When to plant Beetroot
Calendar windows
Dates shift with your latitude — they are calculated from your local last-spring-frost date, not from a fixed calendar.
At a glance
Takes frost; can go out weeks before the last one.
Practical notes
Each "seed" is a cluster of several, so thin ruthlessly to one seedling every 10 cm. Boron-hungry: brown, corky patches inside mean a deficiency, not a disease.
Knowing when to pick
Best at golf-ball to tennis-ball size; anything bigger turns woody. Twist the leaves off rather than cutting, or the roots bleed.
Storing the crop
Layer in damp sand in a cool cellar for three to four months, or pickle the surplus in vinegar.
Crop rotation
Light feeders that fit well after brassicas; give them 2 years between plantings.
Grows well with
Keep apart from
Watch for
Full guide: beetroot diseases and pests (4) → with spread routes, compost verdicts and the prevention this list justifies.