Beets are one of those foods that you either love or hate. I personally am in the love camp. I could easily eat beets every day. I can’t even imagine a garden where I wouldn’t find a place to grow beets. Because I am such a huge fan of beets and lists, I’ve decided to combine the two into an awesome little companion planting reference. Well, I think it’s awesome, at least.
- Broccoli. Broccoli is just a quiet little neighbor for beets. It doesn’t cause any trouble.
- Mint. Don’t grow the mint in the ground next to beets. You will regret it. Mint is an invasive booger, BUT, it is amazing for clipping and using as mulch around the beets to deter pests.
- Garlic. Garlic will help with both flavor and growth of beets.
- Brussels Sprouts. Brussels Sprouts follow the same good-neighbor principal as broccoli.
- Bush Beans. This is an important distinction. Bush beans good, pole beans bad. Bush beans benefit from the amount of magnesium beets leave in the soil.
- Cabbage. Pretty much anything in the cabbage family is safe to plant near beets.
- Cauliflower. Again, good neighbors.
- Chard. Good neighbors.
- Kohlrabi. Both Kohlrabi and Beets grow better together.
- Onions. Good neighbors.
Are you in the “I heart beets” category? What do you grow them with?
~Mavis
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Diane says
I have a “beet” mystery! I’ve had great success growing golden beets and epic fails growing red beets. I’ve tried with both seeds and starts. Has anyone experienced this and if so have you come up with any solutions? Thanks.
ashma says
I grew them from the tops cut off fresh beets and have great harvest. I plant them sometime in April and use organic soil in my garden. I do organic gardening and have been blessed with great products. Usually they are ready mid summer. I live in Georgia.
Gina says
Can’t wait to try this! Do you start the tops in water first to get roots or just plant the tops in soil?
Ellen in Clackamas says
where do you live Diane? I ask because this has been my problem too! I can remember my Mom just kind of throwing beets seeds onto the ground and having great crops (with really poor soil) but no red beets for me except from the Farmers Market.
Diane says
Hi Ellen,
I am in North Seattle. This year I’m going to make a new raised bed especially for my root crops.
It is such a mystery because i don’t think there is any botanical difference (except color).
Thanks for responding, at least I’m not alone with this issue! I like the goldens roasted. I prefer the reds for pickling.
Still too wet for direct sowing in my garden because we’ve had a super wet winter. It will not be long, I’m thinking another week. I can’t wait!
Tracy says
I want to like beets. Every year I try them and I still don’t like them. They taste like dirt to me. They are beautiful and I know they are good for me, but I can honestly say it is probably the only thing I do not like. Help Mavis! I want to like them.
Donna says
I love beets, and always have, but totally agree with you–they taste like dirt. I guess I have always liked dirt. (I remember winning a challenge in Brownie Girls Scouts who could eat the most spoonfuls of dirt in their Dixie cup. Not leader sanctioned, of course). I don’t know how you’ve tried them, but if you like pickles in general, maybe pickled beets will help with that? Roasting really sweetens them up, too. I see now that someone else already suggested pickled, but I think it’s alright to not like something! Especially when it’s the only thing you don’t like.
CD Greier says
Growing up our family always loved beets but the first time I had beets cooked by a friend’s mom-ugh! Our mother always made harvard style and pickled beets; I had no idea there was anything else!
Sherry Herry says
I like to roast my beets, take the skin off, and drizzle some balsamic vinegar reduction over them. https://joyfoodsunshine.com/roasted-beets/#recipe
Karen Kephart says
you can put some beets chopped up into smoothies
Ellen in Clackamas says
Tracy, maybe you could try some pickled beets or another way is what our school used to call “Harvard beets” (no idea about the name) but they are sliced beets in a sweet and sour sauce.
thanks Diane. Yes, my ground is still way too wet for any planting (plus I hate trying to garden in the cold rain). I have my packet of beet seeds though and am going to try again. And yes, I have raised beds.
JCH says
Don’t know what I’m doing right or wrong, but my beets are always so sweet and I don’t do too much to them. The years that I’ve tried to follow too many suggestions are the years they don’t quite turn out as good and sweet. I just either plant a row in between my lettuce and spinach and not far from my snow peas, followed by cukes and fillet pole beans. Then the rest is sweet beets. They turn out so sweet I very rarely pickle them.
Jon Eiche says
I love the red beets. Trying to grow them this year among my tomatoes because I have a Personal Chef Service and I frequently use the beets in my recipes. My favorite is borscht which is best using freshly harvested beets!