Can Beets Be Grown Hydroponically?

Hydroponic Setup

• Hydroponic gardens come in a range of sizes for different plants, but always include contained growing pods and watering systems. They accept programming for watering frequency and offer protected indoor growing situations. Use hydroponic gardens with large growing pods for root crops like beets.

Planting

• Fill the designated growing pods with loose nonsoil potting mediums, such as peat moss, fern matter, vermiculite or perlite. Hydroponic gardens may also use gravel or pebbles, although these media restrict space for root crop growth whereas organic mediums compress to allow space. Plant one beet seed in each pod at a depth of 1/2 inch.

Nutrition and Water

• Beets are moisture-loving plants, but cannot live only on water. Mix hydroponic nutrients into the water per manufacturer directions to supply vitamins and minerals for growth. Beets do best with 5-10-10 fertilizers. Set the garden to water the beets with 2 inches of water every week.

Care and Harvest

• Beets are cool-season plants but still require adequate sun and warmth to grow. Keep them in bright sun or artificial light for four to six hours a day and maintain temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit for best growth. Harvest the beets young for tender, juicy vegetables. The Ohio State University Extension recommends harvesting when the plants reach 4 to 6 inches in height and the beets themselves reach 1 to 1-1/2 inches across.