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Vegetable · Easy to grow
Beetroot
Beta vulgaris
An easy root crop for most of the year in Adelaide, giving sweet roots and edible leaves in 8 to 10 weeks. Each seed capsule holds several seeds, so thin seedlings to 8 to 10 cm apart. Keep the soil evenly moist; dry spells make roots woody and ringed.
- SunFull sun
- Spacing10 cm apart
- First pick9–11 weeks
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatCopes with some heat
- Sow depth15 mm
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add beetroot to my gardenVarieties (4)
- ChioggiaItalian heirloom with candy-striped rings; sweet and mild, great raw
- CylindraLong roots that slice evenly; good yield from a small bed
- Detroit Dark RedClassic deep-red round beet; stores and pickles well
- Early WonderQuick, round roots and good leafy tops; reliable for spring and autumn sowings
Neighbours
Grows well with
From seed to plate
Plant
10 cm apart, rows 30 cm, seed 15 mm deep. Full sun.
Water
Even moisture for smooth roots.
Feed
Compost; avoid fresh manure.
Pick, from about 9 weeks
Pull at golf-ball to tennis-ball size.
Good to know
- Sow small rows every 3 to 4 weeks for a continuous harvest
- Thin by pulling baby beets and use the leaves like silverbeet
- Avoid fresh manure; it causes forked, hairy roots
Common problems
- Woody or split rootswater evenly and harvest at golf-ball to tennis-ball size
- Leaf spot (small brown spots)remove affected leaves, water at the base, rotate beds
- Leaf miner (pale tunnels in leaves)pick off affected leaves; cover young crops with fine insect mesh
- Poor germinationsoak seed overnight before sowing and keep the surface moist until seedlings appear
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Guides
Where this information comes from
- Australian seed company regional sowing charts (temperate zone) (germination, low confidence)
- UC Master Gardener Program (UC ANR): soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination (germination, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia fact sheets (growing, low confidence)
- ABC Gardening Australia plant finder: Beetroot (growing, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Sustainable Gardening Australia: planting guides (sowing window, low confidence)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.