What it is
Beet (Beta vulgaris) is in the Amaranthaceae (Amaranth) family. Two crops in one — sweet roots below, nutritious greens above. Loves the cool shoulder seasons.
How to grow it
It wants full sun to part shade, water it even, and give it loose, fertile soil. Target a soil pH around 6.0–7.0. Space plants about 3–4 in apart. Expect roughly 50–70. Cool-season.
How it's used
Beet is used: roasted, pickled, raw; greens cooked.
🔎 How to identify it
- Glossy leaves with red veins/stems
- Round to cylindrical root
- Often grows shoulder out of soil
Edibility
PartsRoot and leaves
UsesRoasted, pickled, raw; greens cooked
CautionNone.
🌤 Before you plant: check the live 7-day garden weather to time it right for frost and heat.
Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.