Beetroot in May: monthly care

Beetroot thrives in full sun or partial shade and prefers well-drained loam or sandy soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Before sowing, prepare the bed by digging over the soil to a spade's depth and removing stones, which can cause forked or misshapen roots. Work in well-rotted compost or garden manure a few weeks before planting, but avoid fresh manure as it encourages leafy growth at the expense of roots. Sow beetroot directly outdoors from April through June once the soil has warmed to at least 7°C. Earlier sowings benefit from cloche protection or fleece if late frosts threaten. Sow seeds 2–3 cm deep in drills spaced 30 cm apart. Beetroot "seeds" are actually clusters containing several seeds, so expect multiple seedlings to emerge from each sowing point. Space seeds about 10 cm apart along the row to reduce the need for heavy thinning later. Water the drills gently after sowing to settle the soil around the seeds. Germination typically takes 10–14 days. Once seedlings have two true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 10 cm for smaller beets or up to 15 cm for larger roots, leaving the strongest seedling at each station. You can eat thinned seedlings as microgreens. For a continuous harvest, sow small batches every three weeks until late June. Early sowings (April–May) are ready in 10–12 weeks; later sowings may take slightly longer. Keep the soil consistently moist during germination and early growth to prevent the roots from becoming woody or splitting.