Beetroot 'Golden'

Planting

Your Garden Ready beetroot plants are ready to plant directly into their final growing positions. Beetroot is often supplied as multi-sown plugs, with several seedlings growing together in each plug. If your plants arrive this way, keep the seedlings together rather than pulling them apart, as separating them can damage their roots.

Space the plugs approximately 20cm apart, with around 30cm between rows. Handle the root balls carefully, plant at the same depth as they were growing in their trays, and water thoroughly. As the beetroot develops, harvest the largest roots first to give the remaining plants more space to grow.

Good Companions

Beetroot grows well alongside lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, onions and garlic, provided each crop has enough room to develop. Lettuce is particularly useful for making the most of the space between developing beetroot plants, while Swiss chard can provide a longer harvest of leafy greens. Avoid overcrowding, as all these crops need adequate light, water and nutrients.

Making the Most of Your Bed

Beetroot is an excellent choice for vegetable gardens and raised beds, particularly where growing space is limited. Combine it with quick-growing salad leaves or other compact vegetables to make good use of the available space. If your beetroot has been supplied as multi-sown plugs, keep each group together and harvest the largest roots first, allowing the smaller ones to continue growing.

Crop Rotation

Beetroot, Swiss chard and spinach belong to the same plant family, so they can share a growing bed but should be treated as related crops when planning your rotation. Avoid growing them repeatedly in the same position year after year. Rotate with unrelated vegetables to help maintain soil health and reduce the build-up of pests and diseases.

Planning Ahead

Beetroot can be harvested at different sizes, giving you flexibility throughout the growing season. Lift smaller roots when they're young and tender, or leave others to develop further. For a longer supply beyond your Garden Ready plants, additional beetroot can be grown from seed later in the season.

When to Harvest

Beetroot 'Golden' can be harvested from early summer once the roots have reached a useful size. For the sweetest flavour and most tender texture, lift them when they're around golf ball to tennis ball size, approximately 4–7cm across. Larger roots can still be used, but leaving them in the ground for too long may cause them to become tough or woody.

How to Harvest

Gently loosen the soil around each beetroot with a hand fork, taking care not to damage neighbouring roots. Lift the plant carefully by its base, then brush off any loose soil. You can harvest individual roots as needed, leaving the others to continue growing.

Harvesting the Leaves

The young leaves are edible and can be picked sparingly throughout the growing season. Use small, tender leaves in salads or cook larger leaves like spinach. Always leave plenty of healthy foliage on each plant so it can continue developing its root.

Storing Your Harvest

Freshly harvested beetroot can be kept in the fridge for several weeks if stored correctly. Twist off the leaves, leaving a short section of stalk attached, and avoid washing the roots until you're ready to use them. Keep the leaves separately and use them within a few days.

Top Tip

Don't wait for every beetroot to reach the same size. Harvest the smaller roots while they're young and tender, then leave the others to grow a little larger. This gives you more flexibility in the kitchen and helps you make the most of your crop.

Flavour & Texture

Golden beetroot has a sweet, mild flavour with less of the earthy character associated with some traditional red varieties. The flesh is firm when raw and becomes tender when cooked. Its golden-yellow colour makes it particularly attractive in salads and roasted vegetable dishes.

Nutritional Benefits

Beetroot provides dietary fibre and folate as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Its leaves are edible too, providing another way to enjoy your harvest. An 80g serving of beetroot counts towards your 5 A DAY.

How to Cook Golden Beetroot

Roast whole or cut into wedges with olive oil and herbs to bring out the roots' natural sweetness. Golden beetroot is also delicious steamed, boiled, grated raw into salads or sliced into colourful vegetable dishes. Its golden flesh is less likely to stain your hands and chopping boards than red beetroot.

Using the Leaves

Young beetroot leaves can be eaten raw in salads, while larger leaves can be steamed or sautéed in the same way as spinach or Swiss chard. Try cooking them with a little olive oil and garlic, or adding them to soups and stir-fries.

Can You Freeze Beetroot?

Yes. Cook the beetroot until tender, allow it to cool, then peel and cut into slices, wedges or cubes before freezing in suitable containers or freezer bags. Freezing cooked beetroot is a useful way to preserve any surplus roots for soups, stews and other cooked dishes.

Plug Plants

Supplied as healthy young plants with well-developed roots, plug plants are ready to be planted straight into their final growing position or potted on if preferred. Water well on arrival and keep the compost evenly moist while they establish.

Garden Ready Plants

Our Garden Ready plants have been professionally grown on, making them larger, stronger and ready to plant straight into the garden. They establish quickly, giving you a useful head start towards your harvest.

9cm Potted Plants

Supplied in individual 9cm nursery pots, these well-established plants are ready to plant straight into vegetable gardens, raised beds or allotments. Simply plant, water thoroughly and keep the soil consistently moist while they settle in.

Upon Arrival

Remove your plants from their packaging as soon as they arrive and give them a thorough watering. If you can't plant them immediately, keep them in a cool, sheltered spot out of direct sunlight and drying winds, ensuring the compost remains moist until you're ready to plant.