When to plant beets in spring in open ground in 2022 according to the lunar calendar

Beets are a valuable and healthy vegetable.
In Russia, it is widely used in cooking for preparing traditional dishes. And although the planting area of ​​this root crop cannot be compared with either tomatoes or potatoes, this vegetable is still a frequent visitor to village gardens and dacha “six hundred square meters” in our country. Dear readers!
For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format! In this article we have collected for you all the most important information about planting and subsequent care of the crop.

How to determine the time of sowing beets?

The specific date for sowing vegetables in open ground is determined based on 3 factors:

1. Climate of the region. The soil under the beet bed should warm up to +10, and the air should warm up to +18+20. There is no need to rush into planting in regions where there is a lot of rainfall in the spring.
2. Vegetable variety. Early ripening varieties will yield earlier. Keep this factor in mind too.
3. Moon calendar. Work on sowing seeds is carried out on the waning moon.

How to prepare planting material for sowing

In order for as many sown seeds as possible to germinate, the planting material must first be prepared.

There are many ways to “revive” grains and disinfect them. For example, bubbling, heating, stratification.

The simplest method is soaking. The essence of the method is simple - you place the seeds in a cloth moistened with a special compound and place it in a warm place. For example, under the battery.

The seed shell softens and the grains germinate.

There are many ways to soak seeds. You can read about them in our article “Soaking seeds before planting, how to soak correctly.”

Technology of sowing seedlings

The recommended method of germinating beets allows you to get an excellent harvest. There are no difficulties in sowing technology or caring for seedlings. This will require attentiveness and a responsible approach to all procedures.

Seed selection and stratification

Among the mass of activities when growing seedlings, the preparatory stage is distinguished. This includes preparation of the main planting site, preparation of the substrate, containers (treatment for disinfection) and stratification of grains. With the right approach to these procedures, the seedlings will become stronger and develop better.

First we decide on the variety. The hint is on the packaging with the material. If the seeds were bought in bulk, collected with your own hands, or given by friends, it is better to additionally ask/study the nuances of germination through seedlings.

Let's move on to the selection and disinfection process. It is recommended to follow the scheme:

1. Sort through the material. Large, always undamaged specimens are left. Soak in warm water for 7-10 minutes to check for suitability. We remove the ones that float up, since the embryo is damaged or missing.
2. After calibration, we proceed to disinfection. To do this, place the grains in a weak solution of manganese for no more than 20 minutes. Transfer to clean, settled water. Soak the beet seeds in this liquid for up to 4 hours. In the absence of manganese, you can replace the solution with Fitosporin, Vitaros, Maxim.
3. To stimulate grain growth, the grains are soaked for a third round in one of the immunomodulators: Zircon, Novosil, Ecogel, Epin. The procedure lasts up to 6 hours.

Beet varieties, which one is better to choose

Early beets ripen within 60 – 70 days, mid-season – 80 – 110 days, late – from 120 days.

You need to choose a variety in accordance with your goals. For an ordinary vegetable garden, it is optimal to plant mid-season varieties, which have the advantage of early (relatively fast ripening) and late (taste) varieties of the vegetable.

Of the early varieties, you can pay attention to Early Vodan, Egyptian, Nastenka. Among the mid-season varieties you can choose Crimson Ball, Bordeaux 237, Detroit. Of the later ones, Saladnaya, Cylinder, etc. are of interest.

ON A NOTE. For feeding livestock, it is better to choose fodder varieties: Marshall, semi-sugar pink.

Timing of ripening and harvesting of beets

Root crops ripen in different ways. It all depends on the characteristics of the planted variety. So, there are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening beets. The former have a short growing season - only about 100 days. This period is enough to get the first harvest. The harvest takes place in July-August.

Mid-season varieties are characterized by slower growth. Their growing season takes 4 months, so they begin to harvest such a crop after 120-150 days in August. Suitable for storage throughout the winter. You can plant seedlings and non-seedlings. Late-ripening species ripen within 130-135 days.

The vegetable does not like frost, so it should be collected before it occurs. This is not surprising, since it protrudes slightly on the surface of the soil, so temperature changes can destroy the beets.

When to plant beets for seedlings

If you first grow seedlings and only then transfer them to open ground, you can harvest red root vegetables several weeks earlier than when grown without seedlings. This is especially true for large farms.

The ripening time for seedlings from sowing to transplanting into the garden is 25-30 days. That is, you can sow seeds for seedlings as early as March (in the South) and April (in colder areas).

What difficulties might arise?

Growing seedlings is not difficult. But without proper care, some difficulties may arise. Let's look at them in more detail.

The seedlings stretched out

Seedlings stretch out when there is insufficient light. Thinning the planting in a common box will help correct this. If young plants are planted in individual containers, then as they grow, you need to move the glasses away from each other so that there is no shading of the seedlings. Rotate the container periodically on the windowsill to avoid bending of the stem and one-sided development of the seedling.

There are pests

Pests appear when conditions are favorable for them: waterlogging, dense plantings, weeds, dense soil. If you follow agricultural practices, then the probability of infection of seedlings is minimal. When pests attack, it is necessary to quickly treat the plantings with special means.

Minor pest infestations can be overcome using traditional methods:

• soap-ash solution;
• infusion of onion peel;
• tobacco dust, etc.

If the pest attack is large-scale, then use chemicals so as not to waste time.

Growing beets in seedlings allows you to speed up the ripening period and improve the quality of the harvest. You can grow seedlings using several methods. The agricultural technology for each of them is identical, with the difference in the need for diving. This way the plants will be strong and healthy, and the harvest from them will be abundant and tasty.

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When is the best time to plant beets in open ground?

While radishes can literally be planted as soon as the snow melts, beets still love warmer weather. The soil should warm up to at least 10 degrees Celsius (preferably a little more). The air temperature should be about 20 degrees.

ON A NOTE. In general, beets germinate already at +5, but then you will have to wait almost 4 weeks for seedlings. Therefore, it is better to sow seeds when the air temperature approaches +20.

Accordingly, depending on the climate of your place of residence, the time for planting beets falls in April and May, and, if you live in Siberia, even in June.

REFERENCE. There are also special winter varieties of root vegetables. They are planted in the fall before frost sets in.

When to sow beets in 2022 according to the lunar calendar, favorable days for sowing

Beets, like radishes, radishes, daikon, and bulbous crops according to the lunar calendar, are planted after the full moon, in other words, on the waning moon.

Successful days for sowing beets in 2022 according to the lunar calendar will be:

• March: 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31
• April: 3, 4, 8, 9, 17, 18, 21, 22, 26, 27
• May: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24, 27, 28
• June: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 24, 25

When to plant depending on the region?

The most important factor that cannot be ignored when choosing the date for sowing seeds is the weather in the region in the second half of spring and in the first days of summer. In more southern regions, sowing occurs earlier, and in the northern and eastern regions - later.

Let's consider the zoning of vegetable planting dates across the country.

In Moscow and Moscow region

In Moscow and the Moscow region, seeds should be sown in May - early June.

In the middle zone

In Central Russia, work can be planned as in the capital region, that is, for May - early June. Or maybe a little earlier - in the second decade of May.

In the Urals

Are you planning work closer to summer?

In Siberia

Planting of the vegetable is planned for the last days of May - the first days of summer.

In the Leningrad region

In the Leningrad region, depending on current weather conditions, beets are sowed starting from the second ten days of May until the first days of June.

Picking beet seedlings

Most beet varieties are multi-sprouting. This means that several seedlings develop from one infertility at once.

When sowing seeds directly into separate cups or pots, excess shoots are usually cut off with scissors. The operation is carried out as early as possible, that is, as soon as the cotyledon leaves open.

If the seedlings are sitting in boxes, you can also do early thinning with scissors. Or wait until two or three real sheets appear and carry out a full pick.

Watch the video on how to properly plant beet seedlings into cassettes and cups:

How to choose a landing site

When choosing a place for beets, you need to take into account that this is a light-loving and heat-loving vegetable. Therefore, the beds should be well illuminated by the sun. For the crop, it is better to choose places on a hill where there will be no stagnation of moisture in the root crop.

Also, when choosing a place for planting, you need to pay attention to the type and structure of the soil. This root vegetable loves loose neutral soils. Grows well on loams rich in humus. Before planting, during spring plowing or digging, you can add a mixture of humus, superphosphate and sodium chloride to the ground.

ON A NOTE. Acidic soil must be deacidified by liming before planting.

Read more about soil preparation and microelements

Any universal, fertile, factory-produced soil for vegetables is suitable for beets.

If you want to collect land from your garden, be careful. It is important to know what crops grew before beets in this area. The best predecessors are potatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower and cabbage, kohlrabi, onions, and all types of salads. Especially if organic fertilizers were applied to them last year. These vegetables processed the earth very well, leaving the most relish for our culture.

Planting beets with seeds step by step

Let's consider a step-by-step algorithm for planting beets in open ground.

Step 1. Select and prepare a place for planting.

Step 2. We select and soak the seeds.

Step 3. We make rows at a distance of 20 - 30 cm. The depth of the furrows is 3 cm. The planting step is 10 cm.

Step 4. We spill the furrows with water and sow the seed.

Step 5. Fill with soil and press very lightly to remove voids in the soil.

Step 6. Optionally, you can sprinkle with mulch.

Growing in a greenhouse

Planting beets in a greenhouse is recommended for regions with harsh climatic conditions. This growing method is suitable for areas where recurrent frosts are often observed in the spring, and the summer is not long enough for the root crop to fully ripen. At the same time, in properly equipped greenhouses, it is possible to grow beet varieties zoned for the southern regions. The fruits will turn out beautiful and tasty, and they will not be afraid of bad weather.

Indoor garden beds are easier to care for. There are practically no weeds growing here and pests are not so active. By maintaining the optimal level of humidity, maintaining the proper air temperature and performing standard agrotechnical measures (watering, loosening the soil, applying fertilizer), it is possible to obtain a high-quality beet harvest.

Root crops are grown in a greenhouse in late winter - early spring. Everything will depend on the daylight hours. If the plant does not have enough sun, use additional lighting in the form of phytolamps.

In cold regions, it is important to have heating sources in the greenhouse so that young beets do not freeze.

How to care for beet seedlings, any tricks?

The first beet shoots in the garden may appear by the end of the week. Caring for vegetables is not much different from caring for other root vegetables.

The beet seeds have sprouted, what to do next?

As soon as the first shoots appear, the crops need to be regularly weeded and thinned. This procedure is necessary so that the root crop has space to grow. It is also very important to regularly loosen the soil, since the crop vitally needs air access to the roots.

What to feed after germination?

When the plant forms its first pair of true leaves, you can apply nitrogen fertilizer. For example, dilute a matchbox of urea in a bucket of water. When the beets form a root crop, you can carry out a comprehensive fertilizing with potassium sulfate or ash infusion. Between these two feedings, the leaves can be sprayed with a solution of boric acid.

ON A NOTE. To make the red vegetable sweeter, at the beginning of the formation of the root crop, you can pour it with a weak saline solution. It is prepared from 2 tablespoons of salt and a bucket of water.

Shelter for the winter

When sowing beets for the winter, it is very important to prevent the seeds from germinating during the winter period, when there is a brief warming, as well as from freezing in severe frosts. To prevent the seeds from freezing, it is recommended to cover the planted areas with fallen leaves, pine needles, and sawdust for the winter. In winter, when snow falls, the area can be covered with snow: under it the seeds will be protected from thaws and frosts.

If the seeds can survive the winter, then the beets will delight you with early shoots and the earliest harvest.

In the spring, when the snow melts and severe frosts are not predicted, the area where beets are planted is cleared of covering material (leaves, pine needles, sawdust). Then the soil is loosened a little, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied and the area is covered with plastic film.

This procedure will protect against cold at night and will promote earlier germination of seedlings. When the first sprouts appear, the film is removed.

Thinning of crops

As the plants grow, they will only interfere with each other’s development, and the fruits will grow small. Therefore, when growing beets, it is important to thin out the beds. This process must be carried out after heavy watering or rain.

For this root crop, several thinnings should be carried out:

1. For the first time, the procedure is carried out when 2–4 true leaves appear on the seedlings and reach a height of about 7 cm. Weak specimens that grow close to each other are removed. The distance between seedlings should be about 5 cm. Excess sprouts can not be thrown away, but transplanted to another area.
2. The second time should be thinned at the stage of formation of the initial head. A gap of 8-10 cm is maintained between plant crops (for large varieties - 15-20 cm). Poorly developed specimens that create thickening are removed. Removed young root vegetables can be used as a food product.

Watering

After the first thinning, you need to water the beets generously. Then watering is carried out approximately once every 7 days. This vegetable loves moisture very much, so in dry weather it needs to be watered in large quantities.

Watering should also be done on the tops so that the leaves receive moisture. During the rainy season it is stopped. The recommended water consumption for the procedure is 11–15 liters per 1 square meter. m plot.

It is necessary to increase the frequency and volume of watering as the beets grow. Lack of moisture will cause the root crop to be small in size and its taste will not be very good. Stop watering this crop 7–14 days before digging.

Fertilizer application

To get a good beet harvest, it needs to be fed. The first fertilizing should be done immediately after the first thinning. For this, herbal infusions are often used.

To make the beets sweetish, a month before harvest (usually this time corresponds to the second thinning), they should be watered with a solution of salt. This solution is prepared based on the proportion of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. For this purpose, you can use a solution of sodium nitrate.

It is also necessary to fertilize with boron. To do this, use the Mag-Bor mineral fertilizer complex (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of liquid) or boric acid (0.5 teaspoon per 10 liters of liquid). Watering is carried out at the following rate - 10 liters per 1 sq. m plot.

Important! A lack of boron in beets causes the core to become hollow or dark.

Gardening experts recommend fertilizing beets as follows:

1. The first feeding is carried out using organic fertilizers. To do this, prepare a solution of manure or chicken droppings - take 1 kg per 1 bucket of liquid and leave for about 5 days, and then dilute 1 liter of the resulting mixture in another bucket of water. The beds are watered with this solution, and then regular watering is carried out to wash the leaves. You can use a solution of wood ash - 1 cup of ash is stirred in a bucket of liquid.
2. The second feeding is done after 12–14 days using phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers.
3. The third time , fertilizing is applied during the second thinning. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are also used for this.

Methods for planting beets

There are several methods for planting beets in a summer cottage. Each of them takes into account the characteristics and size of the area given over to crops. Let's take a closer look at them.

In rows

This is the simplest way. Choose a place and make a bed so that 2-3 grooves fit on it. The distance between the grooves should be about 20-30 cm.

Narrow bed

The essence is almost the same. You make one bed for one row of beets, about 30 cm wide. This method is usually good when you need to grow large root crops.

Mixed bed

Beets are planted next to other vegetables. For example, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, cabbage, etc.

Square nest method

The method is good if you have a small square area for beets. You simply plant beets in short rows, but their number is about 5-6. It turns out that the area under the beets is shaped like a square, and not a rectangle, like the previous 3 planting methods.

Features of caring for beet seedlings

Caring for beet seedlings is no more difficult than caring for other vegetables. Seedlings need to be germinated at a temperature of about 18 degrees. When the first few sprouts hatch, the containers with seedlings are moved to a cooler place (14 degrees) in order to restrain the growth of the hatched sprouts until all shoots appear.

It is necessary to moisten the seedlings moderately so as not to cause stagnation of moisture in the soil. Seedlings also need sunlight to grow.

As soon as the seedlings grow the first pair of true leaves, you need to pick. And when the next pair appears, the seedlings can be transferred to a permanent place in the garden.

Diseases and pests

If the planting is too dense, the stems of the seedlings often begin to dry out in the area of ​​the root collar. The cause of the disease may be a black leg. But beets also often suffer from seedling rootworm. To prevent the disease, timely thinning is used. Or they regularly till up the plantings so that the soil reaches the level of the real leaves.

Small plants are sometimes bothered by aphids. The main thing here is to detect the problem in time. Spraying with Fitoverm, an infusion of onion peels and garlic, dusting with ash or tobacco dust helps against the pest.

If beet seedlings turn red, there may be the following reasons:

• Sea sand got into the soil mixture . This causes poisoning of the root system, which also manifests itself as reddening of the tops. In this case, the plants require urgent replanting.
• The roots are affected by blackleg . This happens from overwatering. Dry the soil in a cup, remove severely affected specimens.
• Overfeeding with fertilizers . Beets do not require abundant nutrition at the seedling stage. Therefore, if you used a high-quality substrate, you don’t have to feed the seedlings at all. Excess minerals are difficult to eliminate; replanting into new soil will help.

How to care for beet seedlings in open ground

There is nothing truly complicated about caring for root crops. The most important thing to remember is regular weeding. Beets are a root crop, which means that the absence of weeds, which take away nutrients from the vegetable, is vital for it.

Watering should be regular, but not too frequent. About once a week. During dry periods the frequency can be increased. To retain moisture and prevent weed growth, crops can be mulched.

It is also necessary to loosen the soil so that moisture does not stagnate near the root crop.

Growing beets and their varieties

There are three main groups of this culture:

Where to buy seeds

Crop rotation

Recommended, good and undesirable predecessors for this crop are given in the table:

In the table, only green manure (oats, barley, millet, mustard, rapeseed, phacelia, buckwheat, amaranth, etc.) are included as a recommended predecessor. The usefulness of their use has been proven many times in practice. Grown, cut and matured in the garden, they not only saturate the soil with nutrients (for which they received the nickname “green fertilizers”), but also significantly improve its structure, prevent erosion, and also clean and remove pathogenic spores of harmful fungi and pathogenic bacteria from the soil .

The classification of beets themselves, as well as carrots and rutabaga, as undesirable predecessors is also clear and obvious. No matter how carefully you care for beets, the likelihood of the appearance and proliferation of pests, fungi and bacteria that “specialize” in this root crop cannot be completely eliminated. Just as it will not be possible to completely destroy them or prevent them from surviving a successful winter. This will lead to the fact that early, fragile beet shoots will have to face already adult enemies in the spring.

The coincidence of common pests, as well as the severe depletion of the soil in the same spectrum of nutrients that is necessary for the normal development of beets, also makes carrots and rutabaga undesirable predecessors.

The situation with the “not bad” category is more complicated. There is no consensus on which crops (except for green manure) should be classified as good predecessors of beets. Some, for example, believe that tomatoes and all types of cabbage should be included in these categories. Others, on the contrary, classify them as undesirable. It seems that only accumulated experience will help resolve these disputes. Therefore, the category “not bad” included crops about which the majority of gardeners have the same opinion.

To increase the protection of plantings, it is advisable to grow companion plants together with beets. Onions or garlic look very good in this quality. They will repel pests, preventing diseases of the main crop. Belonging to different families, onions (or garlic) will not compete with beets for the same set of nutrients, especially since resource needs will arise at different times.

By compacting the bed with them, you can significantly hinder the development of weeds. You can also use carrots, which are perfectly compatible with beets, to compact plantings.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Let's look at the most frequently asked questions about beets

What kind of soil does beets like?

The culture prefers loose soils. The soil should be neutral acidity and sufficiently fertile. Beetroot does not like heavy soils and produces significantly less yield.

How can you stimulate seeds for further growth?

Buy 1-2 packages of Zircon in the store. First, soak the seeds in the solution, and then feed them a few days after picking. This stimulates the seeds and seedlings to grow further.

Why don't the seeds germinate?

Firstly, incorrectly selected seeds. Poor planting material shows poor germination results. The second possible reason is that the planting is too deep. Third, the soil is still too cold for sowing beets.

Do I need to soak the seeds before planting?

Not at all necessary. Just by soaking, the outer shell of the grains softens, which speeds up their germination. The procedure is also needed to disinfect and stimulate seed material.

Do I need to germinate the seeds?

Let's just say: this is an optional, but very useful procedure. A germinated seed will sprout faster. But if you come to your dacha, for example, once a week, then it’s probably not necessary to germinate the seeds. So that it doesn’t happen that you arrive and you urgently have to thin out the seedlings.

Soil requirements

Loose, non-acidic soils are preferred for beets. For sowing, purchase special planting soil or prepare it yourself. It is not advisable to simply take soil from the garden - seedlings need healthy, safe and rich soil. The soil from the garden contains weed seeds, possible bacteria and viruses. Its composition and acidity are questionable.

To prepare your own soil for sowing beets, mix the following ingredients:

• peat - 2 parts;
• humus or compost - 1 part;
• turf - 1 part;
• river sand - 0.5 parts;
• wood ash - 1 part.

Mix the planting mixture well and sift through a sieve to remove large fractions. Disinfect the resulting soil using one of the following methods:

• Heat the soil in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 °C.
• Steam the soil in a double boiler system for an hour.
• Pour boiling water over it, allowing time for the water to drain and dry the soil.
• Fill the mixture with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a solution based on Fitosporin.

All these actions are aimed at destroying fungal spores, pathogenic microorganisms and pest larvae, rendering weed seeds unusable.