Can I grow beets in containers?
Written by
Liu Xiaohui
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Growing beets in containers allows for fresh harvests right on your patio and balcony. My journey into urban gardening began with pots producing better beets than my past garden. You have control over the soil quality and avoid ground pests entirely. Container gardening prevents a wasteful use of space, but provides sweet roots.
Pot Requirements
- Minimum depth: 12 inches for root development
- Drainage: 3+ holes per container prevent waterlogging
- Material: Fabric pots improve air pruning
Soil Composition
- Base mix: 60% potting soil 30% compost 10% perlite
- pH balance: Maintain 6.0-7.0 with regular testing
- Nutrient refresh: Replace top 3 inches each season
Keep adequate spacing between plants with 3-4 inches. Overcrowded roots are stunted roots. I use plastic template rings for sowing seeds and thin seedlings with scissors to prevent disturbing the roots of nearby plants. Your beets grow to full size with no competition.
Introduce container irrigation with drip systems. Soaker coils achieve steady moisture with no leaf wetting. Daily check the soil in summer by using your fingers up to the second knuckle. My pots require 25% more water than the garden during hot weather.
Rotate your containers every week to promote even exposure to the sun. Plants, including beets, will grow towards the light, causing them to be lopsided. I place my pots on wheeled plant caddies so I can easily rotate them. This will prevent unusual elongation while promoting even root growth.
When the shoulders are showing, it is time to harvest container beets. Remove the greens immediately after pulling up the roots. You can replant the containers with fresh soil to harvest again. On my balcony, I can grow beets anytime from May to October through succession planting.
Read the full article: How to Grow Beets from Seed Perfectly
