In Kenya, the main beetroot producing counties are Nakuru, Kiambu and Tharaka Nithi. The vegetable, which belongs to the chenopodiaceae family, together with spinach, has many medicinal uses. However, it is consumed either in fruit or vegetable salads, boiled or pickled in vinegar. In Japan and Indonesia, the leaves are consumed. Chemicals in the roots can be extracted and used to make food colours.
Ecological requirements
Beetroot is a hardy and cool weather crop and it can be grown throughout the year as long as there is enough water. It requires a temperature of 18-25 degrees C.
Very hot conditions are not good as they result in poor colour of the roots and this lowers the quality. The soil should be deep, well drained, loose and loamy to sandy. Soil pH should be 6.0-7.0.
Propagation
Beetroot is propagated from seeds which are sown directly in the main seedbed. The land should be prepared to a fine tilth before the sowing.
Furrows which are 30cm apart are made and the spacing between the seeds is 10cm. The seed rate is 6-7kg per hectare.
Irrigation
It should be done immediately after sowing the seeds. Beetroot requires a lot of water for faster growth, therefore, irrigation should be practised during the dry season.
Avoid overwatering as it leads to too much vegetative growth at the expense of root development. If the beetroots lack water, the resulting roots will be woody.
