Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is an easy, reliable root crop. Sow directly into the bed from mid-April to June, about 2–3 cm deep in rows 25–30 cm apart. Each 'seed' is actually a cluster of several seeds, so seedlings come up in small groups and must be thinned to one plant every 8–10 cm, otherwise the roots stay small. Beetroot prefers deep, loose, humus-rich soil with pH 6.5–7.5 and does poorly in acid soil; too much nitrogen produces lush leaves at the expense of the root. Keep the soil evenly moist, as irregular watering makes roots woody or ringed. Young beets the size of a golf ball can be pulled from July, and the tender leaves can be cooked like chard. Lift main-crop roots before hard frost in October, twist off the leaves rather than cutting them, so the roots do not bleed, and store them in boxes of damp sand in a cool cellar.