Beets are a great starter vegetable since they are easy to grow and require very little garden maintenance. This nutritous crop prefers cooler weather, even a light frost, and do not tolerate heat very well. Beets should be harvested once they are approximately two inches in diameter. Allowing them to grow larger will result in reduced sweetness and a more fibrous root. Your harvest from this crop will be versatile--beetroots can be boiled or roasted to be eaten hot or cold, thinly sliced and turned into chips with a dehydrator, or pickled to enjoy as a tasty treat at a later time. Young, tender beet leaves can also be harvested throughout the growing season for use in salads. Any stems or skins can be used to naturally dye eggs a bright pink color.

COMMON PESTS: Flea Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Leaf Miner, Rove Beetle

SUSCEPTIBLE TO: Blight, Western Yellow Virus, Leaf Spot, Damping Off, Curly Top, Downy Mildew, Fusarium Wilt, Scab