 Beats are one of the tastiest of homegrown vegetables. They have an earthy sweetness that is beyond compare. Most people think of beats as an in-ground row crop, but due to their compact size, they're actually perfect in containers. Imagine growing fresh beats on your deck, patio, or anywhere else that you can put a container. There are just three elements to growing great container vegetables. Sun, soil, and the right container. These plants all require full sun, and that means six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Next, selecting the right soil. This is going to be a pre-bagged mix that's specially labeled for use with vegetables, which ensures that they'll have the proper ratio of nutrients that your plants need to grow strong. Never use garden soil or landscape soil because they can be too heavy for root development, and they can also contain weed seeds and other bacteria. Finally, select the right container. I suggest 12, 18, or 24-inch diameter containers. This measurement refers to the width of the top of the container. Keep in mind that the larger the container, the more plants that you can put in each one. One crucial element to selecting containers is making sure that they have drainage holes. So, let's get planting. We grow beats by sowing the seed directly in the soil. Plant your beet seeds about three inches apart from each other all around the container. The planting holes should each be about a quarter-inch deep. As you can see, I'm planting two to three seeds per hole so that I have several to choose from after they germinate. We'll narrow it down to select the one strongest seedling from each hole to grow on for the rest of the season. For the seedlings that you do remove, you need to snip them off the soil line instead of pulling them out. You don't want to disturb the roots of the seedling that you're leaving in. After your seeds are in their planting holes, gently cover back over with the remaining soil to settle the seed. The final step is to gently water in the container to settle the soil around the seeds and start the germinating process. Every burpee seed packet comes with a full set of instructions on how to start your seeds as well as a calendar letting you know exactly when to get planting. By selecting the right container, good potting soil, and keeping your plants well-watered, you'll be sure to grow a great container garden on your porch patio or deck this gardening season. Happy gardening! You can find an incredible selection of seeds and plants at our website burpee.com.