![]() But slice into a Chioggia beet, and discover a party going on inside! It’s certainly one of the most festive looking of all garden vegetables, and it tastes wonderful, too.įor Urban Growers: Try Bull’s Blood (BT174) as a micro-green, and harvest just as the first set of true leaves is emerging. It’s hard to pick a favourite beet because they all have winning qualities. Eat them raw, cooked, pickled – you can even make beet chips! Most important, it is very easy to grow beets from seed. They also contain betaine, a compound that is essential for cardiovascular health. ![]() Both the roots and the leaves are an excellent source of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamin C. We comply with the Federal Trade Commission 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).Beets are incredibly nutritious. The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This information is for educational purposes only. Quentin Tyler, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential. A 25-foot row will yield 25 to 30 pounds (about 1 to 2 bushel).ĭeveloped by James Manning, Undergraduate Research Assistant, and Daniel Brainard, Vegetable Extension Specialist MSU Department of Horticulture Gary Heilig, MSU Extension educator. Once you start picking, you can continue for four to six weeks, depending on the weather. Larger roots are sweeter but also tougher and woodier. For the best quality roots, harvest when they are 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Smaller leaves are tender, though excessive early harvest of leaves will reduce root size and quality. Harvest leaves anytime they reach sufficient size. Some gardeners will plant potato slices nearby as a trap-crop to draw wireworms away from the beets. Insects: Wireworms, cutworms, leafminers, flea beetles, aphids.ĭiseases: Cercospera leaf spot, scab. Wireworms are the most serious pest problem. Fertilize according to soil test results and make sure you apply at least 1 inch of water per week. This means that thinning is often required to get to the desired spacing of about 2 inches between plants. Beet “seeds” are actually dried fruit containing one to four true seeds. Planting and careīeets do best on a light soil with a pH over 6.0. Some varieties, like Forono, have cylindrical shapes providing uniform slices for pickling or cooking, with little waste. Chioggia beets have concentric red and white rings. Colors include red, golden, white or mixtures. Many interesting varieties of beets are available, varying in color, shape and time to maturity. High fluctuating temperatures produce beets with poor flesh color or white rings. Beets are cool-season crops but are fairly heat tolerant. Leaves are similar to their close relative Swiss chard. Roots are red, purple, golden or white, and either round or cylindrical. You can also pickle them or use them to prepare the Russian soup borscht. The roots are high in sugar (8 to 20 percent), and the plant is a source of vitamins A and C. Time to harvest: 50 to 100 days from seed īeets are not one of the more popular vegetables, even though both the root and the leaves are edible.
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