About
Beta vulgaris serves as the foundational species for various cultivated beets, such as beetroot, chard, sugar beet, and fodder beets like mangle-wurzel. It features robust, deep green leaves that are suitable for consumption. The plant produces numerous small, pale green flowers that cluster near the stem, though they are not particularly noticeable.
About the genus
Beta comprises annual, biennial, or perennial plants characterized by rosettes of basal foliage and robust, fleshy roots. This genus encompasses various wild species alongside cultivated varieties like beetroot, chard, and sugar beet.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Annual Biennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- Coastal
- Native to
- Europe
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in good light. Will grow well in coastal locations
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to pigeons and slugs and snails
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to grey moulds and downy mildews