Why sow beets in November: how to help them germinate in spring

The technology of sowing beets before winter has a number of advantages. Seedlings will grow regardless of weather conditions, experienced gardeners say. If the spring is cold and dry, you will have to constantly postpone planting, but in this case, autumn sowing will save the situation.

Experts emphasize that during the winter, the seeds will harden, become resistant to diseases, and will tolerate spring frosts well. OBOZ.UA tells how to sow beets in November.

How to sow beets in the fall

First of all, you need to choose a frost-resistant variety: Ataman, Monocle, Bordeaux, or Cadet. Please note that beets need sunny beds; in the shade, the fruits will grow slowly.

Crop rotation rules also play an important role. You can sow beets where onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers grow. But after cabbage and carrots, beets will not grow very well.

Take into account the level of acidity in the soil. Weeds will be the best indicator. If chamomile, bindweed, or wheatgrass grows in the garden, the soil is slightly acidic or neutral. And if there is a lot of sedge, horsetail, or plantain, the acidity is high.

You can adjust the acidity with lime. In the fall, digging the beds with 250 g of lime per 1 square meter will be useful. Dolomite flour will also be an alternative.

After clearing the bed of weeds and digging the soil to a depth of 25 cm, add wood ash at the rate of 0.5 liters per 1 square meter and start forming holes. The distance between the holes should be about 20 cm.

When to sow beets for the winter

The ideal time for sowing beets for the winter is from October 25 to November 15. Remember an important rule: in the fall, you need to sow dry seeds into dry soil.

After sowing, the seeds should be sprinkled with a layer of peat 3 cm thick, which will serve as mulch. Sawdust or dry fallen leaves will protect the crops from severe frosts. In the spring, the mulch layer should be removed and nitrogen fertilization should be applied. After that, the beds should be covered with greenhouse film.

How to water beets

Water should be poured at the roots or under the root. The water should be warm (12 to 22 °C). Tap water is not suitable – it must first be left to stand for 3 days to remove chlorine and drain the sediment. You can soften hard water for irrigation with wood ash at the rate of 60 g per 20 liters of water.

How to fertilize beets during the season

Salt fertilization is popular among the people: dilute 20 g of salt per 10 liters of water and water the leaves 2 times during the season.

In general, experts advise fertilizing three times:

• first feeding: 1 tbsp of urea per 10 liters of water or a solution of chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15;
• the second feeding: potassium magnesium + superphosphate (1 tbsp), 1/2 teaspoon of boric acid, 1 teaspoon of urea, 1 g of potassium permanganate per 10 liters of water. You need to feed it 14 days after the first feeding, sprinkle the soil between the rows with ash, and pour water;
• third feeding: add 1 tbsp of potassium sulfate and 3 tablespoons of superphosphate to 10 liters of water.

The last feeding should be carried out a month before harvesting root crops.

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