How long does it take for beets to sprout? Why do beets grow poorly on the plot? Main pests and diseases. Ways to deal with them

Root crops are one of the constant subjects of interest for summer residents and gardeners. But even among them, beets stand out for their special qualities and are impressively popular. It is necessary to know exactly its specifics in order to prevent serious mistakes when growing.

How to plant correctly?

The benefits of growing beets are beyond doubt. But a positive result cannot be guaranteed if the basic planting rules are violated. In such cases, it makes no sense to be interested in the timing of germination and hope for the latest of them - nothing will come of it. If you approach carefully and observe installed technology, grow seeds into beautiful and delicious vegetables perhaps even in open ground and even in relatively harsh weather conditions. It is recommended to plant in the spring from May 1 to May 20, as soon as the ground warms up sufficiently.

A similar requirement must be observed during autumn planting. The choice between late October and November is dictated by the terrain and actual weather. It is worth waiting until the stable air temperature drops to +4 degrees. If you rush and sow beets earlier, the seeds will begin the growing season, and soon the entire crop will die at the initial stage. When seedlings are used instead of seeds, special types of boxes are used.

Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the early days of April. The seedlings are planted after about one month.

Great importance has the right choice of variety, since many beet varieties are unable to grow in cold regions. The bed itself should be thoroughly illuminated by the sun and have decent drainage. Ideal predecessors are tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. It’s very bad if cabbage or carrots used to grow in the same place.

Site preparation includes the following steps:

• cleaning from the slightest plant residues;
• introduction of humus;
• digging with 1 bayonet shovel;
• adding sawdust or sand to reduce soil density;
• adjustment of the acid-base balance towards neutral or alkaline values.

What do the shoots look like?

For experienced farmers, it is not difficult to figure out where beets grow and where completely different plants grow, but in the absence of experience, one should not rely on memory and intuition. Marking the beds with special tags indicating the species and variety comes to the rescue. But this is only a temporary solution, since visual recognition skills need to be developed.

Beets have sprouts similar to those of many other plants. They have relatively large cotyledon leaves, close in shape to a circle. The density of their leaves and fleshiness are at a decent level. Seedlings can be accurately recognized only after the formation of true leaves.

Important: at this moment it is possible to assess not only the identity of certain shoots, but also their general condition.

ABOUT proper cultivation beets have short and thick stems, as well as developed cotyledons. This shows that good, healthy seeds were used and that their full potential was realized. Weakened, drooping cuttings, as well as excessively light foliage, become a cause for concern. Food beets are distinguished by the bright color of both the petioles and the veins on the leaves. The petioles are long, at the beginning of development they are close to a cylinder in shape, and later the surface acquires a kind of relief.

Chard, a subspecies of common beet, is largely ornamental plant, which has leaves painted in different colors. They come in pink and cream, orange and purple, classic red, and transitions between these options are also widespread. Greater juiciness and size of petioles and smaller leaves help to distinguish the plant from simple beets. Their structure looks more delicate, but the problem still remains if plantings grow nearby early age. It is recommended that you carefully study all information on growth and development.

When do they appear?

The germination time after planting sprouted seeds in open ground is usually 3–4 days. The use of dry seed allows seedlings to be obtained in at least 6 or 8 days. But this only applies to cases where the principles of care are strictly followed and the standard watering regime is followed. Irregular humidification, especially against the backdrop of poorly heated air, does not allow us to name the exact time when beets emerge after sowing.

In most cases, you can tell whether you will be able to harvest the crop or not in 12–15 days.

Why are they missing?

Although beets are not considered a capricious plant, it is still sometimes quite difficult to understand why the plant cannot sprout.

You can reduce the likelihood of such developments in the following cases:

• choose packaging with complete information about the seed manufacturer;
• give preference to seed from well-known companies;
• strictly follow the instructions for a particular variety;
• Keep in mind that the moment of harvesting is usually written on the package, and not the general expiration date.

Among the reasons for delayed seedling formation, the most important problem is the lack of drainage. Only it allows you to guarantee a stable harvest with intensive watering, as it eliminates stagnation of water. It is recommended to pause between planting beets in one place for at least two years. The root crop welcomes both organic and mineral supplements. The best time to introduce them is during autumn digging.

If seedlings do not appear for a long time, sometimes ignoring the requirements for boron fertilization is to blame. When preparing seedlings, do not place the boxes in a sunny place. The land there will dry out. Another risk factor is loss of germination caused by freezing seeds or storing them for too long.

When the problem is caused by improper care, you will have to sow the crop from scratch.

It is possible to raise the temperature at which plantings exist even after early sowing. For this purpose, polyethylene cover of the beds is used, which dampens the effects of bad weather conditions. Fertilizing with nitrogen helps speed up the development of tops. But it must be dosed, otherwise the taste of root vegetables will change. It is very useful to crush the crust that forms on the ground, since it inhibits the passage of nutrients to the roots.

It is very good when salt water is used for irrigation. It lingers longer and better supplies the vegetable with microelements. When organizing warm beds, you should add as much organic matter as will have time to chemically decompose before the roots reach this layer. Portion limit mineral fertilizers is 0.3 kg per 1 sq. m. Spring mulching is done using peat or rotted sawdust.

The secrets of growing beets are in the next video.

Beet - a rather unpretentious plant, however, its cultivation, like the cultivation of any vegetable, has its own specific characteristics. Considering all the advantages of beets: high yield, fast growth, extraordinary nutritional value and enormous medicinal properties, then the desire of gardeners to learn how to cultivate this crop will become clear.

Note for gardeners Beetroot is grown mainly by seeds. It prefers light, fertile soil. It needs to be planted every year in a new place, since it bears fruit poorly in one place.

Plant loves warmth and light, so you should not choose shaded areas for planting. The best predecessors of beets are cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and potatoes.

Get beet seeds

Beetroot is a plant from which seeds can only be obtained second year of cultivation. In the first year, it forms leaves and a root crop, and in the second, when planting this root crop, you can get seeds suitable for growing new plants. To do this, the beet root crops for seeds must be healthy and elastic. When the stem of the plant begins to dry out, the beets are dug up, hung in a dry place protected from the wind and kept in such conditions until the stem becomes completely dry, the seeds are collected and dried in a paper bag.

Sowing dates

Dates for planting beet seeds not compressed, they can be planted from early May to mid-June. To get an earlier harvest, sow beet seeds in April and cover them securely with film. For long term storage, beet seeds planted no earlier than mid-May.

Preparing for sowing beet seeds

Beet seeds germinate much slower than other seeds, so when planting in spring, for quick appearance sprouts, the seeds must be soaked. Several effective ways

• Just one liter warm water add 10 drops of Energen growth stimulator. Beet seeds are kept in it no more than a day.
• A teaspoon of superphosphate is diluted in a liter of warm water. Soak the seeds for 24 hours.
• You can also soak in ordinary water, without adding stimulants, but keep the seeds it will take a few days.
• Bubbling method. Without pre-soaking, the seeds are placed in water and saturated with oxygen. This can be done using a regular aquarium compressor. Germination accelerates several times.

Sow beet seeds

It is advisable to prepare the soil for the beds in the fall from its predecessors and dig it shallowly. There is no need to break up clods of earth; thanks to these clods, all nests of pests will be destroyed from internal winter moisture.

In the spring, before sowing, the soil must be fertilize with minerals. A mixture of 1 tablet of magnesium sulfate and a glass of wood ash is perfect for this, you can also try a mixture ammonium nitrate(20 grams), superphosphate (30 grams) and sodium chloride (15 grams).

Avoid using manure; beets absorb nitrates very well, so applying it in large quantities is dangerous. Before sowing the seeds, the bed is leveled and furrows made up to 4 centimeters deep. The distance between rows should be at least 30 centimeters.

If you are not sure of the quality of the seeds, then it is better to sow them more densely; after the shoots appear, you will need to lightly seed them. Seedling care To get a high-quality harvest, when the first leaf appears, thinning is carried out: leaving the strongest shoots.

Make the distance between them at least 5 cm. Beet seedlings are fed twice: the first feeding is carried out immediately after thinning, and the second, after the beet tops grow and close, completely covering the row spacing.

They are fed first with nitrogen-containing fertilizer, then with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. After each weeding, the seedlings are hilled up a little. Water rarely, but abundantly. A signal that the plant needs watering is drooping, limp leaves.

Seed varieties

Absolutely all types of beets are easy to grow. Moreover, both fodder and sugar beets are grown in a similar way. The abundance of varieties opens great opportunities to select those that best suit certain conditions.

The future harvest largely depends on the quality of the seeds. How beet seeds are better- the more abundant the harvest. A selection of well-proven seeds of various beet speciesSugar beet seeds For the production of sugar, only sugar beets are used. The best sugar beet seeds: Pioneer, Pluto, Koala, Leopard, Syngenta.

Fodder beet seeds This beet is intended to provide animals with nutritious, valuable feed. The best fodder beet seeds: Ideal, Winner, Eckendorf, Weibull. Beetroot seeds These beets are intended for human consumption, and beet seeds are ideal for propagation summer cottages and vegetable gardens. Popular: Bordeaux, Bohemia, Delicacy, Incomparable. Red beet seeds

How to soak and germinate seeds at home

The seeds of some plants are sown dry, without preparation (cress, radishes, mustard). But some garden crops do not sprout without germination or sprout unevenly. In some cases, it is necessary to accelerate the emergence of seedlings in order to allow heat-loving fruits to ripen in short summer conditions. Every gardener needs to know how to germinate seeds.05 May 2014

How to soak seeds

In order for the seeds to germinate quickly and amicably, you need to soak them properly. For this It is better to use melt water.

It can be made by melting clean snow or using frozen and melted tap water in a plastic bottle, and then use it when it melts. Soaking lasts about 24 hours at room temperature.

The seeds are placed between several layers of gauze in a flat plate. It is important that the water only covers the fabric lightly. If the seeds are completely immersed in liquid, they will suffocate.

To learn how to germinate seeds, you need to properly soak them. It is important that they remain in a humid environment at all times. You need to monitor this and add liquid 3-4 times a day.

The frequency of watering depends on the dryness of the air in your apartment.

• seeds of slow-growing crops - parsley, carrots; seeds of crops that consume large amounts of moisture - legumes, onions, garlic, beets; seeds heat-loving plants: pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, squash; seeds of green early crops: spinach, cauliflower, Chinese, Beijing, cabbage, borage.

Knowing how to germinate seeds, you can get the earliest possible germination, as well as extend the period of consumption of fresh fruits and herbs. Of course, growing seedlings will bring the harvest closer. But the gardener will have to choose an option to speed up the process depending on specific conditions.

How to germinate seeds

The germination process lasts until the seeds develop roots ranging from 5 to 15 mm in length. After this, they can be immediately planted in the ground or seedling box.

But if there is a need to postpone sowing, then the sprouted seeds in a plastic bag can be stored in the refrigerator, in a compartment where the temperature does not drop below +1? C. But here, too, the humidity of the seedlings needs to be controlled.

The bag should not be hermetically sealed to prevent the seeds from suffocating and rotting. Cold storage will also serve as a kind of hardening. How to germinate soaked seeds?

Fill a flat, wide container with damp sawdust. Place the seeds swollen from soaking on them, wrapped in gauze or thicker cotton cloth. There is no need to wash germinated seeds.

Large seeds (cucumber, corn, pumpkin) can be laid out on sawdust without cloth. If you miss the moment and grow the roots too long, then when removing them from the fabric, they can break off. If necessary, sawdust should be moistened using a spray bottle.

The germination process lasts from 3 to 7 days. During this time, you can irrigate the seeds once with the growth stimulating agent “Epin” or “Zircon”.

Fast seed germination, mode and time

How to wake up seeds

So that shoots appear four to seven days earlier, gardeners soak, germinate or partially vernalize the seeds of a number of crops. Soak the seeds of most vegetables at a temperature of 20-25 degrees.

How to properly soak seeds

For this they are poured onto a thick layer of gauze, which is placed in a vessel with water so that the water lightly covers the seeds. You can soak them without gauze - in wooden cups. In this case, the seed is poured onto the bottom in a layer of no more than ten centimeters, then half the normal amount of water is poured in and after one or two hours, stirred until all of it is absorbed, then the second half of the normal amount is added.

For soaking a certain amount of water is taken: for seeds of carrots, beets, parsley, peas, beans - 80 - 100 percent in relation to the weight of the seeds, for onions (nigella) - 75 , cabbage and watermelons - 50 - 60 , cucumbers, melons - 50 - 55 . Time and duration of seed soaking:- carrots, tomatoes, beets, parsley - two days; - cucumbers, zucchini, watermelons, cabbage, lettuce, radishes - up to twelve hours; - peas, beans - up to six hours.

Onion seeds are moistened before sowing for six to eight hours in water at a temperature of 40 degrees. Cucumbers can also be soaked in 50-degree water for two hours. Before sowing, the seeds are dried in the shade until they become loose.

Seed germination, vernalization

For germination the seed material is spread on a thick layer of gauze. When up to five percent of the seeds sprout (germinate), they are sown. At 18 - 20 degree temperature such a moment occurs in the seeds of cabbage, radishes, turnips after one and a half to two days, onions and beets - two to four, carrots - four to five, parsley - five to seven days,

Seeds whose plants are resistant to stemming(carrots, parsley, annual turnip crops, celery), after soaking and the beginning of germination (no more than 5 percent of the seeds) are subjected to partial vernalization: scattered in a wooden container or on a cloth in a layer of up to three to five centimeters and kept on ice for ten to twenty days before sowing, stirring occasionally. Optimal timing partial vernalization are as follows: for carrots, onions - fifteen to twenty days before sowing, parsley and celery - twenty days.

During the vernalization period, the temperature is maintained: from minus one degree to plus one degree. With it, stimulants are formed in the seeds, which have an effect on increasing the vitality of the seeds, enhancing the processes of plant growth and development, and increasing productivity.

If the seeds germinate prematurely, they are stirred more often and cooled more strongly by pouring salt on ice under a wooden cup or under a cloth. Nigella onions cannot be vernalized to obtain sets., since this can lead to bolting of plants after the jay is planted in open ground next year.

For the same reasons, they refrain from vernalization of early cabbage seeds. In most cases, partial vernalization significantly accelerates the ripening of the crop and increases marketability in comparison with germinated but not vernalized seeds.

It should be remembered that if the humidity, temperature, and germination technology are violated, the seeds of root crops and onions can begin to mold and even rot. To avoid this, before taking them to the glacier, it is recommended to mix them in six parts of river sand, and before sowing, sift through sieves or sieves, dry (wither) in the shade.

All soaked, germinated, vernalized seeds are sown only in moist soil. Y. Pantielev, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences. Return to contents - Articles

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Beets are such a versatile product that in almost every home they are used to prepare both daily and holiday dishes. In this article you will find useful information about how to properly grow root vegetables at home in order to get maximum yield with good taste of the product.

general information

Traditionally, we eat beets. According to the scientific literature on vegetable growing, red beets belong to the Lebedov family and have a two-year life cycle.

In the first year, beets produce leaf rosette and ripened root crops, and next season - seeds and flowers. Only the root vegetable itself is eaten.

And, although beets belong to the category of cold-resistant, for the normal development of the plant it requires a greater amount of heat in comparison with similar root crops. For beet seeds to germinate, a temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius is required.

Optimal temperature for proper development sowing temperature is 15-23 degrees Celsius. Beetroot loves light very much, and does not at all approve of the proximity of weeds.

It is important to pay attention to sufficient soil moisture, especially during the period of seed germination, leaf growth and the formation of the root crop itself. It is better to plant beets in places where cereals, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, peppers, legumes and eggplants previously grew.

Preparing the soil for planting

IN spring period It is necessary to prepare the soil for planting beets. To do this, during the process of digging the soil, add the following components per 1 square meter:

• 15-20 grams of ammonium nitrate or 20-30 grams of ammonium sulfate; 30-40 grams of superphosphate; 10-15 grams of potassium chloride.

If the soil is infertile, it is additionally necessary to fertilize it with organic fertilizers: in the fall with fresh manure, and in the spring with prepared humus or compost. The calculation is as follows: for 1 square meter, take 4-5 kg ​​of manure, or about 3 kg of humus and compost. If the soil is too acidic, it is necessary to add fluff lime (1 m2 0.5-1 kg).

Seed preparation process

At this stage, the germination of the seeds is checked. To do this, they are germinated as follows. Place a canvas rag in two layers on a flat plate, moisten it with water, and lay out 50 or 100 pieces. seeds, and cover again with the same damp cloth.

The plate is placed in a warm place (18-25° C). It is important that the fabric is always damp. Each sprouted seed is selected. Next, count the number of seeds that sprout.

The number of germinated seeds will show the percentage of germination. If you initially took 50 pcs. seeds, then multiply the result by 2. A good result is if the germination of the seeds is 80% or more. To get good germination as quickly as possible, beet seeds are initially kept in clean warm water for 1-2 days.

The water should be kept warm, so it is changed 2-3 times a day. Next, the soaked and already germinated seeds are sown in moist soil.

Rules for sowing table beets

The process of sowing table beets begins in early May, when the soil has warmed up well. Sowing is carried out on a flat surface at a rate of 1.5-2 grams to a depth of 2-3 cm from the surface. Alternatively, the seeds are first germinated and then planted.

It is possible to plant ready-made seedlings when they have 3-4 leaves. When planting table beets in the fall, you can get a ready-made, mature product as early as the end of June.

In this case, sowing is carried out in late October-early December in furrows or beds at the rate of 2-3 grams per 1 m2. The seeding depth is 3-4 cm. Such crops should be fertilized with peat or humus.

Caring for beet crops

High quality, and most importantly timely care very important to this culture. Do not allow the formation of an earthen crust and the growth of weeds. The bed should be thinned twice:

• the first time - when there are 1-2 true leaves. The permissible distance is 3-4 cm; the second time - when the plant has 4-5 leaves and the size of the root crop reaches 3-5 cm in diameter. The permissible thinning distance is 6-8 cm.

It is better to thin out table beets on a cloudy day, when the soil is slightly damp. Table beets require mandatory feeding with mineral fertilizers. The first feeding is done immediately after thinning with nitrogen fertilizers, the second - with potassium-phosphorus mixtures, when the tops begin to join together in the rows. Watering should be organized at the rate of 2-3 buckets per 1 m2. 14 days before the harvest date, allow the soil to dry out.

Harvest

Dig up the beet roots before frost sets in using a pitchfork. Next, they clear the soil and cut off the tops, leaving 1 cm cuttings. As soon as the slices have hardened, the beets are ready for storage.

After this, the beets are sorted, dried and placed in dry boxes for storage, sprinkled with sand. Instead of sand, a peat mixture, sawdust or shavings are suitable. You can store table beets either in the cellar in boxes or in bulk in vegetable stores.

How to grow beets in your garden

Growing beets in a summer cottage In terms of nutritional value, beets come after carrots and cabbage; many of everyone’s favorite dishes (vinaigrettes, borscht, salads, etc.) cannot be imagined without them. Beets are rich in beneficial elements and organic acids, its regular use improves the functioning of the intestines and cardiovascular system, and has a positive effect on the body as a whole. Growing beets in your garden has certain features, which are discussed in the following text.

Content:

• Planting beets (video)

How to properly germinate seeds.

The beets that we eat are called table beets; botanists classify them as members of the goosefoot family. This is a biennial plant; the seeds are located inside hard, dry fruits, from which it is almost impossible to extract them. The fruits are grouped into balls and it is these that gardeners sow. Each ball gives life to several plants, so for beets the thinning procedure is almost mandatory, otherwise the plants will be cramped. Find out how to cheaply and quickly make a roof for a country house

Beet planting dates

For the germination of beet seeds, a temperature of +5° is sufficient and after 3 weeks you can see the first shoots, at 10° things will go faster and after 10 days sprouts will appear, at 15° you will have to wait for shoots for 5-6 days, and at temperatures above 20° only - 3-4 days. Knowledge about the effect of temperature on germination will help the gardener better navigate planting dates. The usual time for planting beets is mid-May, but if there are unfavorable weather conditions (prolonged cold, for example), then later sowing dates are also acceptable, but then the seeds should be used already prepared.

In the absence of weeds, late-sown seeds germinate quickly, especially if the weather is warm. The harvest from late plantings will not be worse in quantity and quality. But periods of cold weather in the spring have a very negative effect on seedlings and provoke the formation of flowering.

Soil for beets

Proper cultivation of beets requires frequent and abundant watering during the periods when the first shoots appear and then take root, and water is also necessary to increase the leaf mass. Well-rooted beets will withstand a short dry period.

At the same time, an excess of moisture will impair growth and productivity, therefore, on lands where there is a threat of waterlogging, if beets are grown, then only on ridges. The optimal soils for table beets are medium loamy, slurry and light, in which there is plenty of organic matter. Beetroot is considered the most demanding among root crops in terms of soil fertility. The reaction of the environment in which one can hope for good harvest beets should be close to neutral. It is recommended to sow beets on humus-rich and loose soil with an arable layer of 20-25 cm.

In the lowlands, on clay soils and in places where the arable layer is less than 15 cm, it is better to grow beets on beds approx. 80-100 cm, and in height having approx. 20 cm.

Make row spacing at least 50 cm. Any summer resident can grow beets on soils favorable for beets (slurry, sandy) and other conditions. good conditions, it can be grown on flat areas, sowing in strips 100 cm wide, and providing for a passage of at least 40 cm. The main commandment here is to dig up the soil to the entire depth of the arable layer, without turning out the pre-arable layer (podzol, clay) . It is also important to thoroughly crush and wrap the soil layer so that the weeds invariably end up at the maximum possible depth. The ridges are created during the spring digging process, oriented in the north-south direction. It is important to obtain a loose soil layer in the ridge, which is achieved using a fork to break up the clods and then level the ridge

How to prepare beet seeds for sowing

To check the quality of beet seeds before sowing, they are germinated. A damp canvas or felt rag, folded in 2 layers, is placed on the bottom of a flat small container (saucer, plate), 50 (or 100) seeds are placed on it, which are covered with another moistened rag.

Sprouted seeds are selected, and their quantity is simultaneously recorded. Based on the number of sprouted seeds out of a hundred laid out, one can conclude what percentage of germination a given batch has.

Germination in this way is checked for seeds that have been sorted, i.e. all weak, damaged seeds are first removed. First class beet seeds usually have 80% germination, which lasts for 3-5 years. Prepared seeds are the key to a good harvest. Traditional measures can be used to accelerate the rate of emergence of the first shoots and quantitatively increase the beet yield.

One way is to soak the seeds in clean water temperature 15-20 °, the duration of the procedure is 1-2 days, while it is recommended to change the water every 2-3 hours. The germination method by moistening is also applied to beet seeds, the procedure is similar to that carried out to measure germination, at a temperature of 18- 25° is kept until the vast majority of the seeds germinate, which happens within 3-4 days. Then the germinated beet seeds are sown in well-moistened soil. Vernalization is considered an even more effective method.

The seeds are moistened with water (the ratio is that per 100 g of seeds there is the same amount of water by weight). The vernalization procedure can be carried out by placing the seeds in a glass or enamel container and filling them with water (first half the volume).

The seeds are stirred and left for 32 hours, after which the remaining water is poured in. Leave for another 2-4 days, after which the swollen seeds are moved to the refrigerator (or just a cold room) for 7-10 days, scattered along the bottom of the box in a layer no more than 3 cm thick. Vernalization should begin 10-14 days before sowing.

Features of sowing beets

The seeding rate for beets is 16-20 g of seeds per 10 square meters. m, leave 18-20 cm between the rows. You should not plant the seeds very deep, which is the sin of inexperienced gardeners, since deep planting reduces the chance of germination, or the growth rate slows down due to the lack of oxygen at such a depth. But it would be a mistake to sow too small, as there would be a risk that the seeds would dry out or be blown away by the wind.

The optimal sowing depth for beets depends on the type of soil; plant them 2-3 cm deep on heavy soils, and 3-4 cm deep on light soils. Sometimes they resort to transverse sowing of seeds. There is a point of view that transverse rows are easier to maintain.

To stimulate the germination of sown seeds, grooves are made in the ridge (soil), pressing down their bottom. Seeds are sown on such a compacted layer of soil, on top of which a half-centimeter layer of soil mixed with humus is poured, it is lightly compacted with the edge of the palm, and another 1-2 cm of humus or peat is poured, which will protect the grooves from the threat of drying out.

And of course, peat or humus mulching between rows will also be beneficial. If sowing is late, then the bottom of the furrow must first be watered generously from a watering can and, after the water has been absorbed, the seeds must be sown and covered with soil.

Growing seedlings

To get a beet harvest already in April-May, when sowing in open ground is just beginning, you need a greenhouse or, as an alternative, insulated beds, the installation of which will require less time than the construction of a greenhouse. They are easy to make.

You need to dig a shallow pit, no more than 35 cm deep, and 1-1.5 m wide. Place manure (garbage) in it so that this pile rises 15-20 cm above ground level, cover it with a 15-20 cm layer of earth on top . Heat will be released from the pile for a long time, which will warm the plants.

Additional protection from the cold will be provided by materials such as burlap, chemical film, matting, and mats that are laid on bars supported by slab strapping. Construction of insulated beds begins in early April. Sowing usually occurs between April 15-30, and seedlings are planted in the second half of May.

It takes a month to prepare seedlings. Seedlings are obtained from insulated beds by sowing red beet seeds, which are early ripening varieties. Seeds must first be soaked or vernalized.

The sowing rate in insulated beds is about 10-15 g per 1 square meter. meter. Stable with the onset warm weather The seedlings are moved to beds, which should be covered with polyethylene at night, while the risk of sudden cold weather remains. The usual norm for 1 sq. a meter is about 40-45 plants at the seedling stage, which have already formed 3-4 leaves. Growing from seedlings allows you to get a high-quality beet harvest several weeks earlier.

Beet care

Beetroot requires careful care; it is a rather capricious crop that likes processing to take place on time. One of the main points is to prevent the appearance of a soil crust.

The threat posed by weeds is great, because beets at the first stage, before the formation of 4-6 leaves, have a slow growth rate, and weeds, if left untreated, can practically suffocate the sprouts. So strict control over weeds, maintaining good soil moisture and optimal gas exchange are urgent tasks for a beet gardener. To kill weeds, they are sprayed with a solution of sodium nitrate, which is also beneficial for plants.

The proportions of the solution are 2-3 g of nitrate/1 liter of water, this volume is enough for 1 square meter. meter. The weeds remaining after such treatment will have to be removed manually. It is important to loosen the soil crust in time (4-6 cm deep), spray with tractor kerosene (about 40-50 g of kerosene is used per 1 sq. meter) and then the weed problem will be solved with minimal use of manual labor.

Watering and fertilizing beets

If it rains rarely, then the beets may need 2 generous waterings of 10-20 liters per 1 square meter. meter, after which it is necessary to loosen the soil. The water obtained during irrigation will be beneficial if it penetrates to the roots of the beets, which lie at a depth of 15-20 cm. The first fertilizing is usually done when the second pair of leaves begins to form in young plants.

Dry fertilizers are applied while simultaneously loosening the row spacing. Regarding the amount of fertilizer - per 1 sq. meter will be needed approx. 8 g of potassium salt and 7-9 g of ammonium nitrate. The time for the second feeding comes shortly before the rows close, and loosening is indispensable.

Fertilizers per 1 sq. meter takes a little more - 16-20 g of potassium fertilizers and 10-15 g of nitrogen fertilizing are required.

Beet thinning

Like other root crops, beets are sown more densely than necessary for their normal development. Specially thickened sowing is a measure against poor germination of seedlings, damage and death due to bad weather.

Densely planted plants drain each other's growth resources, resulting in poor harvests and lower overall production levels. The roots of beets grown without thinning will be small and crooked. Therefore, thinning beets is a measure of first necessity.

The first thinning is carried out when the first two full leaves appear on the plant. Leave 2-3 cm between plants in the row. The second thinning should be done when the plants have already developed 5-6 leaves, leaving a gap of 4-6 cm between plants.

Finally, the third thinning procedure is carried out before August 15, leaving free gaps of 6-8 cm between plants. Be sure to follow the timing of thinning; being late with this important procedure threatens a significant deterioration in the quantity and quality of the harvest. It is best to thin out after recent watering or heavy rain. Moist soil releases pulled out plants more easily, neighboring plants will be less disturbed, and transplanted specimens will more easily take root in already moist soil.

Planting beets (video)

According to the rules, during the first thinning procedure, the weakest and non-viable plants are removed, and in the process of the second and third thinning, the most developed, large-sized plants, practically suitable for eating, are transplanted, and those specimens that show signs of disease are also removed. Now, Guided by our manual for growing beets, it will be easier for you to approach this task, we wish you good harvests and be sure to inform us about your gardening achievements.

Very often gardeners ask such questions. How to check seed germination? In how many days will they sprout? What are the germination times? When to sow and when to expect germination? How many days does it take for the seeds of a particular vegetable to germinate? When will the first shoots emerge from the ground? How many days should I wait for the harvest after germination? When can you harvest? Knowing the timing of germination of a particular garden crop is very important for calculating the date of sowing vegetables for seedlings.

I hope that the following table will help you navigate and get answers to the questions that concern all of us gardeners. Naturally, the terms indicated in the table refer to high-quality seeds sown in compliance with all rules of agricultural technology.

Vegetable seed germination table

Culture		closed ground(days)" data-order="Time from sowing to emergence of seedlings in greenhouses (days)">
Watermelon	10-15	7-10	15-17	55-85	85-105	100 or more	Eggplant	10-14	8-10	13-14	90-110	110-130	135 or more	Beans	4-8	3-5	3-4	72-87	90-110	112-130	Peas	4-7	3-5	4-6	45-60	60-95	95-120	Melon	7-10	5-7	15-17	45-75	75-95	100 or more	Zucchini, squash	7-8	4-6	10-12	33-50	50-70	75 or more	Cabbage	4-6	3-5	2-3	45-90*	90-130*	130-180*	Cauliflower	4-6	3-5	2-3	55-85 (25-75*)	85-100 (75-85*)	110 or more	Sweet corn	6-10	4-6	7-10	60-78	78-100	100 or more	Onion	14-18	8-14	2-3	83-120**	120-125**	130 or more	Leek	20-22	10-12	12	150-160	160-175	180	Carrot	15-20	9-12	4-5	50-80	80-125	125-150	Cucumber	5-8	4-6	13-15	40-45	45-50	50 or more	Sweet and hot pepper	14-16	9-12	4-5	90-110***	110-135	135 or more	Radish	4-6	3-5	1-2	20-30	31-35	36-45	Radish	5-7	3-5	1-2	35-65	65-110	110-120	Salad	8-10	4-6	2-3	30-50	50-75	75-100	Beetroot	10-16	7-10	5-6	60-100	100-110	up to 130	Celery root	-	15-18	3-5	100-130	130-175	180-200	Tomato	5-8	4-6	10-11	65-110	111-120	120 or more	Pumpkin	7-8	4-6	10-12	75-100	100-120	124 or more	Beans	6-10	4-7	10-12	45-50	55-65	65-85	Garlic	10-17	-	2-5	80-90	90-125	120 or more	Spinach	8-12	-	1-2	15-25	25-35	35-40
Culture	Time from sowing to emergence of seedlings in open ground (days)	Time from sowing to emergence of seedlings in greenhouses (days)	Minimum germination temperature, t◦С	Number of days from germination to harvesting of early crops	Number of days from germination to harvesting of mid-early or mid-late crops	Number of days from germination to harvesting of late-ripening crops

Note.

* cabbage ripening time after planting seedlings in open ground.
** onions grown from sets ripen three weeks earlier.
*** period of technical ripeness of pepper; biological occurs 20 days later.

Shelf life of vegetable seeds

Remember that all seeds have an expiration date, after which germination can be doubted. For example, the shelf life of celery seeds, onions, trumpets, leeks, sorrel, rhubarb is 2-3 years, dill, parsley, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, carrots are 3-4 years, peas, beans, cabbage, radishes, turnips, salad mustard - 4-6 years, watermelon, melon, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, squash - from 6 to 8 years. Beet seeds can be stored for 10 or even 20 years. And beans do not lose their viability for up to 700 years (it’s hard to even imagine).

The shelf life of vegetable seeds without loss of germination cannot be considered strictly established. If certain conditions are met (required humidity, temperature, tightness), then the seeds of many crops can be stored for a longer time. And under poor storage conditions, their germination rate can sharply decrease.

P.S. Quite rightly, dissatisfied comments appeared under this article. I confess that I used newspaper material without thinking about some of the contradictions. I read a lot of information in print publications and on the Internet on various agricultural topics. And sometimes it seems to me that there is no need to dwell in too much detail on some data; everyone already knows this. Now I understand that I was wrong in thinking that way.

When buying seeds, we see on the bags the year the seeds were packaged and their expiration date. But it should be borne in mind that the package actually indicates the period by which the seeds must be sold. If the deadline has expired, the packages with seeds are withdrawn from sale. That is, seed manufacturers use a not entirely correct term when pre-selling seeds. It would be more correct to write on the bag not “expiration date”, but “sell by date”. Many, many messages have been written and rewritten about this on various forums. There is even an “Information letter from the Novosibirsk company ATF Agros LLC, which sells seed material wholesale and retail, dated November 10, 2017” (http://mirfermer.ru/news/0/in/0/0/115/), addressed to seed producers with a proposal to change the words “expiration date” indicated on seed bags to the words “sell by date.” But seed manufacturers still write “expiration date” on the bags instead of “sell by date,” thereby unwittingly misleading us, the buyers.

Let me return to what I wrote in the article. Excuse me for simply automatically repeating the data that was given in the newspaper without comparing them. The shelf life of bean seeds, and in fact the period of sale of bean seeds, is really 4-6 years. These terms have been experimentally verified by agronomists and scientists.

I came across information about excavations where a jug or some other container with bean seeds that had not lost their germination was dug up. Scientists dated the found excavation objects to 700 years. So the newspaper and I followed it and used this data.

And now here is a fact from my gardening practice. While cleaning the dacha this year, I found plastic bottle, filled with beans, on which the year was written in my mother's hand - 1998. Mom is no longer there, there is no one to ask, but I think that the year the beans were harvested is written on the bottle. Our dacha house is not heated in winter. But over 20 recent years, probably, in cold winters the seeds did not experience much negative temperatures. Just for fun, I planted some seeds in the ground this spring (2019). And they all rose. So, for beans, a shelf life of 20 years is not the limit.

Natalia Mirgorodskaya

Germination, how to determine

A useful procedure when preparing seeds for sowing is calibration. It allows you to separate quality flowers from barren flowers. To cull barren flowers, it is customary to dilute salt in water, throw in the seeds, and leave them for a while (from half an hour to 2 hours). Those that float up should be thrown away.

There is no 100% germination rate, but you can find out what percentage will germinate in advance.

Determining seed germination is easy. We need to create for them favorable conditions for growth. We take the seeds of any crop and place them between two layers of gauze.

You don’t need to take a lot to check germination. 8-10 pieces are enough. Cover the seeds soaked in gauze with film or a saucer on top and place them where it is warm. Ventilate periodically, at least once a day, to prevent mold from appearing, check whether they have sprouted.

Seeds that have roots or sprouts are considered sprouted.

Each crop has its own period after which they sprout (see table above). If the radish, for example, did not sprout after 7 days, and the zucchini did not sprout after 10 days, then do not even try to sow such seeds. If they haven’t sprouted at home, they definitely won’t sprout in the garden.

How to increase seed germination

It also happens that testing shows good germination. You sowed them in a bowl for seedlings, but they just don’t sprout. What to do?

There is a very simple way to prepare seeds - to “force” the seedlings to emerge from the ground faster. True, it is more suitable for a small amount of seed. Place your bowl with the sown seeds inside a plastic bag and breathe into it. Then quickly tie the bag and place it in the same place. Exhaled by you carbon dioxide, its concentration inside the package will have a beneficial effect on the seedlings. Soon you will see the first shoots.

Germination can be increased by heating. To do this, place the seeds in a thermos with water at a temperature of 40-50°C. Keep them there for at least 6 hours.

This method is contraindicated for tomato seeds!

It is better to subject them to a hardening procedure. Rinse the seeds calibrated in salt water. It is advisable to disinfect them with a solution of manganese or colloidal silver. After all this, place the bowl with the seeds in plastic bag and place in the refrigerator where you store vegetables for 10-12 hours. Repeat this procedure every day for a week. That is, the seeds are at room temperature for 12 hours. And the remaining 12 hours - in the refrigerator.

How to speed up germination

Seeds of crops such as carrots, celery, parsley take a very long time to germinate, because the essential oils present in their shells prevent the flow of water to the embryo. Therefore, the seeds of these plants must be treated before sowing.

I put the seeds of these crops on a gauze (one gauze - one vegetable), place it in a saucer and pour a thin layer of vodka (40°). I leave them there for 15 minutes. During this time, most of the essential oils will dissolve. Then I rinse the gauze with seeds in cool water several times. I dry it until it becomes friable. All. You can sow. Thanks to this processing method, the seeds will sprout much faster.

Material used from the newspaper “Niva Kubani” with the supplement “Nivushka” 2014, No. 19 (305)

Borscht has long been an integral element of a delicious lunch, which cannot be prepared without fresh beets. No one will argue that vegetables from your own garden are much more healthy and safe than store-bought ones. But in order to properly plant and grow your beets, before that you need to learn how to prepare the seeds for sowing. Preparing beet seeds for sowing is one of the main stages in cultivating this crop, because without certain procedures they simply will not germinate in the soil.

Beet seeds require proper pre-planting treatment

Necessary conditions for growing beets

There are two ways to purchase seeds: you can buy them in the store already processed and ready for sowing, or you can process them yourself. If they were collected from their own plots, they may still have pathogens because the main source of infection is the seeds.

To grow a healthy crop, you need to know the following:

• Seeds can only be collected from healthy plants so that in the future vegetables are not affected by diseases and pests.
• It is necessary to calibrate the seeds, that is, to sort the good ones from the bad ones.
• The seeds must be full (filled) and not puny. Empty seeds are immediately visible and will have to be disposed of. You can detect unsuitable grains using a 3 or 5% salt solution, into which all the seeds are dipped. Those that float after mixing the liquid are considered unsuitable for planting in the soil.
• An event such as hardening is carried out to make the seeds more resistant to adverse conditions. This is especially important in risky farming areas, where there are early frosts or sudden changes in daily temperature. Hardening consists of the following: the seeds are soaked until they swell, and sometimes until the first shoots appear. After this, they are wrapped in gauze and placed in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for 1-2 days.
• There is a way to prevent fungal and viral diseases by heating the seeds. It is usually performed in factories, but it is quite possible to perform this processing method at home. They do it this way: you need to warm the seeds in hot water(temperature 50-60 degrees) for 2-3 hours. Under the influence of hot water, the structure of fungal spores and viral cells is destroyed and peeled off from the seeds. The procedure time depends on the type of plant.

If the conditions for growing beets are normal, or there are greenhouses, hardening can not be carried out, but processing can begin immediately.

Beet seeds should be inspected and empty ones should be removed.

How to soak seeds correctly

Before planting, be sure to soak the seeds so that they are saturated with moisture and subsequently germinate well. There are many options for soaking seeds, but usually the most simple ways are the most effective.

Soaking option No. 1

To treat the seeds, you will need a deep bowl or a small bucket (for example, a mayonnaise bucket), into which you pour a teaspoon of baking soda per liter of warm water. Then beet seeds are poured there, covered with a lid and left in this form for an hour or an hour and a half. Then the solution is poured out and the grains are washed clean water and placed in a cloth.

Soaking option No. 2

Before the procedure, find a wide container and place filter paper or napkins on its bottom, which are pre-moistened with clean water. After this, take the beet seeds and pour them into a sieve, where they are thoroughly washed under warm running water for 3-5 minutes. Clean seeds are placed in a jar on wet wipes and tightly closed with a lid, and the jar is placed in a warm place. A greenhouse or window sill, well warmed by the spring sun, is perfect for this.

You need to wait as long as possible until the beets hatch, that is, sprout. Only then will the beet seeds be ready for planting.

Hatched beet seeds can be planted in the ground

Seed treatment and disinfection

After soaking, you can begin disinfection. To keep the sprouts and seedlings healthy, additional processing is indispensable. In order to properly disinfect seeds, you will need a weak 1% solution of potassium permanganate, in which the crystals are completely dissolved. The calculation should be as follows - 1 gram of potassium permanganate per 100 ml of water.

Then cut off a square of gauze (one layer) measuring approximately 10 by 10 cm. Pour beet seeds into the middle of the gauze and wrap it in a kind of bag, which is tightened at the top with a thread. It should not be tightened too tightly. The finished bag is placed in a container with a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. The seeds are left in this solution until the morning, after which they are taken out and washed thoroughly under running water until the water comes out clean when squeezing the bag. The seeds are then placed in glass jar with ash, in which they must remain for 6 or 12 hours (depending on the concentration of the solution).

After exposure to ash, the seeds will be well treated with microelements and ready for germination, but before that they need to be warmed up. To do this, the seeds in a bag are placed on a warm heating pad to warm up.

The temperature should be at least 23 degrees, but steam them for hot battery It is not recommended because overheating of the seeds will inevitably occur. Can be used ceramic dishes, in which all the seeds are placed and wrapped on top with a plastic bag. For greater insulation, a thicker, larger bag is placed on top of a thin bag, and the dishes are wrapped in it. The plate can be placed on a windowsill or other warm place in the house.

Wood ash disinfects beet seeds

Planting seeds in the ground

You should never rush to plant beets, as this vegetable really does not like cold soil. It is better to wait until mid-May, when the ground has warmed up enough and frosts are no longer expected. Also, beets do not tolerate acidic soil well, so before planting the plant, you should dig up the soil along with powdered lime and, if necessary, add humus. This vegetable does not tolerate waterlogging, but loves loose and well-structured soil. The place where the beets are planted should be well lit sun rays Therefore, darkening should not be allowed in areas.

What else is important to pay attention to when planting beets? The beds in which the seeds are planted should be in a north-south direction. This is done so that the sun can clearly illuminate the soil and plant sprouts.

It is best to apply humus as an organic fertilizer. Beetroot tolerates soil salinity relatively easily. The land is usually fertilized in the fall, and on fertile soils well fertilized with organic matter, mineral fertilizers are not needed at all.

It often happens that after the beets have successfully sprouted, they find leaves that in some places are not green, but with red streaks - this means that the plant does not have enough sodium. In order to compensate for the lack of this mineral, it is necessary to water the beds with a regular saline solution before harvesting. The recipe is: glass table salt diluted in a bucket of water (10 liters). Then the liquid is poured into a watering can and each bed of beets is thoroughly watered.

If the beets have enough sodium, they will delight you with their taste. Thanks to salt, the beets are very juicy and tasty, and the sugar content in this vegetable increases.

To grow table beets sweet and healthy, suitable for long-term storage, you need to know the intricacies of agricultural technology for this vegetable. Anyone who masters this science is guaranteed a varied vitamin menu throughout the winter.

Beets are unpretentious and ready to grow in all latitudes, with the exception of permafrost. You can opt for regionalized local varieties or experiment with new hybrids with increased hardiness.

The ripening period of beets depends on the variety and ranges from 80 to 130 days. You can adjust the ripening time by planting beets under a greenhouse or seedlings, first germinating the seeds.

The most popular varieties suitable for growing in any climatic conditions:

Valenta– an early ripening variety with sweet, dark red flesh, cold-resistant, shelf-stable, disease-resistant.

Ataman– medium late variety, cylindrical fruits weighing 300 g, burgundy, sweet with homogeneous pulp, very well stored.

Cylinder– a medium-late variety with an elongated bright red fruit, weighing up to 500 g, strong immunity and good keeping quality.

Podzimnyaya– a mid-early cold-resistant variety, resistant to most diseases, round fruits weighing 200 – 400 g with burgundy pulp.

Red hero– mid-early high-yielding variety, cylindrical dark red fruits with thin skin and uniform pulp weighing 200–550 g.

Red ice – mid-early variety, the fruits are bright red, with structured pulp, light weight - 200–300 g, well stored.

Bicores– mid-season, high-yielding variety, bright red fruits weighing 200-350 g, long-lasting.

If you plan to eat beets from your garden all year round, then you need to plant both early and late varieties beets.

Landing dates

More often, beets are planted in the spring, when the air warms up to 15-18 C. You can do this a little earlier, in April by planting ungerminated seeds under a greenhouse.

If the spring is too cold, you can move the planting date to a later time, choosing early ripening beets.

Winter beets are sown with dry seeds before the onset of frost. Only specially oriented varieties are selected for this purpose. The crop areas are covered. They start to grow in early spring and provide summer harvest beets. Summer-ripened root crops cannot be stored for long periods of time.

Preparing the soil for beets

The soil is dug up in the fall after careful harvesting of the previous harvest. Organic components (compost or manure) are applied as deeply as possible - 30-35 centimeters. You can organize some semblance of a warm bed, but with a thin layer of organic matter so that it has time to decompose by the time the beet root grows into it.

The acidity of the earth is reduced by scattering dolomite flour, ground eggshells or wood ash.

It is better to apply mineral additives - superphosphate and potassium sulfate - in the fall so that they have time to dissolve in the soil. They are scattered dry over the garden bed before digging at a rate of no more than 0.3 kg. per square meter of land.

The root crop develops better in loose soil. In the spring, it is good to dig up the bed again and mulch it with peat or rotted sawdust.

Site selection, crop rotation

Rules for choosing a place for beets:

1. beets love space; the sparser the root crops are planted from each other, the more space they have for growing rounded barrels;
2. if there is no need for large plantations of this root crop, beets can be planted in a border method next to potatoes, cucumbers, beans, next to greens or onions;
3. beets need frequent irrigation, but stagnation of water will lead to rotting, which means the bed must be laid out next to the watering source in a well-drained area;
4. Beets are not planted twice in a row in the same place; crop rotation is observed very carefully;
5. the preceding plants for this vegetable are onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, zucchini;
6. It is undesirable to plant beets after cabbage and for the second year in a row in one place.

If you have to displace any crops in the garden by planting them on poor soil, then you can safely do this with beets. Its growth can be ensured by good loosening of the soil, timely watering and fertilizer.

Seed preparation

Beet seeds before planting:

• check for germination - pour into a glass of salted water, mix and remove any that float;
• hardened by alternating hot water and cold, maintaining each temperature for several hours;
• disinfected by keeping for 12 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• stimulated by soaking in a growth stimulator.
• germinate if the seeds are prepared for growing beet seedlings.

For pre-winter planting, you need to limit yourself only to checking for germination and disinfection - excessively swollen seeds can germinate in the winter and die.

Planting beets in open ground

Beet seeds are large compared to most garden crops. Sowing will not be difficult.

Sow beets in furrows 3-5 centimeters deep with a distance of 5 centimeters from each other and 20 centimeters between rows.

Winter crops are buried 10 centimeters so that the seeds do not die.

When planting beets in open ground as seedlings, the interval is set to at least 20 centimeters.

Beet care

The process of growing beets includes watering, fertilizing, loosening and mandatory thinning.

Beets do not require close attention at all if they grow in good soil and with proper watering. But if the plant lacks nutrition, it will have a bad effect on taste or lead to diseases.

1. Phomosis of beet fruits and leaves develops with a lack of boron and is expressed in the appearance of lightened spots on the foliage; it is also fraught with curvature and the appearance of cavities in the root crop.
2. Cercospora blight is caused by excessive moisture in the beds.
3. Excess nitrogen in the soil will cause the beets to taste bitter and earthy.

Watering and fertilizing

After germination, beets need to be watered frequently - once every two to three days, alternating watering with shallow loosening, so as not to damage the roots. There is no need to hill this root crop. But it is good to form a hog between the rows of beets through which water will flow. In case of soil erosion, top up with thin layer humus.

Loosening can be replaced by mulching. A layer of crushed dried grass placed between the rows will help conserve moisture.

A one-time application of mineral fertilizers before planting is sufficient for beets. It makes sense to carry out additional fertilizing only if the plants are noticeably stunted in growth.

Periodic watering of beets with diluted herbal infusions or yeast fertilizers.

Two or three times a season you can water the beets with salted water at the rate of one tablespoon per 10 liters of water. Or use complex fertilizers according to the instructions, for example, Makbor.

Root crops accumulate nitrates more actively than other crops. When growing beets, it is better to opt for natural fertilizers.

Optimal planting density

Important point in caring for beets - thinning. It is carried out in several stages so that the owner has the opportunity to evaluate the growing roots and select the best of them. Before each thinning, it is necessary to fill the beets well.

When the first pair of leaves appears, the weakest plants are removed. In the future, when thinning, diseased specimens are removed; good roots that are too thick can be transplanted to a new place or used for food as greens.

From the initial distance between plants of 5 centimeters, you eventually need to reach an interval of 15-20 centimeters.

Harvest and storage

Beets are harvested in the fall before the onset of cold weather, when the leaves on the plant wither. When harvesting, you must act carefully, using a shovel to pry up large layers of soil and remove the root crops one at a time.

The soil is carefully shaken off the fruit, and it is better not to cut off the remaining corolla of leaves - just remove the wilted stems.

Store medium-sized root vegetables with intact skin in a dry room at a temperature of 2 to 5 C.

Beet diseases and pests

The main pests of any root crops are moles, mole crickets and rodents. Beet flea beetles, wireworms and slugs are also dangerous. In addition, plants are affected by various rots and nematodes.

To combat these troubles, one must first of all maintain hygiene. personal plot– high-quality cleaning, careful deep digging and preventive treatment of plantings with natural disinfectants – wood ash, tobacco dust, hot pepper powder.

These root vegetables are famous for their unpretentiousness and consistency. They are well stored in basements and vegetable pits, saving nutrients until spring. Be sure to find a place on your plot for beets.

What summer resident does not dream of getting a beet harvest ahead of schedule, and even so that it is not inferior in quality and volume to ordinary root crops? But in order to make this dream a reality, you need to understand that you first need to increase the percentage of germination. If you want to know how to speed up the germination of beet seeds, then you will probably be interested in reading not one, but several recommendations on the topic. In the article we will present a variety of methods, and you yourself decide which one is most convenient for you.

Soaking in water

It can be considered that this technique is one of the most frequently used among summer residents, because it is also the simplest. absorb moisture and begin to come to life, sprouting faster.
Most often, soaking is carried out in any available container, simply filling them with the required amount of water. This, of course, is simple, but in order for yours to be large and rich in vitamins, even this procedure must be carried out correctly. Firstly, water should be poured in two doses, since the liquid is absorbed better in this case. Secondly, its temperature must be in the range of 15-20 degrees.

Each crop has its own soaking time, and for this root crop it is enough to be in a humid environment for 24-36 hours, since it is quite large.
Some people prefer to change the water at certain intervals (usually 4 hours), making sure to stir it with a stick. This technique allows you to saturate them with a large amount of oxygen, which greatly facilitates germination. By the way, they can also be in a gauze bag to make them easier to collect.
Soaking differs from germination in that the task is to ensure that they are saturated with water and swell. If at least more than 1-1.5% of the grains have hatched, you can stop the procedure and start planting them in the ground. The soil should always remain moist, but not wet. After all, the sprouts should not dry out or rot from a lack or excess of water.
The swollen grains can also be used for further germination. If the previous measure was aimed at finding out how to speed up the germination of beet seeds and at the same time determine which of them are not viable, then when germinated they become stronger. Including pests that attack seedlings.
By the way, many famous summer residents have long recommended soaking in melted snow water. Such seeds germinate better later and produce best harvest. And if you don’t have snow, you can even use melt water from the freezer, or specially freeze the water in a container for a while.

Germination

Pre-germination is carried out not only in order to quickly obtain a harvest of root crops. After all, if you prefer to plant seeds directly into the soil, and some of them do not sprout at all, then the bed may turn out to be half empty, which is why you will have to re-sow, neglecting the timing.
The procedure is usually carried out after soaking in water. If you want to find out how to speed up the germination of beets by 7 days, then germination must be carried out by you. When holding an event, make sure that all the rules are followed exactly:

• The room temperature should not drop below 15 degrees. It is also not recommended that it be higher than 25 degrees. It is better if the container is installed not on a sunny windowsill, since the grains will heat up and dry out under direct rays, but in a shaded place.
• Keep track of deadlines. Literally 3-4 days are enough for beets to hatch. If by this moment she has not woken up, then do not rush to throw away the grains. Try to wait a couple more days and if there is no result, feel free to throw it away.
• Don't keep them in a lot of water, because this is not soaking. Place them on damp gauze, natural fabric or just a cotton pad. It is also possible to keep them on a pad of moss, as it retains moisture well. IN in this case It will be enough to just spray the seeds a little 1-2 times a day.
• Air is important for germination, so if you prefer to also cover the sprouts with damp gauze, be sure to remove it at least once a day. Try turning them over just as carefully to provide more oxygen.
• Don't miss the moment when the sprout starts to hatch. At this phase, the root begins to actively develop, so it is important to prevent it from clinging to the fabric. The slightest damage to it will lead to the death of the small plant, and sowing such seeds will become much more difficult.
• The prepared soil should be light, moist, well cultivated and warm. If for some reason sowing into the ground is delayed, it is better to remove the container with the hatched sprouts on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (the temperature should be about 4-6 degrees and not lower). This will inhibit root formation and growth.

After all the procedures have been carried out, you can already sow beets for seedlings or, if you are not a fan of this method, directly into the soil.

Bubbling

This method cannot be called new, it is simply not known to many people, despite its high efficiency. Since the term “bubbling” itself hardly means anything to many, it is worth mentioning that it means saturating the grains with air while they are in water. That is, two effects are achieved simultaneously - this is the supply of oxygen, which is important for plant growth, as well as water, which plays no less a role in this.




Skeptics will say that it is difficult to carry out bubbling at home, since it requires special devices, but this is not entirely true. A microcompressor from a children's aquarium will be enough. Agree, getting it is not particularly difficult, but the germination results of the procedure are amazing. And here's how it's done:

• Place the required number of grains of the future root vegetable in a jar or any container that can hold water;
• Fill it with water, which will have a temperature of at least +20 degrees;
• Place the hose with the spray tip inside and turn on the system;
• Make sure that air bubbles are evenly distributed throughout the entire thickness of the water;
• Reposition the tip if some seeds remain on the bottom rather than being mixed with others in the air currents.

Oxygen will serve as a kind of impetus that will launch biochemical processes in them, while significantly reducing those substances that interfere with pecking. At correct implementation procedures, one can hope not only that germination will be rapid, but also that the quality of maturation will increase.
By the way, you can add microelements to the water to saturate future root vegetables. Their treatment separately will be discussed below, but when bubbling, saturation not only with oxygen, but also with useful substances helps to obtain not just healthy, but also strong plants that develop quickly.
The duration of the entire procedure for this root crop is about 12-18 hours. If pure oxygen rather than air is used during bubbling, then its duration can be reduced by at least 2 hours.




After all the activities, the beets must be dried in a light draft (but under no circumstances in a sunny place). It is enough for them to acquire the property of flowability; they should not be dried completely. Before planting, make sure that the soil prepared in advance is neither too dry nor overly moistened, as this will directly affect germination, worsening it. Bubbling helps accelerate seed germination by 5-7 days, which, you see, is quite a lot, especially for difficult-to-germinate specimens.

Treatment with microelements

This technique was mentioned a little higher, but if you want to know how to speed up the germination of beets, you should definitely read the detailed recommendations. This processing is the addition of various growth stimulants and microelements to solutions in which soaking occurs.
Buy non-toxic fertilizers, such as mixtures of those that are beneficial and that root crops often lack. These include molybdenum, boron, iron, zinc, copper, cobalt, magnesium. But if you don’t want to spend money, then you can easily use additives that are familiar to every summer resident. Such, for example, as iron or copper sulfate, boric acid, potassium permanganate, and so on.




There are the following recommendations for carrying out this procedure:

1. Before processing, try to disinfect the seeds, wash them and warm them up a little. Such preparation simultaneously allows you to prevent various processes in them, as well as to activate processes in them.
2. Monitor the concentration of nutrients in the water so that there is no excess of them. To do this, always pay attention to the recommendations given in the instructions.
3. Try to dilute the mixture of microfertilizers in a liquid that has reached a temperature of 40 degrees, but place the seeds in it only when it drops below 22 degrees.
4. Only immerse beets of one type in a jar to prevent them from becoming infected with any disease. This advice is especially relevant for those who have not carried out warming and disinfection.

At the end of the procedure, just as with bubbling, the seed is dried in a light draft and sown.
If you don’t want to bother with washing and drying, then initially select modern drugs, for which these measures are not needed. These are, for example, Zircon, Novosil, Potassium Humanate, Epin. Moreover, after soaking and planting, each of these preparations can be treated as soon as the above-ground green part of the beet shoots is formed.
If you know experienced summer residents, they could suggest cheaper processing methods to improve the quality of germination. Moreover, at low costs they remain quite effective. For convenience, all techniques are highlighted in the list:

• Take wood ash (2 tablespoons), then dissolve it in a liter jar of heated water. The solution is left for 2 days, and it must be stirred periodically. At the end of the required period, it is filtered, and the seeds, previously placed in gauze, are placed in it. They need to be kept in such water for about 5 hours. For beets, saturation with enzymes that ash contains is very useful.
• You can prepare a solution to saturate it with microelements not only from complex fertilizers, but even from nitrophoska, if they are not available. To do this, it will be enough to take 1 tsp. this additive and dissolve it in 1 liter of water. After this, the beet grain can be left in it for 12 hours.
• Another treatment that can be carried out, so to speak, using improvised means is to immerse them in Kalanchoe or aloe juice. Both of these plants allow you to create a natural protective barrier around the seed and stimulate its growth. A Preliminary processing A solution of marina root petals will also serve as antibacterial protection.

Any of the described biostimulants, whether it is made according to a “folk recipe” or purchased, can give an increase in yield by 30%. But all this is possible only if the beets are subsequently provided with proper care. It is described in more detail in a special article.

Hardening

The procedure for hardening seeds not only increases their resistance to cold, but they also germinate much faster. Plan this event only if you have completed the treatment mineral compounds. It is important that they are not sprouted, but only swollen, otherwise they will rot and die.
There are 2 main methods of hardening, one of which consists of a constant change in temperature (cold/heat) for a fairly long time, and the second consists of short-term freezing.
For the first method, you need to place the beet seeds in a warm place for a period of 12 hours (no more than +20 degrees), and after this period, put them in the refrigerator (temperature from 0 to -2). This procedure is repeated several times over 7 days.
The second method is simpler, but also tougher. The grains, previously swollen with water, are placed in a cold environment for 3 days (temperature not lower than -2). It is imperative to monitor the temperature range to eliminate the risk of beets freezing.




Every 2 days, with both hardening methods, it is necessary to spray the seeds with liquid to prevent them from drying out.
Try to select only those specimens and varieties that have good viability. So, exclude those that have been stored for a long time; it is better to try another method, since hardening them will completely slow down their development processes.
The sprouts that hatched after the event are distinguished by their excellent adaptability to the most negative conditions. Such root crops are less susceptible to diseases and pests and ripen earlier. The most important thing is that thanks to good germination in combination with hardening, future root crops can be placed in the ground several days earlier than usual.
Consider the fact that hardening alone is not enough. Try to carry out such activities with seedlings, only in this case can you count on all the positive properties of resistance to negative influences that were described above.

Vernalization

The technique is very suitable for beets, since this vegetable is considered a cold-resistant plant. But other plants in this category also respond well to it. Vernalization has the following positive qualities:

1. Provokes seeds to quickly awaken and develop;
2. Increases resistance to cold;
3. Helps to receive early harvest;
4. Plants are resistant to weather changes and other negative factors.

An event such as vernalization includes several successive stages: first there is soaking, then the action on the sprouts low temperatures, and then germination. This set of measures has a very serious effect. The embryo first goes into a dormant state, after which it begins to actively develop, which, of course, affects germination.
Soaking can be done using the method described above. Once it is completed, the seeds are either cooled or buried in snow. Cooling lasts about 7 days, during which periodic spraying with water is carried out (temperature from -1 to +1). Do not keep the beets in the cold longer than expected, otherwise you will not get a harvest due to the fact that they will shoot arrows.




At the end of the procedure, the grains should just peck. Then they germinate for another couple of days in a moist environment and, after slightly drying, they are placed in the soil.

Conclusion

As you yourself may have noticed, there are quite a large number of ways to increase the germination of beet seeds. Depending on which one suits you best, you can choose either one. Some procedures are very easy to carry out, even if you have no previous experience with preparing seeds for planting. If you want a good harvest ahead of schedule, do not neglect the tips for accelerating germination and be sure to put them into practice.

Beetroot belongs to cold-resistant plants, but it is more demanding of heat compared to other root vegetables. Table beet seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of +4 C, but the emergence of seedlings in this case is delayed up to 3 weeks. At 10° C, the period of emergence of seedlings (with sufficient soil moisture) is reduced to 10 days and the seeds produce the highest germination rate. With more high temperature(15°C) shoots will appear on the 5-6th day, and at 20-25°C - after 3-4 days. This is essential when choosing the timing of sowing. But it is better to start sowing at a temperature of +6-8 C. The most favorable for the growth of root crops, and therefore for obtaining the greatest harvest, temperature 15-23 C.

The seeds are enclosed in hard, dry fruits from which they cannot be extracted. Fruits are connected in 3 - 5 pieces. into strong balls. In this form they are sown. Several plants grow from each glomerulus. Hence the seedlings are somewhat dense, necessitating thinning.

Seedlings and adult plants do not tolerate frost well. Beets are demanding of soil moisture and fertility and do not tolerate shading well. The soil reaction favorable for growing beets is slightly acidic or neutral (pH 6-7).

Agricultural technology.

Of all the root crops, beets are the most demanding on soil fertility. High yields beets can be obtained provided that the required amount of fertilizer is applied in an easily digestible form. Beetroot can be grown on any type of soil. The exception is sour, heavy soils close-lying groundwater. The best are nutrient-rich loams, sandy loams, and especially loamy chernozems with a fine-lumpy structure.

Beetroot – popular garden culture, which is widely used in all cuisines of the world. It is difficult to imagine a traditional Slavic dinner without beets, because this root vegetable is also used in first and second courses, salads and snacks.

The seeds of this plant have a very hard, hard shell that protects the nucleoli located inside from unfavorable external conditions. At the same time, this same protective shell prevents the rapid germination of seeds. Therefore, all advice on how to speed up the growing of beets as much as possible is aimed at softening and partially destroying the beet shell.

Seed germination time

The time it takes for a seed to swell and germinate depends on many factors. How quickly beets sprout is determined by humidity, temperature and sowing time. It is also very important whether the seeds were pre-treated before sowing.
If dry seeds fall into the soil, then ideal conditions they will be able to germinate in 1 – 2 weeks. Under unfavorable conditions, these periods can last up to 3 weeks; in addition, the seeds will germinate extremely unevenly. Some of the plantings will be sparse, and some will be thickened. They will have to be thinned out, and the weeded plants will have to be replanted empty seats. This will further extend the harvest time.

To prevent this from happening, beet seeds are processed in a special way. Seeds that are properly treated before planting germinate in 3 to 7 days. How quickly beets germinate after being pre-soaked depends on the moisture saturation of the soil and its temperature. The higher these indicators, the faster the first shoots will appear.

Methods of seed treatment to accelerate germination

To speed up the rate of germination of seeds with a hard, dry shell, three main processing methods are used:
Soak.
Scarification.
Stratification.
Soaking is one of the most simple methods how to quickly germinate beets. It is accessible even to a novice gardener, does not require any special knowledge and does not take much time.

Scarification is the intentional damage to the very hard and durable shell of some seeds, which is performed to allow moisture to get inside the seed. Only in this case is germination possible. The shell of some seeds is so strong that it can be cut with a rasp or file. Other seeds are poured into a jar or bag with abrasive and shaken for a long time so that the abrasive particles can scratch the hard “shell.”

Seeds that require strong cooling to germinate are subject to stratification. Their certain time Store in the refrigerator or bury in the snow. Without cooling, such seeds may not germinate at all.

Beet seeds are not so strong as to require scarification. Therefore, soaking is most often used. Stratification of beet seeds can easily lead to bolting of the entire crop, since with strong cooling the plant may “decide” that it is time for it to bear fruit and produce seeds.

Soaking beet seeds

Using the most available method seed treatment, you can significantly speed up the beet harvest. This is a soak that can be done:

In moderately hot water (30 – 50˚С).

In a solution of biostimulants.

In a solution of disinfectants.

When wet, the dry, wrinkled shell of beet seeds absorbs moisture, expands and becomes porous and loose. The moisture filling the shell makes it more elastic and at the same time thin. The awakening young plant breaks through the softened shell with its roots and germinates. A tiny root emerges first, beginning to absorb water and nutrients. Behind it, a stem with the first cotyledon leaves pecks.

It is necessary to plant beet seeds at the root pecking stage, when only its tip is visible. If you miss this moment, the root will grow, and when planting it will break, as it is very fragile and delicate. Such a plant dies before it can begin to develop.
To prevent the planted sprouted seeds from disappearing, they must be watered regularly, avoiding either drying out or waterlogging of the crops.

How to germinate beet seeds in biostimulants

Germination in solutions of biostimulants allows you to accelerate not only the pecking of seeds, but also their subsequent active growth in the soil. Biologically active substances help strengthen the plants’ own immunity, which makes them strong and able to resist various negative factors.

Such plants perfectly tolerate short-term drought, do not react to temperature changes and resist insect invasion. They also become more resistant to disease. Thus, soaking in biostimulants accelerates seed germination directly and indirectly, making plants stronger and more resilient.

This method is the best answer to the question of how to quickly grow beets. It is 100% safe for both the plants themselves and humans. Such stimulation of the plant by natural methods accelerates all stages of its development: it leaves the seed faster, expels real leaves faster, and begins to form plant mass earlier. In turn, this accelerates the formation of the root crop, and the beets begin to bear fruit quickly and abundantly, a couple of weeks earlier than their “unprocessed counterparts.”

Among the best natural stimulants are aloe juice and succinic acid. These substances make beet seedlings stronger and stronger. Soak the seeds in solutions of stimulants for 3 to 12 hours, and then leave them in a warm place, keeping an eye on them so that the seeds do not turn black or mold. Dead or damaged “balls” are thrown away, and the remaining seeds are quickly planted at the pecking stage.

Soaking beet seeds in fungicides

This procedure has two goals - to accelerate the growth of seeds in the soil and to protect them from diseases. Most often, seeds of suspicious origin or those on which they were noticed are treated. possible signs diseases. Treating is also carried out if there have already been outbreaks of fungal diseases of beets on the site. Most often, potassium permanganate is used for these purposes - it is available and gives good results. In general, the etching procedure is carried out similarly to soaking in biostimulants, only the potassium permanganate solution should be dark, almost black.

How to quickly plant beets in the garden

A special seeder can significantly speed up the sowing of beets. For small areas, a manual seeder, for example, from the German company Gardena, is most suitable. It is universal and can be used for different types seeds Before work, it is set to a mark corresponding to the size of the beet seeds. The seeder must not be driven in different sides– the sower must guide the device with same speed along the garden bed in one direction. As a result, the seeds will be planted at the same distance.
This method is good mainly for single-sprouted beets. In all other cases, the crops will still have to be weeded and replanted.

There is a way to quickly plant beets, which is much simpler and more affordable. This is growing it from seedlings. This method helps to get an early harvest of root crops due to the fact that not seeds, but young plants will be planted in the ground. Under good care conditions, beet seedlings practically do not get sick, and growing seedlings allows you to speed up the harvest by 2 weeks - 1 month. Those gardeners who grow early and very early produce for sale especially benefit from this. Having received the harvest a month earlier than his competitors, such a zealous owner will earn several times more from young beets than his rivals.

The growth rate of beets is also significantly affected by further care. It is important to water the soil regularly, preventing the soil from drying out and then watering it abundantly. In this case, most of the root vegetables will crack, losing their presentation. With prolonged drought, the root crop will stop filling and become sluggish, and from overwatering will rot. Watering should be stopped 2 - 3 weeks before harvesting, then the root vegetables will become sweet and will be perfectly stored.

Growing beets in rich, nutritious soils, with proper crop rotation, reasonable sowing times and the right choice of varieties will lead to an early, abundant and very tasty harvest.