Favorite vegetable from the country garden: varieties and features of growing beets

Features of cultivation

A beet seed is an infructescence consisting of two or three seeds, each of which produces a sprout. In order to achieve increased germination when growing a crop, it is recommended to soak the seeds for 2-3 days at home: pour them into a container with a small amount of water (the liquid should only lightly cover the seeds), and then replace the water every 4-6 hours. In addition, to increase germination activity, you can soak the seeds for 12-18 hours in a solution of boric acid (at the rate of 0.2 g per 1 liter of water).

When sowing directly into the ground, it is necessary to break through the seedlings as early as possible, otherwise the thickening will cause weakening of the plants. With the seedling method, thinning is not required; in addition, this method helps to save seeds and accelerate the development of seedlings. Beetroot is thermophilic and requires a temperature of at least 8°C for seed germination.

Useful tips

By following the recommendations, you can avoid many mistakes and grow tasty and healthy vegetables without any problems:

1. Locate beet beds where they will receive at least 10 hours of direct sunlight.
2. The soil in the bed for beets should have a pH from 6.0 to 7.5, and it is also necessary to remove all large and small stones from the soil of the future bed.
3. You need to sow seeds to a depth of 2 to 2.5 cm and maintain a distance between rows of 30 to 45 cm. At the same time, maintain a distance between seedlings of 5 to 15 cm. To grow giant root crops, increase the distance between plants. For example, if you maintain a distance of 30–35 cm between fodder beet seedlings, you can grow root crops the size of a child’s head.
4. For best root quality, it is necessary to keep the soil moist during the growing season.
5. Since the seeds of the crop have a hard coating, it is necessary to soak them in warm water immediately before sowing and keep them in it for several hours. This will increase the chances of the seeds germinating.
6. Each beet seed contains several embryos. This will result in multiple seedlings emerging from each seed planted. After 3-4 true leaves appear, it is necessary to thin out and leave only the strongest plants from the bunch of sprouts.
7. Young beets are often attacked by insect pests, so root crops growing in small beds can be manually covered with cut-off plastic bottles, placing them with the open neck up, and left in place until harvest.

Did you know? Raw beets are made up of 87% water, 10% carbohydrates, 2% protein and less than 1% fat.
100 g of this root vegetable contains 43 calories. By observing the cultivation requirements of the crop, you can achieve good beet yields. To do this, vegetable growers need to sow seeds in a timely manner, provide watering, weeding and treatment of root crops from diseases and harmful insects.

When and where are the seeds planted?

Beetroot is the most heat-loving crop among root crops; its seedlings are damaged at temperatures of minus 2-3°C.

Sowing is carried out approximately two weeks after carrots. Beets love to grow along the edge of the ridge, which is why they go well in the same space with kohlrabi, celery and cauliflower. Prefers well-lit places; in the initial period of growth (before setting the root crop) it needs moisture. It tolerates transplantation quite easily.

History of beet cultivation in Russia

The history of the appearance of this vegetable in Russia dates back to the 9th–10th centuries. This is evidenced by records in chronicles and parish books preserved from those times. The spread of the root crop began in the Principality of Kyiv, where merchants brought beets from Poland and Lithuania. Much later, root crops began to be grown everywhere. She gained people's love due to her unpretentiousness, rich sweet taste, and, of course, health benefits.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the famous aquarist Nikolai Fedorovich Zolotnitsky, who was interested in breeding fish and plants, mentioned this vegetable in his notes. It follows from them that in the 14th century the root vegetable was already popular among peasants and boyars. Zolotnitsky says that at that time in the boyars’ chambers beets with ginger were served with Ukrainian borscht.

Boyars in Rus' were served beets with ginger; it was believed that this dish whets the appetite

In the 19th century, sugar beets began to be grown in Russia. Sugar, marshmallows, and beet syrup are made from it. Since production developed slowly, sweets made from this root vegetable were very expensive. Even honey, which is an expensive product, did not hit the pocket of an ordinary peasant so much. Therefore, among the population, sugar was considered more of a delicacy than an essential product.

How to choose the right variety?

Currently, there are many imported beet hybrids, characterized by early ripening and disease resistance.

It is important to remember that each beet variety has its own characteristics:

Sugar beet:

• Clarina;
• Nancy;
• Bohemia;
• Bona;
• Sphinx;
• Mandarin.

Fodder beet:

• Lada;
• Milan;
• Hope;
• Barres;
• Record;
• Vermont, etc.

Swiss chard:

• Gorgeous;
• Scarlet;
• Red;
• Green;
• Belavinka;
• White Silver;
• White Silver 2;
• White Silver 3;
• Lucullus, etc.

Table beets are mainly grown in gardens.

Which variety is better?

Planting beets according to the Lunar calendar in 2019

This vegetable is planted in well-warmed soil +6...+10 °C. Planting dates depend on the specific area and variety. In the warm southern regions (Krasnodar Territory) seeds are sown in the first half of spring, in the central European part of Russia (for example, in the Moscow region) - in early May, in the Ural region, Western and Eastern Siberia - in late spring. These are approximate dates for mid-season varieties. It is better to plant early varieties early, and later varieties - later. This is taken into account if you want to get good quality root vegetables. Specific dates are selected using the Lunar calendar.

Recommendations for growing in the country

1. 
   The soil.
   With a neutral reaction. It is not recommended to apply fresh manure, as the root crop may begin to rot. For early ripening varieties, it is necessary to use well-drained, fertile soils. For late varieties it is possible to use heavier soils.

2. Early beets.
   There are 2-3 inflorescences, the distance between holes in a row is 10 cm, the row spacing is 15-20 cm. At the end of February - beginning of March, sowing is carried out in a greenhouse, and from late March to April - in open ground (according to the same scheme).
3. Mid-season varieties.
   In May or June, sowing is carried out in open ground. Sow two or three seeds (one infructescence). The distance between nests is 10-15 cm, row spacing is 30 cm.
4. Winter growing.
   Late June or early July. The distance between nests is 7-8 cm, between rows - 30 cm.
5. Growing beets with seedlings.
   Advantages: getting the first root crops about 20 days earlier. Planting beets should begin no earlier than April, and by mid-May the sprouts can already be planted in open ground. With this method of planting, unlike planting in open ground, thinning is not required. When transplanting into open ground, the central root is shortened by a third of its length.

   To speed up rooting, seedlings are protected from the sun with non-woven material and watered with a humate solution. When the seedlings become stronger, the shelter is removed, the plantings are thinned out, and then the planting area is mulched to maintain soil moisture and protect against weeds.

Secrets of a good harvest

How to grow beets in open ground?

• Seedlings should not be overgrown, as small plants take root better.
• The seedling method is especially important for fodder beets, as it increases its yield.
• Beets need microelements, especially boron.
• For feeding, it is better to choose wood ash and potash fertilizers.
• Weeding is carried out immediately after the beets emerge.

Growing conditions

Before growing beets in a country house, garden or personal plot, first of all you need to understand what kind of soil is required for this and when planting should be done. The success of growing quality fruits directly depends on compliance with these conditions.

Sowing time

Although beets are resistant to cold, they are heat-loving, and there is no need to rush into sowing. Planting dates depend on the climate of a particular area. First of all, it is taken into account at what temperature the beets grow. The following indicators are optimal:

• the air should warm up to 18° C;
• soil – up to 10° C.

Related article:

How to please beets

Another factor influencing planting timing is the beet variety. Early ripening varieties are planted first, late ripening varieties are planted last. Sowing late varieties too early causes the beets to become tough and lose their taste.

You can also sow seeds for the winter. Winter beetroot produces the earliest shoots and allows you to quickly obtain a summer harvest. But it should be borne in mind that such root vegetables are not suitable for long-term storage.

Selecting a location

Growing red beets requires the creation of favorable growing conditions. It is very important to choose a suitable site for this. For those who are planning to engage in this crop for the first time, you can see how beets grow in the garden using a photo. Then it will become clearly visible how much space each plant takes up, how the plantings should be formed, and what kind of terrain is needed for this.

In any case, when choosing a site, it is important to consider what beets like. These factors include:

• good lighting;
• fertile loose soil;
• space for proper growth of roots and tops;
• frequent watering and good drainage to prevent stagnation of moisture.

An excellent option for planting beetroot is along the perimeter of beds with potatoes, cucumbers, onions and herbs.

Beets in the garden: photo

Crop rotation

When choosing a site for planting, it is necessary to comply with crop rotation requirements, since beets can be grown correctly only after certain crops. Like all vegetables, it also has suitable and unsuitable predecessors.

Beets should not be replanted in the same place. At least 3 years must pass between such crops for the soil to restore its properties.

Soil preparation

The soil for growing beets in a dacha or garden plot is prepared in the fall. To do this you need:

• clear the area of ​​dry vegetation, dig up while simultaneously adding manure or compost to a depth of 30 cm;
• sprinkle soil with high acidity with slaked lime (700 g per 1 sq. m.) or ash;
• You can also use granulated potassium sulfate or phosphorus fertilizer, which must be scattered on the ground before digging (300 g per 1 sq. m).

In the spring, immediately before sowing the seeds, the bed needs to be dug up again, sprinkled with a peat mixture.

Seed treatment

Beet seeds are often sold already prepared for planting. They have a pink or green color, which indicates treatment with the necessary preparations. Such seeds are planted directly into the soil without soaking or germination.

Related article:

6 steps for a rich beet harvest

Unprocessed brown or beige seeds require preliminary preparation. To do this you need:

1. Check germination. Soak for 3-4 hours in salt water. Those seeds that do not float will be suitable for planting.
2. Disinfect. Leave overnight in a pale pink manganese solution.
3. Temper. Soak alternately for 5 hours in hot and cold water.
4. Treat with a stimulant. Wrap the seed in a cloth and immerse it in the solution of the selected drug for the time specified in the instructions.
5. Leave to swell. Wash the seeds and put them in a warm place for a day. They should swell and begin to sprout.

To carry out winter sowings, the treatment needs to be slightly changed, taking into account how beets grow from seed in cold weather. Excessively swollen seeds will immediately sprout, which will then die. Therefore, such seed material only needs to be checked for germination and disinfected.

Step-by-step care

Watering

Regular watering of beets is especially important in hot, dry weather. You need to spend about 10 liters per 1 m² per week. Excess water is also undesirable, as it can lead to increased growth of leaves rather than root crops. If the area is not mulched, then the day after watering it must be loosened by 4 cm. The soil around the plantings is loosened with a hoe, without touching the plants themselves. To increase the sugar content of beets, before watering, you need to dissolve a tablespoon of kitchen salt in a bucket of water. To improve the keeping quality of root crops, watering is stopped two weeks before harvesting.

Top dressing

Beets must be fed once every two weeks with a solution of potassium fertilizer (about 3 tablespoons of fertilizer per 10 liters of water), pouring at least two glasses under each plant. When leaf growth slows down, give a one-time feeding with weed infusion. You can also feed beets with mullein infusion: 1 bucket of mullein and half a bucket of ash per 10 buckets of water.

Harvesting and storing root crops

The harvest of early beets can be harvested already 70-80 days after the shoots appear, when the root crops reach a size of 3-4 cm. The final harvesting of the remaining root crops of medium and late varieties must be completed before the onset of frost, i.e. towards the end of September.

Harvested beets

The tops are removed from the dug up beets, leaving “stumps” 2 cm long.

The soil from the root crops is carefully shaken off, and the roots are left; there is no need to trim them. Beets are stored in the basement and cellar at a temperature of 1 to 3 degrees Celsius in boxes with sand - these are the ideal storage conditions for this vegetable crop.

Beets should be stored carefully, and during storage it is recommended to periodically inspect and sort through the root crops, removing those that begin to deteriorate.

In regions with mild winters, it is not necessary to store all root crops at once. Some of them can be left in the ground for a while, covered from frost with straw or other available materials.

Cultivation technology

The advantage of growing beets over other vegetables is the possibility of using a complex of machines.

1. Seeders. There are automatic and manual seeders. Automatic ones are used for growing beets in large areas, manual ones are used for growing beets in your own garden. Automatic seeders are divided into mechanical (with a maximum operating speed of 6 km/h) and pneumatic (7-8 km/h). The manual seeder is designed for single-row sowing of seeds; with its help, you can sow a plot of land of 10 acres in an hour. Thanks to precise seeding, seed savings are possible, as is the precise distribution of planting material.
2. Thinners.
3. Row crop cultivators. Designed for weeding, fertilizing and hilling.
4. Beet harvesters. Designed for harvesting sugar and fodder beets. There are two types: tops of the tops type (the roots are removed from the soil using a tops method, and the tops are cut off in the machine) and with preliminary cutting of the tops.
5. Topper harvesters
6. Beet loaders. There are stationary and mobile. They select root crops, partially clear the soil, and load them.

Beet thinning

Beets are sown thickly, and this is done for its normal development. Also, this is a measure against poor seed germination. Therefore, it is necessary to thin out

. It is most convenient to thin out after watering or heavy rain.

First thinning

carried out during the formation of the first 2 full-fledged leaves, leaving a distance between plants of 2-3 cm.

Second thinning

carried out when 5-6 leaves have formed on the plants, leaving a gap of 4-6 cm between plants.

Third time thinning

must be carried out before August 15, leaving a distance between plants of 8-10 cm. Observe the thinning deadlines, this is an important point for obtaining a high-quality and large harvest.

Errors in agricultural technology

Let's consider further why crops do not always grow well in gardens and what needs to be done to get a harvest of healthy and large root crops.

• It is necessary to monitor the weather: if beet crops are exposed to a strong drop in temperature, they may go into flowering without root crops setting.
• It is not recommended to plant beets on acidic and waterlogged soils.
• If white rings are visible on the cut of the root crop, it means that the beets have been overfed with nitrogen fertilizers. It is not recommended to use such beets for food.

Technology for planting beets in open ground with seedlings

You can get an early harvest of beetroot if you use seedlings. Thus, it is common to harvest some of the roots and the rest through the seeds. The landless method is well suited and does not require much space. Then the young plants dive, planting them in greenhouses near the tomatoes. Additionally, nightshades will be protected from diseases.

Work order for obtaining seedlings:

• Place toilet paper on a plastic bag, folding it several times;
• moisturize from a spray bottle;
• place the seeds on top, leaving 1 cm between them, and retreat 1-1.5 cm from the edge;
• roll the paper into a roll and place it in a container, covering it with cellophane on top;
• point the empty edge down the container;
• sign the name of the variety for memory;
• move the container to a warm place, where a little water is added to it, and the paper is sprayed from time to time.

Shoots will appear in 7 days. Planted in well-warmed soil, preparing deep holes in it. The roots in the holes should not bend. They are gently pressed to the soil. The seedlings are watered abundantly.

Diseases and pests

Features of care in a greenhouse

Caring for beets when grown in greenhouse conditions is practically no different from the actions taken for open ground. It also consists of loosening the soil, fertilizing, thinning and watering. Periodically, plants are inspected for pests. But there are still some differences. When growing vegetables in a greenhouse, you should ensure that certain conditions are met:

• it is important to monitor air humidity to prevent the appearance of fungal diseases and rot on beets;
• the air temperature in the greenhouse should not exceed +26°C; if the temperature rises, the room must be ventilated. In sunny weather, you can shade the plants to avoid burns;
• the greenhouse should be well ventilated, thanks to this the beets can avoid many diseases;
• When growing root crops in greenhouse conditions, many gardeners are confident that pests will not be able to cause damage to them. We will have to say goodbye to this myth. Inspection of each vegetable remains a mandatory component of care.

Beets, unlike onions and carrots, are not frost-resistant crops, so growing them in a greenhouse is quite justified

In the greenhouse, beets are protected from many insects that can harm them. Nevertheless, even in greenhouses this crop is threatened by the following pests:

• beet flea beetles;
• beet aphid;
• beet bugs;
• beet flies;
• beet weevils.

Prevention of various problems

1. When growing chard (chard), it is necessary to constantly remove the marginal leaves, which can be immediately used for food. Otherwise, the plant will bloom.
2. Redness of beet leaves is an indicator of too acidic soil or lack of sodium. To get rid of the problem, you need to sprinkle the soil with ash, and then water the plants directly over the leaves with salt water (1 cup of table salt per 10 liters of water). Use 1 liter. solution per 1 meter of planting.

Beets have a beneficial effect on digestion and contain almost the entire range of necessary beneficial elements. But with excessive consumption of sweets and other foods, it increases the likelihood of an allergic reaction to beets. We advise you to read our materials about how allergies manifest themselves and how to eliminate them, as well as whether beets are allowed during breastfeeding, pregnancy, and at what age can this vegetable be given to a child.

Beetroot is one of the healthiest vegetables: it is rich in vitamins and microelements, due to its antioxidant content it is used for the prevention of cancer, in addition, beets are rich in iron, which makes it an indispensable assistant in the treatment of anemia (what are the benefits of root vegetables for health?). At the moment, there are many varieties of beets; they are used as food, animal feed, and in the production of sugar, which makes it one of the most valuable products in our lives.

Why beets don't grow or grow poorly

Beets will not grow well if:

• the crop was sown too late, without observing the optimal sowing time;
• sowing was carried out in dry soil, without additional moisture or rain preceding sowing;
• no natural or artificial watering was carried out during the period from germination until the appearance of 3–4 true leaves on the plants;
• the soil is too acidic and heavy;
• the predecessor crop was the same beet or plants belonging to the families Chenopodiaceae and cruciferous plants;
• plant growers neglect protection and prevention measures against diseases and pests.

Violation of conditions

Beets grow a large mass of roots and leaves, so they consume a lot of water. The bulk of the crop grows in July and August, when water reserves in the soil decrease and high temperatures usually increase water deficiency. The distribution and amount of precipitation during the growing season are of great importance. Spring drought is also dangerous and prevents the emergence of seedlings. Summer droughts, in turn, reduce the increase in the mass of root crops and their quality. Irrigation of beet plantations is an important factor in stabilizing yields.

Read more about how and when to plant beets before winter.

The crop requires high light intensity during the growing season. Rainy summers are accompanied by a deterioration in light intensity, so plants grow worse. Moisture helps to increase the mass of roots and leaves, but the sugar content in root vegetables decreases. A high yield of roots with high nutritional value is obtained in years with optimal rainfall in June, July and August, but only if warm and sunny weather returns after the rains.

Wrong site selection

Soils intended for beets should not be clayey or dense; good hygroscopicity is important. If the arable layer does not have a uniform and crumbly structure, then this is an obstacle to root growth. It is also bad if the humidity in the open ground is too high, and this happens in swampy areas or is caused by improper soil cultivation.

Did you know? Scientific research has shown that the high levels of unique antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents found in beets may help reduce the risk of many types of cancer.

Violation of crop rotation rules

Crop rotation is the sequence of growing crops in a certain bed or field. Properly organized crop rotation is the basis for crop productivity, ensures increased soil fertility and its biological activity, limits the occurrence of diseases, pests and weeds, and also ensures the full use of nutrients from the soil. Crop rotation also aims to protect the soil from erosion and reduce the leaching of nutrients, especially nitrogen, into groundwater, so it is necessary to keep the land covered with rich vegetation throughout the growing season.

Crop rotation uses at least a four-year rotation cycle. This means that the same plant species, and even another species from the same botanical family, should not appear in the same field before 4 years.

• The following are recommended as precursors for beets:
• grain crops;
• corn;
• clover and alfalfa;
• onions, leeks;
• cucumber, tomato and lettuce;
• peas, vetch, beans, beans;
• phacelia;
• mustard, radish;
• spinach.

Important! Vegetable growers need to remember that good predecessors of sugar and table beets are legumes and grains, pumpkin plants and onions of any kind.

• The following are not suitable as beet predecessors:
• sugar and table beets;
• cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli;
• rapeseed, turnip;
• radish, radish;
• rhubarb and carrots;
• parsley;
• potato.

Diseases and pests

The main diseases of beets are:

1. Beet mosaic - Symptoms appear within a few days of infection with changes in the color of the leaf ribs and the appearance of irregular green spots. Infected tissues do not develop normally, and, alternating with healthy tissue, the leaves acquire a mosaic appearance. This viral infection is transmitted by aphids.

2. Rhizoctoniosis — the causative agent is the imperfect fungus Rhizoctonia solani. The disease occurs at all stages of the growing season. If plants are infected at an early age, the harvest is completely lost. Adult diseased plants survive but grow poorly. In some cases, the edges of the leaf turn yellow and necrosis appears. The leaves of diseased vegetables are small, upright, and limp. The roots are cone-shaped and form a “beard” of lateral roots. The inside of the root is destroyed, black necrotic tissue appears.

3. Bacteriosis - fire blight caused by the bacteria Bacillus mycoides Flugge and Bacillus mesentericus var vulgatus Flugge. This disease appears at the growth stage of 4 to 6 true leaves. Symptoms are brownish-black spots surrounded by a dark halo. In some cases, the affected tissues dry out and crumble, and the leaf blade becomes full of holes. The bacterium is transmitted through infected seeds and also overwinters on remaining plant debris in the soil after harvesting.

4. Mycoses - caused by Phytium fungi. The disease is carried by the wind and is dangerous until the plants form their first two pairs of true leaves. The disease appears as small watery spots on the stems. The infected area becomes thin and then turns black and rots. Plants fall to the ground and soon die, leaving gaps in the crop.
5. Downy mildew - a fungal disease, outbreaks of this disease occur in rainy years and cause crop losses of up to 15% of the total. Affected leaves remain small, deformed, brittle and dry out. In autumn, the disease can be observed on the leaves in the center of the rosette. Discolored spots appear on their upper parts, accompanied by a purple edging. Fungal spores are transmitted through infected seed material.

6. Zonal leaf spot or blight - caused by the fungus Phoma betae AB ​​Frank. On diseased vegetables, rosette leaves wither and become covered with large brown spots; on the roots, the disease causes rotting. The fungus remains viable in plant debris, on the soil surface and in infected seeds.

7. Beet rust — the causative agent is the fungus Uromyces betae. The disease is quite common and appears at the end of the growing season. Yellow spots appear on all leaves. Later, orange bumps appear on the undersides of the leaves. Starting in August, the disease enters the next phase, manifested by the appearance of brown spots. By autumn, the brown spots change color to black, after which the diseased leaves become dry and brittle.

8. Cercosporidosis — the cause of the disease is the fungus Cercospora beticola. This is the most common beet disease. The fungus appears on crops at the end of June; yellow, round spots appear on the leaves. The disease progresses and the spots become gray with a brownish-red ring around the edge. The spots are initially single, and then increase in size, unite and cover large areas of the leaf blade. The affected tissues die and crumble, and the leaves take on a holey appearance.

The main pests of sugar beets are:

1. Nematodes (Heterodera schachtii) - reproduce with a frequency of two generations per year, prefer plants of the goosefoot family, since they provide them with optimal conditions for development. The attack on beets usually occurs at the end of June. Root crops infected with a nematode grow poorly, their leaves turn yellow or die, and the underground part is small and forms numerous secondary roots.
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2. Beet bug (Poecyloscytus cognatus) - develops one generation per year and lays eggs in different areas of the stems. This is a multiphasic insect species that is the main pest of sugar beets. After an attack by bedbugs, vegetable tissues dry quickly, and phytopathogenic organisms subsequently develop in wounds caused by insects.

3. Beet black aphid (Aphis fabae) is a migratory insect species that develops several generations per year, each of which lays eggs. The insect attacks more than 200 plant species, including sugar beets. Insects colonize the leaves and feed on their sap, causing the plant to develop weakly and slowly. In addition, aphids serve as carriers of many viruses.

4. Beet root aphid (Pemphigus fuscicornis) - insects produce about eight generations per year, females or eggs overwinter in the soil at a depth of 20 to 100 cm, preferring dry and warm places. Root aphids are dangerous to many plants belonging to the Chenopodiaceae (chenopodiaceae) family. Adults and larvae feed on root sap. After root aphids infest the vegetables, the leaves dry out and the roots rot. In addition, crops become weakened and can be easily attacked by phytopathogenic agents.

5. Beet weevil (Bothynoderes punctiventris) — develops one generation per year and hides in the soil at a depth of 20 to 25 cm. This is one of the most dangerous pests of sugar beets. Larvae and adults attack young beets in the cotyledon phase, which they eat to the ground. One weevil can destroy 10-12 plants per day. After the formation of the first pairs of true leaves, adult weevils can no longer completely destroy the crop, but gnaw out cavities in the roots, as a result of which the affected plants wither and the root forms many additional small roots. Roots affected by the weevil are less developed and produce poor quality crops.

6. Beet flea beetle (Chaetocnema spp) - this species produces 2–3 generations per year; adult insects overwinter in the surface layer of soil or under plant debris. Beet flea beetle infestation causes extensive damage to fodder and sugar beets. Plants are destroyed in the cotyledon phase or until there are two pairs of true leaves. Damaged tissues die, vegetable growth slows down, and photosynthesis decreases. The flea beetle especially damages beet crops in dry years.

7. Beet leaf miner (Scrobipalpa ocellatella) - this insect reproduces with a frequency of 3-4 generations per year. Young insects develop as larvae on beet residues left after harvesting or on stored roots. The larvae feed on young leaves and make tunnels in the petioles or rhizomes. The internal passages are covered with the remains of insect feces. Infected plants lose leaves, beets grow small, and the total yield from infected plantations decreases several times.

8. Beet leaf miner (Pegomyia hyoscyami) - develops two generations per year and lays larvae in the surface layer of soil. Adult insects are not dangerous to crops, but the larvae penetrate into the leaves between the epidermis, top and bottom layers, where they consume epithelial cells. The pest is very dangerous when the plant has fewer than eight leaves. Diseased leaves are full of excrement and the beet's ability to photosynthesize is reduced.

What to do if the beets have grown big and huge

Agree that a large root crop is also not the best option for growing. This happens when the root crop grows alone, receiving sufficient amounts of all nutrients. I grew up like this myself. Of course, they keep well. But even later, a large vegetable cannot be overcome at once when preparing food.

What to do in this case? For the future, we can advise you to grow beets in the garden in compliance with the rules of agricultural technology. And if this happens, make the borscht dressing according to my recipe.

• Boil the vegetable in a pressure cooker to cook it faster, or in the microwave;
• Peel it, cut into small strips or pieces;
• Place the chopped beets in glass jars and fill with table vinegar. Close tightly with a lid, perhaps a plastic one. Store in the basement, cellar, refrigerator, that is, in a cool place.

I've been doing this for many years. Beets in jars last until next year, and sometimes longer, without spoiling. When I cook borscht, at the end of cooking I add these lightly pickled beets, and also add a spoonful of brine to the borscht. The color of the borscht turns out to be a beautiful, rich burgundy.

Have a good harvest!