How to Grow Chioggia Beets

Select a planting site with well-drained, sandy or loamy soil. Chioggia beets grow best in soils with a pH level of 6.5 to 6.8, according to the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service.

Use the shovel or a tiller to turn the earth in the planting bed. Remove large rocks and break up dirt clods. Mix in 5-10-10 fertilizer. Rake the planting bed smooth for better seed-to-soil contact and water the planting bed thoroughly.

Plant seeds in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Place the seeds an inch apart and cover them with 1/2 inch of soil. Water the planting bed thoroughly. Start seeds in the garden as early as two to three weeks before the last frost in spring.

Thin the seedlings when they reach a height of 3 inches. Thin the seedlings so the remaining plants are 1 to 3 inches apart. Cook the Chioggia beet seedlings for dinner, root and all.

Fertilize the Chioggia beet seedlings when they are 3 inches tall. Follow package directions for application rates, use 5-10-10 fertilizer and water the fertilizer into the planting bed thoroughly.

Monitor the beet bed for weeds. Chioggia beets do not compete well with weeds. Pull the weeds by hand as soon as you spot them, or carefully cultivate the row to remove weeds without damaging the beets' tender roots.

Keep the beets well-watered throughout the growing season. Chioggia beets need about 1 inch of water per week. Provide supplemental water if the plants do not receive enough rainfall. Spread a thin layer of mulch, if desired, to discourage weeds and preserve moisture in the planting bed.

Begin harvesting the Chioggia beets 35 to 40 days after planting if you want baby beets. Delay the harvest until between 50 and 60 days after planting for fully mature beets.