When to plant Beetroot in Subtropical Australia

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Beetroot can be sown direct in every month of the year across the subtropics, which makes it one of the most flexible crops in the zone. Even so, autumn and winter sowings around Brisbane and the Gold Coast give the sweetest, most reliable roots, while summer crops need extra attention with watering. Each knobbly 'seed' is actually a cluster that yields several seedlings, and germination takes 15 to 25 days. Roots are ready in roughly 55 to 85 days. Sow 20–30 mm deep and thin ruthlessly to 5–10 cm, or you'll harvest a tangle of small, misshapen beets.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: January to December.

Growing notes

Being frost-hardy and reasonably heat-tolerant, beetroot genuinely will grow year-round here, but the humid summer changes how you manage it. In the wet, warm months roots can grow woody or split after heavy downpours, and leaf-spot fungus peppers the foliage with brown blotches. Sow into raised, free-draining beds, water evenly rather than letting the soil swing from dry to saturated, and keep the rows uncrowded. Winter sowings are almost trouble-free by comparison and develop the deepest colour and sugar.

Because each seed cluster throws several shoots, thinning is the step most gardeners skip and most regret. Snip out the weaker seedlings at soil level once they're a few centimetres tall so the survivors can swell to full size. Beetroot likes a loose, stone-free soil with plenty of compost but only moderate nitrogen, since too much gives you lush tops and mean little roots.

• Soak the seed clusters overnight to speed the slow germination
• Thin to a single strong seedling every 5–10 cm
• Keep water steady to prevent splitting and woodiness
• Pull roots young, at golf-ball to tennis-ball size, for tenderness

Beetroot at a glance

Companion planting

Grows well with

Lettuce: Efficient space use; different root depths

Onion: Efficient space use; onion scent deters some pests

Keep away from

Bean (Climbing): Climbing beans shade beet excessively

Common questions

Can I grow beetroot all year round in the subtropics?

Yes, it can be sown in any month here. That said, autumn and winter sowings give the sweetest and least trouble-prone roots, while summer crops need careful, even watering.

Why are my beetroot roots woody or cracked?

This usually follows uneven watering, especially heavy summer rain after a dry patch. Grow them in free-draining soil, keep moisture steady, and harvest while the roots are still young.

How many seedlings come from one beetroot seed?

Each 'seed' is a cluster that can sprout several seedlings, so thinning is essential. Remove the weaker ones so the strongest plant every 5–10 cm can size up.

How long until beetroot is ready to harvest?

About 55 to 85 days from sowing. They eat best picked young, around golf-ball to tennis-ball size, rather than left to grow large.

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