The cultivation of beets, which are nutritious root vegetables, in repurposed wooden baskets can be a charming and environmentally sound way to grow these vegetables. This is a step-by-step guide that will help you grow beets in old wooden baskets, beginning with planting the seed and ending with harvesting the beets:
1. Select the Appropriate Variety of Beets:
Choose a variety of beetroot that satisfies both your taste preferences and the growing conditions in your area. The Detroit Dark Red, Chioggia, Golden, and Cylindra cultivars are among the most sought-after examples. Make sure the supplier or garden centre you get your seeds from has a good reputation.
2. Prepare the Wooden Baskets
You should check that the wooden baskets are in good condition and that they have drainage holes at the bottom to prevent them from becoming waterlogged.
You can prevent soil from escaping through the gaps in the baskets by lining the interior with hessian or another fabric that allows air to pass through it. This will, however, not prevent excess water from escaping.
3. Position the baskets in an area that receives plenty of sunlight.
For optimal growth, beets require a lot of direct sunlight. If you don’t have a spot in the sun where you can cultivate them, you can still grow them in partial shade, but the yield won’t be as high. In order to reach their full potential, beets require at least six hours of sunlight directly on them each day.
4. Preparing the Soil
Beets thrive in soil that is rich in organic matter, has good drainage, and a pH that ranges from 6.0 to 7.5. Compost, well-rotted manure, and garden soil should be mixed together and placed inside of the wooden baskets. It is best to steer clear of using heavy soils such as clay if you want your beets to develop normally and not become stunted.
5. Plant the Beetroot Seeds
Because beetroot seeds are so tiny, it is best to plant them directly in the potting soil rather than using a separate container. Spread the seeds out to a distance of about 1 inch.
A very thin layer of potting soil should be placed over the seeds. Take care not to bury the seeds too deeply, as doing so can make it more challenging for them to sprout.
6. Give the seeds plenty of water.
After the seeds have been sown, give them plenty of water. Due to the fact that the potting soil will dry out more rapidly, it is possible that you will need to water them more frequently than you would if you were growing them in the ground.
Because beetroot seeds must germinate in soil that is moist, it is essential that the soil be kept consistently moist without becoming soaked.
7. Thinning:
Once the beetroot seedlings have reached a height of a few inches, it is time to thin them out so that there is enough room for each plant to mature.
Take out the seedlings that aren’t doing well or are too close together, but keep the ones that are doing well and space them out according to the guidelines provided by the variety.
8. Fertilizers
Apply fertiliser to the beets when the plants have reached a height of about 2 inches. Apply a fertiliser that is well-balanced and make sure to read and follow the directions on the package. Since beets are heavy feeders, they will require frequent applications of fertiliser throughout the growing season.
The beets will receive all of the essential nutrients from a well-balanced fertiliser, allowing them to develop into robust and healthy plants.
9. Harvesting:
The beets are ready to be harvested when the roots have a diameter of about 2 inches. To harvest beets, first use a garden fork to break up the soil around each beet, and then simply pull each individual beet out of the ground to harvest it.
When the roots of the beet are approximately 2 inches in diameter, the beets are ready to be harvested. If you allow the beets to mature to an excessive size, they will harden and become woody.
