The timing of beet harvesting largely depends on the variety. After extracting from the ground, care must be taken to prepare for storage of the fruit so that it remains useful and usable for longer. You will learn about this, as well as the signs of ripeness of vegetables and the proper sorting of the crop, while reading this article.
Optimal beet harvesting time
Particular attention should be paid to the time required for the vegetation of root crops.
There are 3 main categories:
- Early grades. Full ripening requires an average of 70 days. The disadvantage of the variety is the less pronounced taste. The first fruits are harvested from August to September. An example is the Boyar.
- Mid-season. It is required to wait 80-100 days from germination. The most common species in the temperate climate of our country. Suitable for raw and cooked consumption. Harvesting begins in September. This includes Bordeaux.
- Late ripening. Fruits are formed in 100-140 days. They are distinguished by good keeping quality and rich taste. Usually harvested in October, therefore not suitable for growing in northern climates. Representative - Commander.
The importance of timely cleaning
Fully ripened beets taste better and are better stored.
If you make a mistake with the cleaning time:
- Late harvest. In appearance, such fruits practically do not differ from vegetables of the optimal harvesting period. But after 1-2 months they start to deteriorate. This is due to freezing of root crops.
- Early cleaning. Beets have a less distinct flavor. In addition, less nutrients accumulate in it.
How to determine the maturity of a root crop?
There are several main parameters:
- Sizes. Usually spelled out on the seed package. Depending on the variety, the diameter of average fruits ranges from 5-10 cm.The largest representatives reach 15 cm.
- Leaves. Become yellowish, wither.
- Root. Central is thinning. A large root system is characteristic of unripe vegetables.
- Fruit. Small growths appear on them.
Lunar cleaning
Among experienced gardeners, there is an opinion that harvesting should be based on the phases of the moon:
- Decreasing. In the constellations Gemini, Capricorn, Taurus.
- Growing. In the constellations Virgo and Capricorn.
What days to pay attention to in 2019:
- July. 23-27 number.
- August. In the period from 19 to 25.
- September. 8-9, from 16 to 21, 25-26.
- October. 3-6, from 15 to 19, 22-25 numbers.
If you harvest on the waning moon in the constellation of Cancer, the fruits will be watery and tasteless.
Influence of weather conditions on the timing of beet harvest
The growing season of root crops is greatly influenced by the climate:
- Dryness and coolness. If the culture matures under such conditions, then there is no need to rush. It can remain in the soil a few days after ripening in order to accumulate nutrients and become more sweet.
- Rains. With abundant moisture, the beets become watery, quickly deteriorate and suffer from diseases. In this case, the fruits must be harvested immediately after ripening.
- Warmly. If the temperature is too high, the root crops grow rigid and fibrous in structure.
The culture must be removed before the first frost, otherwise it will quickly deteriorate.
Dependence of collection time on the region of residence
What you need to know about this:
- Siberia and the Urals. In this case, the cold comes earlier. Beets should be dug before the end of September.
- The middle strip and the suburbs. In temperate climates, a late harvest can mature until early November.
Harvest Rules
The steps are as follows:
- Choose a dry and sunny day. If wet fruits are harvested, they will have less shelf life.
- Take a sharp knife or shovel. Dig up the vegetable from several sides. Avoid scratching the skin.
- Gently grasp the tops and pull up. Try not to damage the root vegetable.
- Clear off the ground. It is better to do it with your hands in fabric gloves.
- Cut off the leaves. Leave about 1 cm. Also remove the side roots and shorten the center one if it is too long.
- Spread the beets outside under a canopy to dry. Turn to dry all sides evenly. You shouldn't spend more than 4 hours on this. If left outdoors, they quickly lose their juiciness. In the room, root crops can dry longer - 2-3 days or even 1 week.
It is not recommended to wash beets, otherwise they will quickly become unusable.
In the following video, you can find out when and how to harvest beets correctly:
Sorting
There are 2 sorting criteria:
- The size. Sort vegetables, separating small and large. When storing, small beets are placed on the bottom, and large are laid on top.
- Dates. Store early, mid-ripening and late root crops separately.
You also need to remove:
- damaged;
- with signs of disease;
- rotting;
- deformed.
If spoiled areas are cut from vegetables, they can be used for immediate consumption or fed to livestock.
Storage Features
After harvest, it is important to ensure that it retains its characteristics for longer. The tips below will help.
Optimal conditions
How to create:
- Temperature. Should be between 0-3 degrees.
- Humidity. It is maintained at the level of 90-92%.
- The room. Dark, rodent and frost proof.
Ways
There are several methods that allow you to save beets for the winter. You will learn more about each of them below.
Basement or cellar
Basic ways:
- Box. Place vegetables in cardboard boxes and sprinkle sand on top.
- Shelves. Place the beets in 1 layer, keeping the distance between the vegetables. The bottom board should be about 15 cm from the floor to ensure proper air circulation. Do not lean the rack against the wall.
Flat
Where to store:
- Balcony.Only a glazed loggia will do. Take large polyethylene bags, make holes in them and place the beets, sprinkling with sawdust on top. Do not tie. Can also be packed in boxes with air holes and covered with shavings. During the frost period, the harvest is covered with blankets.
- Pantry. Place in wooden boxes, sprinkling with sand so that the roots do not touch each other.
Refrigerator
Shelf life on the shelf does not exceed 1 month.
How it happens:
- In the package. Root vegetables are placed in a bag open for air circulation and placed in a vegetable drawer.
- In paper. Each fruit is wrapped separately.
You can also put vegetables in the freezer. For this:
- cut ponytails;
- boil until tender;
- wait for cooling;
- remove the skin;
- cut in a convenient way;
- arrange in packages or containers, signing on each date;
- put in the freezer.
Root crops retain their qualities for 8 months or more.
Secrets of experienced gardeners
How else can you preserve the properties of vegetables:
- Shared storage. To do this, lay out the bottom layer of the potatoes. Spread the beets on top. With this method, both cultures remain fresh and retain their beneficial properties.
- Soaking in clay. Mix greasy clay with water to create a substance similar in structure to sour cream. Dip each vegetable into the mixture. Give them time to dry. In winter, you can simply rinse the fruits under water to wash away excess clay.
- Salt treatment. Prepare a concentrated solution and dip the root vegetables in it. You can also sprinkle the gaps between the fruits.
- Fruit separation methods. Other options to separate vegetables from each other are foil or fern wrapping, and wood ash wrapping.
Harvesting beets should be carried out no later than November. The fruits are cleaned of soil, dried and sorted, so that they can then be stored in the basement, on the balcony or in the refrigerator. Under good conditions, vegetables can retain their taste and useful properties until next year.
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