How to Grow Beets in a Pot

Beets make a perfectly sized vegetable for container gardening. Though beets, like most root crops, need frequent watering when planted in pots, they're a relatively low-maintenance vegetable. Slightly smaller varieties, such as Ruby Queen, suit container gardening better than larger beet cultivars. Beets grow best over the spring and summer months, so start sowing in mid-spring or after the last frost in your location.

1/2 gallon pot
Beet seeds
Potting mix
10-20-10 fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Buy a pot at least 6 to 10 inches in diameter and 6 to 12 inches deep. Ideally, choose a 2-gallon pot or larger. A half-gallon pot is sufficient for a small crop of beets, according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
- 2
  Fill the pot with potting soil -- a mixture of pasteurized soil, perlite, aged manure and peat moss. This holds water well without smothering the roots, and it won't harbor viruses like garden soil often does.
- 3
  Sow beet seeds at a 1/2-inch depth an inch apart. Gently cover the seeds with soil. Water lightly and place the pot in a full-sun location. A patio, balcony or bright corner of the garden is usually ideal.
- 4
  Thin out the young beet plants when they reach 2 inches in height. Leave a gap of 2 to 3 inches between beets. Aim for six beet plants in a 12-inch diameter pot, or fewer plants in a smaller pot.
- 5
  Dissolve 10-20-10 fertilizer in water according to the package instructions. This makes a light nutrient solution suitable for watering the soil with every day, according to experts from the University of Illinois Extension.
- 6
  Water the pot whenever you notice that the soil feels dry. Check regularly in the summer months.
- 7
  Harvest around 45 to 80 days after sowing, or when the beet roots reach between 1 and 3 inches in diameter.

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