When to Plant Beetroot in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Also called beet.
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Beetroot guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to Jul
- Days to harvest
- 55 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 10 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Shop price
- $10.48/kg
Beetroot is one of the easiest root vegetables for Australian home gardeners, tolerant of a wide range of climates and soils. It produces both edible roots and nutritious greens, making it a dual-purpose crop.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar S/D
- Apr S/T/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul T/D
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Beetroot included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Beetroot in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, loose loam or sandy loam enriched with compost. Avoid heavy clay unless amended. Do NOT add fresh manure. It causes forked, hairy roots.
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun (6+ hours). Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot climates.
- Spacing
- 10cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent moisture is critical. Irregular watering causes woody, cracked roots. Water deeply 2-3 times per week. Drip irrigation or soaker hose preferred. Overhead watering in humid zones promotes cercospora leaf spot.
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Dill, Garlic
- Keep away from
- Climbing Beans, Quinoa, Spinach (same family; shared pests and diseases)
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Tropical Growing Tips for Beetroot
Recommended Varieties
- Detroit Dark Red
- Derwent Globe
- Bull's Blood
- Cylindra
Key Challenges
- Cercospora leaf spot in humid conditions
- Root-knot nematodes in sandy soils
- Bolting if temperatures fluctuate wildly
- Short shelf life in tropical heat
Pro Tips
- Choose bolt-resistant varieties like Detroit Dark Red
- Grow under shade cloth (30%) to moderate temperatures
- Raised beds essential for drainage during unexpected wet season rain
Pests and problems for Beetroot in Tropical
- Damping Off Sow into warm soil (above 10C). Avoid overwatering. Use well-drained seed raising mix. Thin seedlings promptly. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on... Watch
- Downy Mildew Watch
- Wireworms Watch
- Cutworms Watch
- Cercospora Leaf Spot Crop rotation (minimum 2 years away from beet family). Avoid overhead irrigation. Space plants for good airflow. Choose resistant varieties... Watch
- Root-knot nematodes Root-knot nematodes in sandy soils Watch
Harvesting Beetroot
When ready: Roots visible at soil surface, typically 5-8cm diameter. Shoulders push above soil line. Leaves still green and vigorous. Baby beets can be harvested from 4 weeks at 3-4cm diameter.
How to harvest: Gently loosen soil with a garden fork alongside the row, then pull roots. Do not cut roots. Twist off tops leaving 3-5cm of stem to prevent bleeding. Handle carefully to avoid bruising.
Storing and preserving beetroot
How to keep it
- Lacto-Fermentation (Kvass/Fermented Beet). Peel and dice raw beetroot into 1-2cm cubes. Pack into clean glass jar. Prepare 3% brine (30g salt per litre of filtered water). Pour brine over beets, ensuring all pieces are submerged (use a fermentation weight). Loose lid. Ferment at room temperature (18-24C) for 5-7 days. Taste daily after day 3 - should be tangy and slightly effervescent. Seal and refrigerate. Keeps: 3-6 months refrigerated.
- Freezing. Cook whole beets until just tender. Cool, peel, and slice or dice. Spread on tray in single layer, freeze until solid (2 hours), then transfer to freezer bags removing air. Label with date. Keeps: 12 months frozen.
- Dehydrating. Cook beets until just tender. Peel and slice thinly (3mm). Arrange on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dehydrate at 55-60C for 8-12 hours until crisp. Beetroot chips are a great snack. Keeps: 6-12 months in airtight container.
- Root Cellar / Cool Storage. Twist off tops (do not cut). Do not wash. Layer in boxes of damp sand or sawdust in a cool (1-4C), dark, humid place. Check monthly for soft spots. Keeps: 3-5 months.
- Pickling (Classic Australian Beetroot). Boil or roast whole beets (do not peel first) until tender (40-60 minutes depending on size). Cool, slip skins off, slice into rounds or wedges. Pack into sterilised jars. Prepare pickling liquid: 2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 6 whole cloves, 6 peppercorns. Boil liquid, pour over beets to 1cm from rim. Seal with new lids. Water bath process for 30 minutes. Keeps: 12 months (sealed jar, cool dark place). Refrigerate after opening..
Canning safety. Low-acid vegetables like beetroot must be pressure canned, never water-bath canned.
Grow vs buy
A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 46 plants, about $121 worth at today’s Aldi and Woolworths prices, checked today.
That is roughly 12 kg at $10.48 a kilo.
Draw your beetroot bed → No account needed.
What beetroot costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Beetroot
When do you plant beetroot in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): all year
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Apr, Jul to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): all year
Can you grow beetroot all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Mar to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
What else is beetroot called?
Beetroot is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it beet. Same plant, same growing advice.
When should I plant Beetroot in Cairns?
Sow from March, once the heavy rain eases, through July. April to June sowings give the best roots. Seedlings can be transplanted in small clumps.
What soil temperature do Beetroot need?
Beetroot germinate best when soil temperature is between 7°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Beetroot are ready to harvest?
Roots visible at soil surface, typically 5-8cm diameter. Shoulders push above soil line. Leaves still green and vigorous. Baby beets can be harvested from 4 weeks at 3-4cm diameter.
What are the best Beetroot varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Detroit Dark Red, Derwent Globe, Bull's Blood, Cylindra.
What grows well with Beetroot?
Good companion plants for Beetroot include: Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Dill, Garlic.
Are beetroot salt tolerant?
Fairly. Beetroot are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.