the beet is wide and large enough for your preferences, use your hands to tug on the top leaves of the beet plant and slowly uproot it.
If the beet seems too small for harvest at this point, gently push some extra compost and soil back over the shoulders of the plant and give it a light watering in. Make sure the root is completely covered. Wait a few weeks before testing for more growth.
Generally speaking, it's actually best to harvest vegetables from the kitchen garden a little smaller than you would find them at the grocery store. Kitchen garden varieties are different than the grocery varieties that are grown to endure long storage and lots of trucking. So enjoy your beets on the smaller side (perhaps a bit bigger than a golf ball) for the best flavor and quality.
Sign Number 3
The Beets Leaves Are Nice & Large
What's happening above the ground tends to mirror what's happening below.
If the leafy greens on the other beets look similar to a beet you pulled that ended up being too small, you know to give the rest of your beet crop a bit more time to grow.
If, on the other hand, you notice that the greens are wilting, that could be a sign your beets have overstayed their time in the garden and need to be harvested ASAP.
Beets Harvest Guide
How to Harvest Beets
I like to water the garden the night before I plan to harvest my beets. That way, the soil will be nice and loose the next day.
To harvest beets, use a hori hori or long, thin trowel to dig around the beets and loosen the soil. Gently tug at the base of the stems and pull upwards. Shake your beets free of dirt.
What If You Harvest Beets Too Soon?
Did you pull one up too soon? No worries. Baby beets are edible and don't need to be peeled before enjoying because their skin is still nice and soft. They're just not cut out for long-term storage because of this thin skin.
You can also enjoy the top portion of the plant, even if the root is underwhelming. Beet greens are actually edible and so good for you! So eat up. My favorite way to enjoy these nutritious beets leaves (which, by the way, you can harvest at any time while you're waiting on the root to form—just make sure to leave some greens so the plant can keep growing) is sautéing them like spinach.
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What If You Leave Beets Growing Too Long?
Did you leave a beet in the ground too long? Also not a problem. Roots that have been left in the ground too long tend to become tough, but that doesn't mean the beet isn't salvageable. Just give it a nice bath in olive oil and salt, and bake it low and slow in the oven—that's my favorite way to eat beets anyway.
Beets can be left in the garden for several months before they finally become too tough and fibrous to enjoy.
Why Are Your Beets Leaves Large but the Roots Disappointing?
If your root harvest is not quite what you expected, it could be a fertilization issue. Too much nitrogen in the soil and you'll end up with lots of greens on your plants and very small taproots. On more than one occasion, I’ve watched lush, beautiful beet greens grow above the soil line, only to pull my beets and be thoroughly underwhelmed by their size.
Other reasons could be your soil was too compacted or your beets were trying to grow too close together. Next time you're growing beets, make sure to loosen the soil and thin your seedlings as needed. (Learn more in this guide to growing beets.)
It's also perfectly normal for your homegrown beets to be more on the straight-and-narrow side than those wide, bulbous roots you're used to buying at the grocery store. Beets were originally grown for their greens and looked more like parsnips and carrots.
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Should You Harvest All Your Beets Before Frost?
If you're growing beets in the fall, you don't need to worry about your beets during light freezes. They'll actually grow sweeter with frost. Just make sure to pull your beets up before the ground freezes.
How to Store Your Beets
Rinse your garden-fresh beets in cold water, let them dry thoroughly, and cut off the greens, leaving just an inch of the stems to prolong their storability. Store the greens in your refrigerator’s produce drawer. They'll stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.
The roots should be kept in a cool, dry place like a basement or the fridge. Your beets should keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. If you plan to store your beets long-term in a root cellar, refrain from washing them; just brush off the dirt. Pack them in a crate filled with sand or sawdust. They'll keep for up to 5 months if the temperature is consistent.
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How to Enjoy Your Beets
I'm not huge on pickling or canning my garden harvests, so I like to enjoy my beets as fresh as possible. Here are some of my favorite beets recipes to use up garden-fresh roots:
- Sip up this beets juice.
- Make colorful beets hummus.
- Try this beet pasta sauce recipe from PlantYou.
- Roast your beets with EVOO, salt, and pepper.
- Chop them up for Joshua McFadden's colorful beet slaw.
Don't forget the greens can be cooked or eaten fresh as a spinach substitute. This is another great example of how you can enjoy more of the plant when you grow your own than if you only ever buy your produce from the store.
You Can't Beet This Garden Accomplishment!
Congratulate yourself! You're growing beets and enjoying the sweet harvests of your labor.
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Learn More About Growing Beets
