# BEET - 2026 European Focus Crops **URL:** \ **Category:** Adaptation Projects\ **Tags:** beets, beta-vulgaris, beetroot, focus-crops-europe\ **Created:** [November 18, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390 "2025-11-18T13:02:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/41 "2026-06-16T15:04:28Z")
I am also prepping my beds to resow beets. I had poor germination due to lacking irrigation. Have about 40-50 beets growing from different populations but were expecting several hundreds. It is good to know several people here are working on it. How are others doing? ---
**Author:** ![Tomas](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/tomas/32/13318_2.png) [@Tomas](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Tomas)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 9:54am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/42 "2026-06-24T09:54:14Z")
A few of problems here and there, but no disaster so far. I will harvest fava beans and garlic soon and sow the last batch of beets and carrots there. ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 7:36am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/43 "2026-07-03T07:36:39Z")
I had perhaps 60-100 beets from the [Beet Grex 2026](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/creating-a-beet-grex-2026/4491) growing from the last sowing. Very large differences in growth and it takes some discipline on my part to let the small scraggly ones grow too. I had germination problems due to dry weather in spring so I decided to resow this week and put microsprinklers in place. Have sown the 55 variety grex as well as the subpopulations (low geosmin, high geosmin, low oxalic acid, monogerm) again plus 30 m2 of my own beet seeds. ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 7:39am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/44 "2026-07-03T07:39:46Z")
In other news, my largest plants are of course volunteers from beets that were setting seed last year, then got eaten by deer (I salvaged a tiny amount of seed), but somehow managed to germinate and make it into beautiful plants. ---
**Author:** ![Saskia](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/saskia/32/13817_2.png) [@Saskia](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Saskia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 9:31am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/45 "2026-07-03T09:31:07Z")
My beet 55-mix seeds are doing quite well - this is one of the beet beds. I presowed them, making them less vulnerable to slugs. I might direct sow a second batch this weekend. ![beets saskia](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/4/f/4f3d7f70d34296f097de62180617e19c6bcb959e.jpeg) I intended to do an experiment to see if I can harvest, cool and replant some beets and have them produce seeds in the same season, but I don’t think that is going to work. I was too late with my first sowing. I’ll have a go at that next year. I am wondering how I’m going to keep the beets over winter. Last winter I left some in the ground with an extra mulch layer on top but they were all but one killed by frost. The ones I kept in buckets filled with sand in the shed did well. But I don’t yet know where I’m going to put 200 or so beets. Could I pack them quite tightly in buckets with sand? Still, I’ll need quite a few buckets. Any good ideas how to do this? ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 9:36am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/46 "2026-07-03T09:36:07Z")
Looks great Saskia, doing work for the community! 🙂 I think yes, you can pack them quite tightly. As for overwintering, I have mine in deep trays normally used to transport vegetables. Like this: ![IMG20251114184217](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/9/e/9e68f58385f1612ef7f82441afd46cac943a9c91.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Saskia](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/saskia/32/13817_2.png) [@Saskia](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Saskia)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2026, 6:01am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/47 "2026-07-04T06:01:25Z")
That looks good! And so I guess it can be soil/compost too, not sand specifically (which is what I read somewhere). I’ll start looking for some stackable crates, which would save space in the shed. I don’t think the beets need light until spring, so that could work. ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 9:30am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/48 "2026-07-06T09:30:57Z")
I just took whatever I had and mixed it with all the sand I had. Sand is better because of drainage. ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/49 "2026-08-06T20:02:45Z")
Some pics from the beet bed today. All beds are very patchy. I direct sowed all my beets and slugs have been eating the small seedlings. But there’s still more than enough to make lots of seed and hopefully get quite some diversity - when we pool all our seed, we should probably get genetics from most of the varieties in the 55 mix. In the second photo you can see a bit of my seed bed in the top right corner where I also have lots of beets setting seed to share with you next season. The roots from the 55 mix are sizing up too, which will give a larger flower shoot next year. ![IMG20260806141953](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/3/6/36cf66448d1fef38bc99068acc6d71a86cb7843e.jpeg) ![IMG20260806131520](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/7/f/7ffa84590f94d9e8d34a6b1c4abdd344e0da3aaf.jpeg) ![IMG20260806131509](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/2/e/2e1504370d210c4244f245e79a28fa38fe0dcf3d.jpeg) ![IMG20260806131440](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/c/1/c1e7397f9dce01a7056fa1df175c4ea5af04a6e0.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Jacek](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jacek/32/3130_2.png) [@Jacek](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Jacek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/50 "2026-09-15T08:58:31Z")
I have a few survivors. Maybe ten plants. I will post a picture when I’m in the garden again. I wonder if I should keep them over winter in the ground or dig up. The two survivors from last year that I dug up tried to grow leaves in the dark of my cellar and I have eventually let them dry out and die 😕 ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/51 "2026-09-15T19:40:14Z")
I’m wondering too about the best way to overwinter roots. Beets and carrots did grow leaves in my shed too, but I also had some light come in from the roof window. Theoretically, I know it is possible to overwinter roots in complete darkness without them starting to grow. I think I might have watered them too much (didn’t want them to dry out) and possibly that they didn’t go into full dormancy for some reason - perhaps tempearture. Anyone else got information to share for the group as we get ready for the overwintering part of this project? ---
**Author:** ![avery.bowron](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/avery.bowron/32/12878_2.png) [@avery.bowron](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/avery.bowron)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 2:35am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/52 "2026-09-16T02:35:31Z")
I don’t have personal experience storing beets through the winter, but here’s what Suzanne Ashworth’s _Seed to Seed_ recommends: ![IMG_4378](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/4/5/4576f789be7d1f9ae65d322e3784e99167b0d9af.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Tomas](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/tomas/32/13318_2.png) [@Tomas](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Tomas)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 6:36am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/53 "2026-09-17T06:36:29Z")
In my zone 6B: Last winter - all beets overwintered in cold, poorly insulated greenhouse successfully Previous winter - all beets rotten in vegetable patch (not covered by anything) So there seems to be a thin line between success and failure, depending mainly on the winter temperatures. ---
**Author:** ![Jacek](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jacek/32/3130_2.png) [@Jacek](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Jacek)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2026, 9:09am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/54 "2026-09-20T09:09:54Z")
Here are my beets. I coumted exactly 10 plants. From 3 sowings of 8 rows each 3 or 4 meters long. ![IMG_20260918_174532](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/4/2/425dd68afda7a983c09eff18b2fc8894ac5a3045.jpeg) ![IMG_20260918_174549](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/a/a/aa7c162bec1bd7612eba29a5594660335b869811.jpeg) ![IMG_20260918_174543](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/b/a/ba9c7f9e36f201f0bbe59b9dae3d89c5e3147f05.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![malterod](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/malterod/32/1391_2.png) [@malterod](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/malterod)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 9:09am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390/55 "2026-10-15T09:09:11Z")
I harvested all the beets for this project last week. Most of the roots from the 55 variety mix that will become a grex next year by crossing. Most of them are red, with some orange, yellow, chioggia-colored and whites in there too. Most of them are round, with some long ones too. And some smaller sowings with low geosmin, high geosmin, low oxalic acid and monogermic varieties isolated from each other (in the smaller cases). I fertilized the soil this year and some of the beets got gigantic. I expect them to set a lot of seed if overwintering goes well. I’ve stored them all in sand and coco coir in a shed now. ![IMG_20261012_180633548](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/3X/8/1/812137d049980e1407488dcdffaabb272d9f018f.jpeg) [Previous page](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/beet-2026-european-focus-crops/4390.md?page=2)