How to Grow Beetroots in Pots at Home: Gardener Shows in 10 Simple Steps

Swati Dwivedi (35), a resident of Bengaluru has been fond of gardening since her childhood. So it’s only natural that even with her full-time job as a Human Resources professional, she pursues her hobby of growing plants in her backyard.

“Seeing how I grew over 200 plants at home, several people would ask for tips and advice. So, in 2017, I launched a YouTube channel to make explainer videos, and today, I have over 95,000 subscribers,” says Swati.

Swati Dwivedi, the founder of Backyard Gardening channel.

Recently, Swati made a short video on how you can grow beetroot at home, using the store-bought vegetable.

“Though it is a long process, one can use this method to grow organic vegetables at home and eat healthily,” says Swati, adding that it is a low-calorie vegetable that is known for promoting good health.

Recent studies claim that the cooked vegetable or its juice can improve blood flow, haemoglobin levels, and reduce blood pressure. However, to gain these benefits one must consume the organic vegetable that is not laced with chemicals.

Here’s how you can grow organic seeds from store-bought beetroots

Things you will need

1. 1 Beetroot
2. 1 Bowl
3. Water
4. Potting mix
5. 1 Container

Process:

Step 1: Take a store-bought beetroot and remove the dry leaves from the top.

Remove the dried leaves on top.

Step 2: Slice the top half along with the shoots and leaves.

Slice the top half of the beetroot.

Step 3: Place this half in a bowl or a shallow plate, and fill it with some water.

Place the slice in a bowl with little water

Note: Do not submerge the beetroot top as it may start rotting.

Step 4: Keep this on your kitchen counter or on a windowsill where it does not get direct sunlight.

Step 5: Within three or four days you will see fresh leaves growing from the beetroot.

At this stage beetroot leaves can be harvested for salads too

Note: Replace and add fresh water every alternate day. By the 15th day, you will notice the leaves have grown bigger and you can transfer this to a pot with organic potting mix. Keep this under partial shade.

Step 6: Water the cutting well and allow it to grow for another three or four months, until the plant starts to produce flowers.

Transfer the cutting to soil and allow it to grow for three or four months

“These flowers and stems must be harvested and dried under the shade for a few days. From this, the seeds can be harvested and stored until the planting season in winters,” says Swati.

You can either grow your seeds or purchase some from a store.

How to grow the beetroot:

Step 1: Place the seeds in damp potting soil at a distance of one inch from each other.

Step 2: Cover the seeds with soil and water again.

Step 3: Within 24 days, the seeds will have sprouted.

Step 4: Carefully remove the saplings and transfer them to a larger container or the soil in your garden.

Note: The beets must be grown in a shady area, watered once a week, and provided with mild, homemade fertilizers after a few weeks of growth.

Within 90 days, the vegetable will be ready for harvest. If you wish to see the process, watch this video.

Edited by Yoshita Rao