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When to plant beets
Plant beets 1–4 weeks before the last spring frost in spring, or 8–10 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 50°F. That works out to zone 5b (early April to late April), zone 7a (mid March to early April) and zone 9a (early February to late February).
Beets planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | beets ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 8 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 | Jun 17 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – May 6 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 | Jun 15 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – May 4 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Jun 13 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 | Jun 7 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 | Jun 1 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 | May 26 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 | May 18 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 | May 8 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 | Apr 28 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 | Apr 18 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 | Apr 4 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 | Mar 9 |
How to plant beets
| Plant as | seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 50°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1/2 in |
| Spacing | 3–4 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 50–60 days |
Each beet 'seed' is a cluster that sprouts several plants, so thin to one.
Soak seed for a few hours before sowing.
Beets tolerate light frost.
When to harvest beets
Harvest at 1.5–3 inches across; greens are edible at any size.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon