Beet Flowers: Why They Appear and What to Do
A flowering beet plant diverts energy from its root. Learn about this natural process and the gardening techniques used to ensure a quality harvest.
The beet, Beta vulgaris, is a cool-season vegetable appreciated for the earthy flavor and rich color of its taproot. This plant is a biennial, meaning its natural life cycle spans two full years. In its first year, the beet plant focuses its energy on developing a large, sugary root and a lush rosette of leaves, the stage at which it is harvested for consumption.
If left to grow into its second season, it shifts from vegetative growth to a reproductive phase to produce seeds.
Understanding Beet Bolting
When a beet plant produces a flower stalk during its first growing season, this process is known as bolting. Bolting is a survival response, signaling a premature shift from storing energy in the root to producing flowers and seeds. This becomes a problem for gardeners when it happens ahead of schedule.
The primary trigger for bolting is vernalization, which is exposure to a prolonged period of cold. If young beet plants experience temperatures between 41 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit for several weeks, their internal clock is tricked into behaving as if they have survived a winter. This cold exposure signals the plant to enter its reproductive phase.
Following this cold spell, a combination of warming temperatures and increasing day length confirms the signal to reproduce. The lengthening daylight hours of late spring and early summer are a cue for the plant to initiate flowering, causing it to divert resources toward creating a flower stalk.
Impact of Flowering on Beet Roots
Once a beet plant begins to bolt, a significant physiological change occurs. The plant’s energy, previously directed toward enlarging the root, is redirected upward to fuel the growth of the flower stalk and subsequent seed production. This redirection of resources directly affects the quality of the beet root.
The sugars and nutrients stored in the root are mobilized to support the new growth, causing the root to become tough, fibrous, and woody in texture. The flavor also diminishes, with the characteristic sweetness giving way to a bitter taste.
While the root of a bolted beet is still edible, its poor texture and flavor make it unappealing for culinary use. The leaves, however, remain edible and can be harvested and used like spinach or chard.
Preventing Beets from Flowering
A primary strategy to prevent bolting is careful timing of planting. Sowing seeds after the danger of the last hard frost has passed helps protect young plants from the cold snaps that initiate vernalization. Starting seeds indoors and transplanting them out once the weather has stabilized can also reduce the risk.
Selecting the right variety is another effective measure. Plant breeders have developed cultivars, often labeled as “bolt-resistant” or “Boltardy,” that are less sensitive to environmental stress. These varieties are an excellent choice for early spring plantings when cold spells are more likely.
Maintaining consistent growing conditions is also important. Plant stress from insufficient water can encourage premature flowering, so regular watering to keep the soil moist is needed. Applying a layer of organic mulch can help regulate soil temperature and retain moisture, further protecting the plants.
Harvesting Seeds from Beet Flowers
When a beet plant bolts, the situation offers an opportunity for seed saving. The flowers can be allowed to mature to produce seeds for future gardens. For successful seed production, the flowers must be pollinated.
Beets are wind-pollinated and will cross-pollinate with other beet varieties and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris), so they should be isolated to ensure the seeds remain true to type. After pollination, the flower stalk will develop and begin to dry out.
The seeds are ready for harvest when the stalk and seed clusters have turned brown and dry. It is best to wait until about two-thirds of the seeds are brown before collecting them. The entire stalk can then be cut and moved to a dry location to finish curing for another week or two before the seeds are stripped from the stalk by hand.
Stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, these seeds can remain viable for at least four years.