Agriculture Report - In the Garden: Growing Beets

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VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. There's work to do in a garden, but some plants less work than others. Beets are a root vegetable do not need a lot of care. People might beets are always dark red. But they can also pink, yellow or white. Beets are high in nutrients folate, iron and fiber. They can be used fresh frozen, canned or pickled. And not just the root also the tops can be eaten. The leaves make salads when the plants are young, and the greens be cooked when the plants are older. Beets like temperatures, between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. They grow in full sun and in loose soil that is too wet. Remove stones from the soil while preparing ground. And test the soil before adding lime and . Some experts say the best fertilizers for beets are in nitrogen. Beet seeds can be planted as soon the soil is able to be worked at the of the growing season. Planting them every two to weeks will provide a continuous harvest into the fall. horticulture specialist at Iowa State University suggests planting the a little more than one centimeter deep. They should planted in rows that are spaced 30 to 46 apart. Overcrowding the plants will mean that the roots spread out and grow. Thin the beets by removing smaller ones. These can be used as greens. The work needed once beets have been thinned is weeding , when the weather is dry, a weekly watering. For results, beets should be picked when they are four five centimeters across. Beets much larger than that can tough and have to be cooked for a long . For VOA Learning English, I'm Laurel Bowman. (Adapted from radio program broadcast 11Mar2013)

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