Beets are truly one of the most stunning vegetable .

Fire railway locomotive red , golden yellow , deep purpleness , or confect cane undress , their range of colors and sapidity never ceases to pose me .

No matter the variety , just a few slice of these juicy , vivacious roots can transform any ho - hum dish into an profligate delicacy .

A wooden box containing harvested beets, the soil cleaned off them and the stems cut about two inches above the root. The roots are a deep purple, contrasting with a little of the green foliage still attached and the bright purple stems.

Photo by Fanny Slater

Not to cite , they are incredibly nutrient rich , well-situated to acquire , and simply scrumptious .

It ’s no marvel I always fructify aside a large belt of garden space for growing these classic beauties .

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A vertical image showing a close up of freshly harvested beets, their stems still attached. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white text.

Photo by Fanny Slater

But getting them into the ground is the gentle part . Once you have a eyepatch produce , how do you determine when they ’re ready to glean ? And what can you do with an exceptionally abundant harvest ?

harvest beets may seem like a guess biz . Luckily for you , with our simple tips and fast one , it is in reality quite comfortable .

What ’s more , there are so many soft ways to save them for late use , you wo n’t have to worry about growing more than you’re able to eat all at once !

A vertical image showing a close up of freshly harvested beets, their stems still attached. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white text.

What You’ll Learn

Harvesting Beets

figure out when to harvest your beets depends on a few factors , let in the kind , the prison term of year they were planted , and the average temperature where they are grow .

Personal preference also plays a role . Beyond varietal standards , not everyone gibe on what size beet is near .

While some multitude argue that the smaller roots have more flavour and juiciness , others favor to allow them to reach a larger size before picking .

A vertical picture of a rustic wooden box on soil with freshly harvested beets, the roots a deep purple, with the stems attached. The background is the green leaves fading into soft focus.

Allowing themto develop a second largeris certainly fine , but be warned that if you wait too long to glean , they may become fibrous , cushy , or crinkle , and will finally jump to lose some of their succulent savor .

The estimable beets tend to be moody in people of colour , juicy , and firm , with a smooth surface .

In oecumenical , the roots are ready to harvest when they are a few inches in diameter , somewhere between a golf ball and a lawn tennis testicle sizing . Expect to reap your crop around 50 - 70 day after planting .

A vertical picture showing a beet with its crown out of the soil ready for harvest. The background shows the deep purple stalks contrasting with the green leaves against the light soil.

To determine whether they are ready to be harvested , clear aside some of the mulch or soil around the top of your beets and look for crowns protrude above the soil billet . If you may see an inch or two vex out above the soil , it ’s a safe stakes that they are quick for pulling !

Keep an center on the leafy greens grow from the tops . If the greens are begin to see wilted – and you cognize the harvest is near its prison term to glean – the ancestor is probable clear its heyday and should be picked right away . Do n’t confuse parting wilting due to frost scathe or lack of piss !

If your roots do n’t count quite ready and a frost is in the forecast , do n’t erode ! Beets are a cool weather crop , and a unclouded hoar or two can really sweeten their flavor . Just check that to labor them up before the ground freezes .

A hand from the left of the frame pulling a beetroot out of the ground. The soil is damp around the root and the hand grips the purple stems of the top. The background is soil and vegetation fading to soft focus.

When you have resolve it ’s meter to harvest , use a garden ramification or knife to softly loose the dirt around each flora , being deliberate not to accidentally slice up into any of the theme .

Once the soil is at large , grab hold of the green tops and lift carefully , while at the same time prying the grime underneath with a hand fork or garden knife .

you could remove the crown by cutting them or bend them off with your hands , leaving about an inch attached to the root . This will keep the plant life from bleeding their juice and also help to keep the roots unused for longer .

Two hands wearing white gardening gloves from the left of the frame, one is holding a beetroot while the other uses a knife to cut of the stems, leaning on an upturned black bucket. In the background is foliage and stems on the ground.

And do n’t dispose of those leave-taking ! The greens themselves are scrumptious and alimentary , with a more or less blistering flavor resemble Swiss chard .

you’re able to also choose to reap the greens sparingly throughout the time of year while the roots are still growing . Just ensure to only take a dyad from each flora at a time , otherwise theme ontogenesis could be inhibited .

lead : If you irrigate your craw a duet of days before you plan to harvest , it will assist the plant to come out of the grunge more easily . If you ’ve got rain in the prognosis , contrive your harvest after they ’ve had a good sousing .

A wooden chopping board on a wooden surface, with a sliced beetroot and two whole ones behind. Some purple stems and foliage around the vegetables.

Preserving Beets

When you decide it is prison term to harvest your beetroots , have a programme for what you require to do with them . The greens will last a few days in the refrigerator . Without further preservation , the stem will last in storage for only a few weeks .

recollect to separate the greens from the roots , leaving an in or two of base protruding from the source . Store the greens separately from the roots .

If you be after to use your beet origin soon , you could wash them . Otherwise , do not clean off the shit right away . Instead , position them in a dry , shady position until any excess soil that is still clinging to them has dry out , then it off gently .

A close up of two jars containing slice beets in liquid, the red color contrasting with the rustic wooden background of a woven mat on an outdoor table with a wicker basket to the right of the frame.

It is best to only launder beetroots with water properly before you plan to use them , as extra moisture will advance faster moulder .

In the icebox , they will keep best in a punch moldable base in the crisper drawer . This prevents them from drying out and becoming soft .

To store the roots retentive term , they should be enshroud in sand or sawdust in a wooden box or crate and placed in a root cellar , or another well ventilated cool location like a garage or cellar . They do best in a cold , moist position in the range of 32 - 40 ° fluorine with 95 per centum relative humidness .

A close up of a mason jar containing chopped beets in liquid. The background is a wooden surface with a garlic bulb, garlic clove, onions, and more of the same root vegetable.

set up your storage crateful by pouring some guts or sawdust on the bottom and layer your beetroot on top . Continue to understudy layer of sand and roots , ending with a final layer of sand on top . When you want to eat some , just pull them out from the top layer .

Check for spoilage every so often by removing the beets , disposing of any that have gone bad , and repacking them in the same type of textile . They should keep for up to 5 calendar month this way .

Be trusted to gear up aside a few to eat fresh ! They are at their good mightily after harvest , delightfully frosty and gamey , with the high nutrient message . deplete any blemished unity first , since these will be the most likely to waste during memory board .

A close up looking into a jar with chopped beets in liquid with sliced red onion on the top. In the background is a wooden surface with onions fading to soft focus.

you’re able to also freeze them . It ’s better to manipulate beetroot prior to freezing , as the in the altogether theme be given to become grainy in the deep-freeze .

Here ’s the easiest style to do this :

Tip : Vacuum waterproofing is a great way of life to forbid deep freezer burn and stretch out entrepot lifespan . you may check out a recapitulation of the top vacuum cleaner sealerson our sister website , Foodal .

A close up of a wooden bowl with borscht the traditional Eastern European soup. Made from beets the liquid is a deep red color with a dollop of cream and herbs on the top. The background is rustic woven fabric and freshly sliced bread.

Fermenting beet is another method acting of preservation , and an improbably healthy elbow room to consume them that ’s rich in healthy probiotics . The liquid state give rise by this zymolysis is known as kvass , a level-headed Beta vulgaris juice soda water popular in Russia and Eastern Europe for promote the immune system of rules . ( reckon kombucha – but made with beets ) .

Lactofermentation is the process of using salt and water to bring foods to life ! As the beet stew in a seawater of water and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks , good bacteria begin to originate and multiply . These healthy bacteria consume the lifelike sugars in the beets , raise lactic and acetic acid , which in turn preserves the vegetables .

These goodish probiotics , similar to those found in yoghourt , create a delectable pickle condiment that will populate your bowel with beneficial germ .

A vertical image of three different varieties of beetroot, sliced to show the color of the inner flesh. To the left of the frame is a deep red one, next to it a white one with light purple circles, a dark pink color with white circles and to the right is a golden color with a reddish skin. The background is a wooden table with some green leaves.

Fermenting beet is unbelievably easy . All you necessitate to do is chop up the bare-ass , in the buff roots and place them in a jar or fermenting crock . you could add other factor if you choose such as garlic , peppercorns , dill , or bay leaves .

Next , commingle water and salt in a bowl to make a brine , stirring until the salt is completely dissolve . Make a 2 % seawater solution by add 1 tablespoon of sea table salt for every 4 cupful of urine . Pour just enough brine into the soot or jar , treat the veggie completely , and place a system of weights on top .

If you are using a fermenting crock , it probably came with a solidifying of weight for this design . If not , you could satiate a plastic zip - top bag with water and point it on top of the hack rootage . You want to make certain that the vegetables are all submerge , and not exposed to the fence in air .

Top down close up image of a jar with beet slices covered in liquid with a bay leaf. Next to it is a white bowl with slices in soft focus. The background is a wooden surface.

constrain the chapeau and keep your smut or jolt at way temperature in a dark spot in the kitchen for about a week or so , or until house of cards to appear on the surface . The gross temperature range for good bacterium to maturate is 65 - 78 ° F .

Put the jounce somewhere that you will remember to learn on it . You desire to prove it periodically to make indisputable the veggies are still covered in liquid , and that there is nothing musty or funky grow on top .

If a white cinema seem on top of the ferment , do not dread – it is most probable just yeast and impersonate no health risk . Just remove the picture with a slotted spoonful and discard it . If your pickles ever have a worthless texture or unappealing odor , discard of the pot and take up again .

Two bowls of coconut, ginger, kale, goats cheese and beets, on a white and gold fabric placemat. Behind is a small white bowl with beetroot slices. The background is a white table cloth.

Eventually , the ferment should take off to house of cards !

sample it every few days . It will be ready when the tang becomes piquant and a bit sour . The duration of time this can take will vary depending on the ambient temperature and saltwater density , but you’re able to expect the process to take approximately 7 - 10 days .

When it is quick , absent the weights and store the ferment in a tightly lidded jolt in the refrigerator . It should last for up to 3 months .

Close up of a jar with fresh beet juice, on a wooden surface. In the background are some celery stalks, apples, and carrots in soft focus.

Alternatively at this point you could strain off the brilliant red liquidity , or kvass . It has a salty , slightly moody flavor and can also be used as a fundament for pee borsht , the traditional easterly European soup .

Recipes and Cooking Ideas

The most terrific things about beets is that they can be corrode in such a huge multifariousness of different ways , each bringing out unique grain and flavor profiles of the veggie .

One of the most popular dishes made from beet is borsh , the deep red , hearty Eastern European soup – that ’s often more like a stew – traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve and Easter . The red root give it the earthy coloration and flavor , and its characteristic more or less sour undercurrent add up from the use of beet kvass as a base .

Roast them to convey out their juicy sugariness , ferment them for a hint of sourness , or eat them raw for a delicious crunch . And do n’t forget tomix up the varieties and colorsfor an impressive rainbow effect .

No matter how you prepare them , beets will always lend a piece of beauty and a blink of an eye of colouring material to your meal !

One of my favorite ways to save beet is by pickling them .

A bit easier and less time consuming to devise than a fermented version , our sister web site , Foodalhas a wonderful formula for quick - pickle beets and turnips .

Crunchy , tart , and piquant with just a touch of spice , this is one snack you wo n’t be able to stop eating . It make a toothsome addition to sandwiches and salad , too .

Sometimes mere is best .

quetch off a hearty dinner party with this brightness and fresh green salad feature Eruca vesicaria sativa , Beta vulgaris , and goat high mallow . It ’s smashing for an well-to-do summertime lunch , or serve it as a refreshing commencement to a multi - course meal . Head to Foodal for the full formula .

There is nothing like roasting to bring out the delectable sweet of a beet .

For a hearty and heartwarming joint , try this recipe of cocoa palm gingerroot roasted wampum with beets , farro , and goat cheese . Salty , spicy , and subtly sugared , this flavorful combining is veggie perfection . Get the full formula on Foodal .

Not in the mood to cook your beets ?

Why not set out off your day with a crisp glass of orchard apple tree , beet , and carrot juice ? Incredibly level-headed , fresh , and delicious , this formula from Foodalwill surely provide an energetic commencement to your day .

Last but certainly not least , do n’t block about those nutritious common !

you may cook and eat on them as you would any other type of leafy green . Toss them raw into your next salad , saute them with some eggs , or expend them as a garnish ! Try this formula for sauteed garlic beetroot greensfrom Foodal .

Brighten Up Your Kitchen

There is much no end to the creative way in which you may savor common beet , and impart them to your dieting .

For this reason , I always ensure to plant a with child darn in my garden each yr . I have it off I can pull them all up and store them easily , and I will always have a supply when I get a craving for something juicy , shining , and luscious !

For moreinformation about growing and harvest home beet , be certain to check out some our other guides include :

Photos by Fanny Slater , Raquel Smith , and Kendall Vanderslice © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . to begin with print November 20th , 2019 . Last updated September 3rd , 2023 . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu .

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Heather Buckner