Best Soil for Beets [ Top 3 Soils I’ve Used]
Over the years I’ve grown beets in multiple different soils, some homemade, some commercial. What I’ve learned is that beets are more willing to tolerate low fertile soils than most other vegetables with a few exceptions. The soil must have ample amounts of nitrogen and boron, good drainage, and good aeration.
Today I’ll share with you my favorite commercial potting mixes that I’ve found to work best for beets as well as some DIY options that I’ve used too.
Soil For Beets
I’ve found that beets do better in sandy loam soil when I plant them in the spring. But in late summer or fall, I’ve found that beets do better in heavier soils such as clay. My guess is that it has to do with how fast the soil warms up.
I live in Southern California and like many places in the South and South West, I can grow beets almost all year round with the exception of a few months in the summer.
Most blogs will say that growing beets in sandy loam or silt loam soil that is rich in organic matter is best, but that’s not always the case if you’re growing in a climate like mine.
When I plant beets in my raised beds with sandy loam soils, that soil heats up much faster than my in-the-ground clay soil.
Debris
When using a potting mix, I never have to worry about this, but when I’m growing with my natural clay-based soil here in California I always dig up about 8” to 12” and remove any large stones or debris. These can cause beetroots to become misshapen.
Also, don’t plant beets close to any trees. Beets have deep root systems and the tree roots may interfere with their growth.
Aeration
Good soil aeration will improve beet growth. Their roots aren’t as delicate as carrots, but they still don’t like to power through thick soils.
Sometimes I add organic perlite or some organic fine pine bark, which really helps with soil quality and aeration. When I’m growing with commercial potting mixes (which I’ll talk about later), there’s never a need to add anything. If you buy a good one, it will come with great drainage and aeration.
Drainage
This has always been a sticky point for me even when I use commercial mixes. Some of them drain too fast and my soil dries out too quickly in the Southern California sun. Over the years, I’ve found some that have a better balance such as Fox Farms Happy Frog and ProMix, but it’s something everyone should watch out for.
The soil should be well-draining. If you water it deeply and scoop up a handful it should hold moisture, but not be sticky or clump together. If the soil doesn’t drain it can cause root rot and if it dries too fast, you’ll be spending a fortune on water.
Boron
One year I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with my beets. I did a soil test and found out that I had a boron deficiency. Apparently, boron is really important for beets, radishes, and turnips.
Boron is a micronutrient that helps with protein synthesis, seed and cell wall formation, and germination. It also leaches form the soil more quickly than other nutrients.
Boron deficiency is more common in soils with a high pH. If your soil pH test indicates it is too alkaline, I would also check the boron levels.
Boron deficiency can cause beet roots to have corky black areas, but unless you test for it, you won’t know until harvest.
When my soil was boron deficient, I added Azomite Rock Dust and that fixed my issue. My next beet harvest was normal. Others also use Borax, but Azomite has always seemed more natural to me. It’s mined exclusively in Utah from volcano ash and seawater mixing a long time ago.
When applying azomite, I always start small. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once you’ve applied it.
Best Soil pH for Beets
Last year when I grew beets in the experimental garden, I tested out different pH levels. The best beets grew in soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.
I would aim for neutral or slightly alkaline soil for growing beets. The beets I grew in slightly acidic soil were smaller and didn’t taste as sweet.
I recommend testing your soil pH before planting by either sending a sample to your local university extension for lab testing or using an at-home test. I’ve used the Luster Leaf Rapitest kit for years and it seems to work really well. It’s also very affordable.
I don’t test my soil every planting season, but about every 2-3 years I’ll test each garden bed to make sure everything is where it should be.
How to Raise Soil pH for Beets
Most people use limestone to raise soil pH. I used to but I stopped after discovering that lime can create a favorable habitat for a fungus known as scab. Scab is more common with potatoes and carrots, but it can affect beets as well.
I’ve tried three different ways that have been successful in raising soil pH.
Compost
I put all of our kitchen scraps into our Hot Frog Composter and then add that to my soil regularly. Compost should have a neutral pH and by mixing it into the soil, it will slowly raise the pH level of acidic soils.
The only downside I’ve noticed with compost is that it takes much longer to change the soil pH. If you’re up against the clock and need to plant now, this would not be my preferred method. It’s not going to do enough, quick enough, for your beets.
If you don’t have any compost ready or haven’t invested in a composter yet, you can also buy compost online or at most nurseries.
I’ve used Ribbon Certified Organic Compost and it’s just like the homemade stuff. It always comes moist, which is more than I can say for others I’ve bought online.
Wood Ash
If you have an old-fashioned fireplace or bonfire pit, recycling wood ash is a great way to organically raise soil pH before planting beets. Wood ash also contains calcium, potassium, some phosphorus, and trace amounts of iron, zinc, and boron - all of which are important for beets.
I wouldn’t use anything from a pellet stove or that has toxic additives though. I wouldn’t want that in the food that I’m about to eat.
Wood ash is pretty simple to apply. If your soil is only slightly acidic, I would start with a 1/4-inch layer around the garden and that should quickly raise the pH.
If you’re like me, we don’t burn anything here because we live in California and fire danger is really high around us. Instead, I order wood ash from a company called the Living Pasture which sells oak wood ash. It’s untreated wood, cleaned, and sifted so it’s ready to use in the garden.
Baking Soda
For a quick fix, I love to use baking soda. It’s very affordable and almost all of us have it already in our homes for other things. Baking soda will raise soil pH faster than lime, but it doesn’t last as long as some of the other methods.
It’s great for a quick fix, but not as sustainable as wood ash or compost. When I tested out baking soda, I had to add more baking soda every other month to keep my soil neutral.
I would mix about 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a gallon of water and apply it to the top of the soil.
If you use any of these methods to raise soil pH, I would keep my efforts localized to the area where you want to grow beets. Other vegetables may not be suitable for slightly alkaline soils.
How to Lower Soil pH for Beets
I’ve always used sulfur to lower soil pH. It’s something I rarely have to do. Sulfur reacts with soil bacteria and this will lower pH levels.
It doesn’t work as well in the winter or early spring. I would wait until soil temperatures are at least over 50°F, preferably 60°F before applying it. I don’t know why, but I’ve noticed that the temperature matters. My guess is it has something to do with the bacteria in warmer soils.
The sulfur I’ve used in my garden is Greenway Organic Sulfur Powder which is mostly elemental sulfur and offers some good nutrients for the soil.
Soil Depth for Beets
I really screwed this up when I first started growing beets. I figured that because the part I ate was so small, they didn’t need that deep of a container or space to grow in. Boy was I wrong.
Beets have deep roots which can grow up to 36 inches. I’ve had others tell me that they’ve seen roots grow even deeper than that, but I can’t verify it for sure.
When I grow in containers, I use a pot or fabric grow bag that has 12” to 15” of depth. I’ve found that works.
When planting in the ground or in raised beds, I don’t have to worry about that as much because the root can continue to grow as deep as it wants.
Best DIY Soil For Beets
My soil is heavy clay and rock. When growing in the ground, I turn over the top 8” to 12” of soil. I usually will add perlite and/or compost to it as well to help with drainage and aeration. I mix this all into the soil really well so it’s a nice blended mixture.
I also take this time to mix in blood meal and bone meal. This provides a healthy dose of nitrogen and phosphorus which will be important for the young beet plant. Because both are organic, it takes time for them to break down into the soil, so I try to get a head start by mixing it in now.
As I do this, I check for any rocks and debris that may be in the ground. I remove those and break up any thick clumps of dirt.
When I’m finished, my soil is light and fluffy.
The other important thing is to make sure the very top of the soil doesn’t become crusty. That makes it difficult for the beet sprout to grow through after germination.
I’ve also found it best to then cover the soil with some type of organic matter to prevent the soil from forming a crust. I’ve been using garden straw to cover my soil for years and it works great. But you can also use leaves or even pine needles.
Best Commercial Potting Soil For Beets
I’ve tested out a lot of potting mixes and soils over the years and the vast majority of them perform about the same. With that being said, there are three that have stuck out to me.
These three have held their pH levels the best and have a good blend of nutrients according to my soil tests.
ProMix
ProMix is a Canadian-made soil medium that is peat-based and used in greenhouses and hydroponics. I’ve also found it works well in my outdoor garden. The company states that it increases the plants’ ability to take in water and nutrients and by the looks of my beet crop, I would agree.
It’s a bit more expensive than other choices, but it’s really high quality. I understand why it costs as much as it does.
Roots Organic
Roots Organic is a coco fiber-based potting soil that many hydroponic gardeners use. It’s all organic with bat guano, earthworm castings, fish bone meal, and other great ingredients.
I’ve found it to be one of the best soils for water retention and drainage. It doesn’t dry out too fast but has great drainage at the same time.
The bags come in a cool shape that resembles a grow bag so if you’re short on space, you can poke a few holes in the bottom, fold the top over and you’ve got a pre-potted grow bag ready to go. The 1.5 cubic feet size is the equivalent of a 10-gallon grow bag.
Happy Frog
I’ve used Fox Farm’s Happy Frog Soil the longest and I’ve come to appreciate its organic blend. What I like most about it is that it’s so versatile. It too holds pH levels well and has good drainage, but it’s not as heavy on nutrients as many others meaning I can amend the soil how I see fit based on what I am growing.
Happy Frog is just a good mild soil that is adaptable to any veggie I want to grow.
Best Soil for Beets Recommended Reading
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