How to grow beet
Beta vulgaris · Amaranthaceae · Vegetable
When to plant beets: the short answer
Sow outdoors about 4 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 9 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F, fastest near 75°F.
Cold winters (zone 5): sow Mar 28 – Apr 16, or sow Jul 24 – Aug 10 for a fall crop. Mild winters (zone 9): sow Sep 18 – Oct 5 for fall and winter harvests; the spring window (Jan 18 – Feb 6) closes before the summer heat. Skip the hottest months for beets. See every zone.
Beet is a cool-season vegetable in the Amaranthaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 50–70 days. It handles frost well and a light freeze often improves the flavour.
Grower’s note: Each wrinkled 'seed' is a cluster of 2-4 seedlings - thin to one or transplant the extras while tiny. Thinnings are edible greens.
Sowing
Sow about 0.75″ deep, into soil between 45–85°F — germination is quickest near 75°F. It comes up fast (5–14 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 4″ along the row with roughly 12″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 9 per square foot. Allow at least 12″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 10″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
As a cool-season crop, beet does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — and light frost only sweetens it.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long beets take to grow
From sowing to first harvest takes roughly 50-70 days (7-10 weeks), with seedlings appearing after 5-14 days in soil around 75°F.
When to plant beet
When to plant beets by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Fall or second sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | - | Apr 12 – May 1 | Jul 4 – Jul 21 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | - | Apr 7 – Apr 26 | Jul 14 – Jul 31 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | - | Mar 28 – Apr 16 | Jul 24 – Aug 10 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | - | Mar 13 – Apr 1 | Aug 3 – Aug 20 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | - | Mar 3 – Mar 22 | Aug 13 – Aug 30 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | - | Feb 15 – Mar 6 | Aug 24 – Sep 10 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | - | Jan 18 – Feb 6 | Sep 18 – Oct 5 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | - | Dec 28 – Jan 16 | Oct 3 – Oct 20 |
Or browse beet planting dates for every state as static pages.
Companions
Onion, Lettuce, Cabbage, Kale, Bush Bean
Pole Bean, Swiss Chard, Spinach
Common problems
Pests: leaf miner, flea beetle, aphids.
Diseases & disorders: cercospora leaf spot, scab, damping off.
Same family (Amaranthaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant beets?
Sow outdoors about 4 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 9 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long do beets take to grow?
About 50-70 days from sowing to the first harvest. Seeds germinate in 5-14 days, fastest in soil around 75°F.
How much sun do beets need?
They need six or more hours of sun for the best growth, though four to six hours in partial shade is enough.
What soil pH do beets need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant beets?
Space plants about 4 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about 0.75 inch deep.
Can I grow beets in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 10 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.