How do you know when your beets are ready?

[spiderdust]

The tops of my beets look lush, purply and big! But I don't want to pull my beets up too soon... how will I know when they're ready to be harvested?

[claras_mom]

A lot of times with root veggies like beets and radishes, the roots will start to rise out of the soil, as they mature, so you can gauge how big it's getting that way. If you look at the base of your foliage and don't see any part of the beet itself, it's probably too early.