The most unpleasant thing for a root crop harvest is to leave the crop in the garden too long, as well as to start harvesting before the due date.
For example, beets. They can suffer when frosts come, become less tasty, become rough, and even crack.
That is why it is so important to have an idea of the timeliness of harvesting beets.
To ensure that vegetables grow properly, but don’t sit in the garden for too long, you need to watch for signs of maturity.
It's time to harvest the beets
1. If the top of the root crop appears on the surface of the bed, you can easily guess what size the vegetable will be.
For reference: you can harvest vegetables if the top of the beet has reached 4 cm. If it exceeds 7 cm, the beet is overripe.
2. If the leaves have started to turn yellow. This sign indicates that it would be better to harvest the beets in the next 5-7 days.
3. If thin white roots appear. The first sign of the so-called bolting. The harvest must be collected urgently.
And the most accurate sign is to count the time required for the fruit to ripen, which is indicated on the packaging by the seed manufacturer.
How to harvest beets
First, you need to stop watering two weeks before harvesting.
Secondly, choose a sunny or dry day. Beets harvested in the rain will have to be dried before storing.
Thirdly, do not pull the beets by the tops, but dig them up with a pitchfork. After harvesting, you need to let the vegetables dry, then wipe off the stuck soil.
These simple tips will help you grow a good harvest and keep it from spoiling.
