Beets – Ruby Queen

Beta vulgaris ‘Ruby Queen’

• Growing Temperature: 50°F – 75°F
• Days to Maturity: 55-60 days (greens), 60-70 days (beets)

Rich and Sweet: Ruby Queen Beets are a popular choice for home gardeners. They produce deep red, globe-shaped roots with a sweet and earthy flavor profile. Relatively easy to grow, they thrive in cool weather and mature quickly. Enjoy them roasted, pickled, boiled, or even raw. The red and green beet tops are also delicious and can be used in various dishes.

Direct Sowing: Wait until soil temperatures reach at least 50°F before sowing seeds directly outdoors. Sow seeds ½ inch deep, spacing them 10-12 seeds per foot in rows 12-18 inches apart. Once seedlings emerge and have a few true leaves, thin them to 2-3 inches apart. To extend your harvest, sow seeds every 2-3 weeks until 8 weeks before your first fall frost. Aim to harvest beet greens 55-60 days after planting and beets 60-70 days after planting.

Early Sowing for Seedlings: For a head start, you can sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting outdoors after frost danger has passed. Plant seeds ½ inch deep in pots or trays with well-draining potting mix, using 2-3 seeds per cell. Thin to the strongest seedling after germination. Harden off seedlings gradually before transplanting them outdoors 2-3 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart.

Harvesting: You can harvest Ruby Queen beet greens as soon as they reach a desirable size for salads or cooking. Beets are ready to harvest when the root reaches 2 – 2 ½ inches in diameter. Since the beet grows underground, the size can be deceiving. To check for maturity, carefully feel around the base of the plant or gently brush away some soil to assess the root size.