As May approaches, many gardeners have started planting the seeds of vegetables that will yield wonderful results in the coming months. Experts from GardenersWorld.com have suggested planting one healthy vegetable in May that requires only “little maintenance”. 

According to the experts, May is the best time to plant beetroots in your garden and it is an easy option to start with, for those just starting to get their green fingers. Beetroot 'Boltardy' is one of the most popular to grow. They explained: “The seeds don't need much encouragement to germinate and they require little maintenance once established.” 

They added: "Sow seeds direct in shallow drills or pots. Now's also the time to plant out pre-sown beetroot plugs outside – make sure you plant them before the roots develop or they will grow into unusual shapes."

The Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) also echoed similar thoughts and said that Beetroot is a popular and easy-to-grow crop, ideal for beginners. Also known as beets, these plants take up very little room, especially when harvested young, so are ideal if space is limited, and they can even be grown in containers.

The healthy vegetable is ready in approximately in 40 to 60 days, the experts have explained. 

The RHS said: "The roots can be harvested any time from the size of a golf ball up to a cricket ball, but don’t let them get much bigger or they may turn woody."

Beetroot seeds are sizable and simple to plant, often consisting of seed clusters rather than individual seeds. Typically, they are directly sown into the soil from early spring to mid-summer.

However, for an earlier start, they can also be sown indoors in modules.

Indoor sowing is ideal for early planting, particularly in colder regions. Fill modular trays with peat-free seed compost and place one seed cluster at the center of each module, planting them at a depth of 2.5 cm (1 in).

If multiple seedlings sprout in a single module, remove the weaker ones, keeping only the strongest.

For clusters of smaller roots, sow up to four seeds per module without thinning the seedlings. When transplanting outdoors, keep the seedlings together without separating them.