How to Grow Beetroot
'Boltardy' from Seed
Britain's favourite beetroot — the RHS Award of Garden Merit variety whose bolt resistance makes it the only reliable choice for early March sowing, producing deep ruby-red globe roots of exceptional sweetness from June through to October
The name contains the most important fact. 'Boltardy' is bolt-hardy — it resists the tendency to run prematurely to seed (bolt) that afflicts most beetroot varieties when sown in cold soil or when the young plant experiences temperature fluctuations. This single characteristic is what makes it the most widely grown beetroot in Britain: it can be sown from mid-March, under cloches or fleece, a full two to four weeks earlier than standard varieties. That earlier start translates into an earlier harvest — the first deep ruby roots ready to pull from late May or early June rather than late June or July.
Beyond its bolt resistance, Boltardy is simply an excellent beetroot on every count. The globe-shaped roots are smooth-skinned, uniformly round, and a rich, deep ruby-red throughout the flesh — with the minimal internal rings that make it more visually consistent when sliced for the plate. The flavour is sweet and substantial, with the full beetroot character that the vegetable is grown for. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, won in 1993 and reconfirmed in 2016, in recognition of its reliable performance and outstanding garden value. It is also an open-pollinated variety — seed can be saved from the finest plants and grown on true to type the following year, a practical and economical advantage.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Crop Type
Root Vegetable — Open-Pollinated
Sowing Time
Mid-Mar (cloche/fleece) – Jul direct
Harvest
10–12 weeks from sowing
Position
Sun or partial shade; stone-free
Award
RHS AGM 1993 · reconfirmed 2016
Difficulty Rating
2 out of 5 — Straightforward
Understanding the Variety
Boltardy is an open-pollinated variety of Beta vulgaris — the same species as all beetroots, chard and spinach beet — selected and stabilised over decades for its bolt resistance, root quality and flavour. Open-pollinated means that the genetics are stable and the variety breeds true from seed: plants grown from seed saved from the finest Boltardy roots will produce Boltardy roots again, unlike F1 hybrids where seed cannot be usefully saved. This makes Boltardy an economical choice for growers who save seed, and explains its continued popularity decades after its introduction.
The minimal internal rings of Boltardy — most beetroot shows concentric pale rings alternating with the deep red flesh — is a useful culinary quality. Sliced raw or cooked, Boltardy reads as a more uniformly deep red than varieties with prominent rings, which is why it is the preferred variety for presentations where a consistently deep, jewel-like colour in the flesh is wanted.
Why Bolt Resistance Matters
Bolting — running to seed without forming a usable root — is triggered in beetroot by cold stress in young plants or by sowing too early in cold soil. Most varieties require soil at 10°C or above for safe sowing; Boltardy can be sown when soil is as cold as 7°C without the same bolting risk. This is why it can go in from mid-March under a cloche or sheet of fleece while other varieties must wait until April. The practical value is a genuinely earlier harvest — June rather than July from the first sowing. It can also be sown in July for autumn baby beets, when other varieties might bolt in the warmth before sizing up.
Sowing & Establishment
Soak Seeds for Faster Germination
Soak beetroot seed clusters in warm water for 30–60 minutes before sowing to soften the tough outer coat and speed germination. This is particularly worthwhile for March sowings in cold soil. Sow promptly after soaking — do not allow pre-soaked seeds to dry before planting.
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Prepare a fine, stone-free seedbed. Remove stones and break up compacted soil thoroughly. Stony or compacted ground causes forked, misshapen roots. Do not add fresh manure — this also causes forking. Well-rotted compost worked in the previous autumn is ideal preparation.
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Sow direct from mid-March (with protection) to July. Make drills 2cm deep and 30cm apart. Place seed clusters 5–7cm apart — each cluster produces multiple seedlings. Cover, firm gently, and water in. Protect March and early April sowings with cloches or horticultural fleece until soil warms.
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Thin to 10cm apart once seedlings are 5–7cm tall. Each seed cluster produces several seedlings — thin to the strongest one. The thinnings are delicious in salads — do not waste them. Adequate spacing is essential for well-developed roots.
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Succession sow every three to four weeks from March to July. Boltardy's season-long reliability makes it ideal for successive sowings — a row in March, another in April, May, June and July gives continuous harvests from May through October. The July sowing is particularly useful for autumn baby beets, harvested young before the frosts.
Growing On Tips
Consistent Moisture
Irregular watering causes bolting, cracking and woody roots. Keep soil consistently moist. Mulch between rows to retain moisture and reduce watering frequency. In dry spells, water deeply every few days rather than lightly daily — deep watering encourages deeper rooting and more drought-resistant plants.
Edible Tops
The leaves are fully edible at any stage — young thinnings are excellent in salads; larger leaves can be wilted like chard. The ruby-red stems are nutritious and attractive. Never remove all leaves from a growing plant — leave three or four to fuel photosynthesis and root development.
No High-Nitrogen Feeding
Do not feed with nitrogen-rich fertilisers — these produce lush leaf growth at the expense of root development. On reasonably fertile soil from previous crops or autumn composting, no additional feeding is needed. On very poor soil, rake in a balanced granular fertiliser before sowing.
Saving Seed
As an open-pollinated variety, Boltardy seed can be saved true to type. Allow a few plants to bolt in their second year (beetroot is technically biennial), collect the brown seed heads before they shatter, and dry thoroughly. Store in a cool, dry, dark container. Homegrown seed typically remains viable for three to four years.
Storage After Harvest
Twist off tops (don't cut — cutting causes bleeding), leaving 2–3cm of stem. Store in boxes of slightly damp sand in a cool, frost-free location — shed, garage, or cellar. Stored correctly, Boltardy roots keep for three to four months, making the November and December harvest viable with October-lifted roots.
Harvest Timing Flexibility
Boltardy can be harvested as baby beets (3–5cm) from around eight weeks, or allowed to develop to full size (8–10cm) at twelve weeks. Baby beets from the July sowing make outstanding autumn salad vegetables. Mature roots from the March sowing can be stored through winter. One variety covers the full year.
Harvesting & Cooking
Making the Most of Boltardy
When to harvest: Baby beets from 8 weeks (3–5cm diameter); full-size roots from 10–12 weeks (8–10cm). Boltardy holds reasonably well in the ground past optimal size without going woody — it can be left for two to three weeks past peak without significant quality loss, giving flexibility in timing.
Cooking: Boil whole (30–45 minutes depending on size) or roast with olive oil at 200°C for 40–50 minutes. Boltardy's deep ruby colour makes it outstanding for warm roasted beet salads with goat's cheese, walnuts and balsamic. The sweet flavour develops further through roasting. Grate raw over salads — the colour is dramatic against pale ingredients.
Pickling: The classic British use. Vinegar and spice pickling preserves Boltardy through winter with minimal quality loss. Use malt vinegar for a traditional sharp pickle or cider vinegar with honey for a gentler result. The deep ruby colour and sweet flavour make Boltardy one of the finest pickling beetroots.
Beetroot in baking: Raw grated Boltardy adds moisture, sweetness and an extraordinary ruby red colour to chocolate cakes, brownies and muffins. The earthy sweetness complements chocolate perfectly. Use 200–250g of grated raw beetroot per standard cake recipe — the colour bakes to a deep purple-red that is visually spectacular when cut.
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Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
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| Bolting despite sowing Boltardy | Very cold soil; severe cold check after germination | Boltardy is bolt-resistant, not bolt-proof. Extreme cold in the seedling stage can still trigger bolting. Protect very early sowings with fleece. If a plant bolts, remove it — the root will be tough and inedible. Sow a replacement in the same space. |
| Forked or misshapen roots | Stones; fresh manure; waterlogging; insufficient thinning | Remove all stones before sowing. Use only well-rotted compost. Ensure adequate drainage. Thin to 10cm spacing promptly. On heavy clay, grow in raised beds or containers with improved compost. |
| Poor germination | Cold soil; seed not soaked; seed too old | Soak seed clusters 30–60 minutes in warm water before sowing. Do not sow in soil below 7°C. Use seed within two to three years of the packet date. Germination in cold soil is slow but usually reliable for Boltardy — be patient. |
| Leaves eaten overnight | Slugs on young seedlings | Protect seedlings with organic slug pellets for the first two to three weeks. Once plants are established with several true leaves, slug damage is less significant. Older plants are rarely fatally damaged by slugs. |
Plant Specifications
Britain's favourite beetroot — for good and well-earned reason
Boltardy has been the most popular beetroot in UK gardens for decades, and no new variety has displaced it, because it does exactly what it promises: it can be sown a month earlier than anything else, it produces uniform, deep-red, sweet-fleshed globe roots that perform in every kitchen application, and its open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seed from your finest plants and grow it again next year. Sow successionally from March to July, use the bolt resistance fully, and enjoy fresh beetroot from June through October.
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