Beetroot

55 days. “AS SWEET AS SUGAR!” The sweetest of all table beets, the snow-white roots are like candy! This smooth, round heirloom beet from Holland is completely unlike the traditional earthy beet. We love the raw roots sliced thin for snacking or salads, but they are also great for cooking. Harvest the nutritious tops for an exemplary beet green. The roots can also be used for making sugar.

• 55 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

50 days. A delicious and beautiful multipurpose beet that is blood red to deep purple in color from its leaves down to its roots. The antioxidant-rich leaves are a highly regarded gourmet addition to salads, especially when harvested in the baby stage. (Baby leaves are ready to pick in just 35 days from sowing.) The sweet, earthy roots are equally delectable. This is the best variety for microgreens and will top your meals with a welcome burst of color. This illustrious heirloom was selected in 1986 by Kees Sahin, a Dutch seed breeder who used the ancient Crapaudine beet as a parent.

• 50 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

Growing Tips: Amend planting site with well-rotted compost, work soil deeply, and remove rocks. Sow 3-4 weeks before last frost. Thin early for best results. Requires neutral to slightly alkaline soil.

60 days. Chioggia beet is the most whimsical veggie in the patch! Slice the roots to reveal concentric rings of pink and white, and this fun variety adds pop to salads and pizazz to pickles. Chioggia beet originated in the historic fishing town of Chioggia, Italy, just across the lagoon from Venice. Dubbed “Little Venice” for its canals and ancient charm, local Venetians know that Chioggia is the town to visit for authentic family-style food. It also has a reputation among Italians for retaining food traditions and quality cuisine. Chioggia beet was first mentioned by legendary French seedhouse Vilmorin in 1840. When introduced in the U.S., Chioggia beet was considered a gourmet oddity, primarily sold at upscale markets. The unusual rings were a startling departure from the typical red beet, and so the variety was not immediately embraced by the public. Today the Chioggia beet remains a popular choice for market farmers; the roots are alluring and have the culinary stamp of approval from top chefs the world over. The candy-cane striped roots have a crisp crunch when eaten raw in salads. Those who are averse to that signature earthy beet flavor will appreciate this variety, as it tastes remarkably mellow. The greens are crisp and high quality. The flesh is very tender, mild, and sweet.

• 60 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

Growing Tips: Amend planting site with well-rotted compost, work soil deeply, and remove rocks. Sow 3-4 weeks before last frost. Thin early for best results. Requires neutral to slightly alkaline soil.

55 days. Crosby’s Egyptian flat beet is a market variety developed in the 19th century and still favored by farmers and market gardeners today. The unusual name stirs intrigue; beets are historically considered a crop of the European sea coast and are not typically associated with Egypt. In fact, the only thing Egyptian about this beet is its name, which is most likely tied to the “Egyptomania” that swept Europe and America during the 19th century. Napoleon’s famous Egyptian campaign sparked western interest in Egypt, influencing 1800s art, religion, and even leading to the false marketing of some goods as “Egyptian” to lend them an exotic flair. For example, the 1888 edition of J.H. Gregory’s seed catalog features Egyptian beets, as well as Egyptian sweet corn.  The “Egyptian beet” was actually a German variety introduced to the U.S. in the 1860s. This superior market strain was selected by Josiah Crosby, one of Boston’s most notable market farmers. He refined the German import for his marketing needs. He selected for a super flat saucer shape and smoother skin, as these uniform and decidedly pretty roots were more enticing for market sales. Crosby’s Egyptian beet debuted in the 1888 edition of J.H. Gregory’s catalog; it was praised for its exceptional early maturity and superior market quality. Today’s market farmers and home gardeners still appreciate Crosby’s 19th century work selecting for a perfect market variety. This perfect fall storage beet matures earlier than other storage varieties; it is a perfect late summer-sown beet to fill the winter pantry.

• 55 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

Growing Tips: Amend planting site with well-rotted compost, work soil deeply, and remove rocks. Sow 3-4 weeks before last frost. Thin early for best results. Requires neutral to slightly alkaline soil.

55 days. A wonderful, sweet heirloom from Denmark, with long, cylindrical roots famous for slicing. It is a popular choice for slicing and processing, as its roots make much more uniform slices than round beets and its skin slips more easily after cooking. We love this variety for juicing because the roots are easy to feed into a juicer. It has also earned the name “Butter Slicer” for its tender texture. It is rich in antioxidants and top notch for home canning.

• 55 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

55 days. This old home garden and market variety is deservedly the most popular all-purpose red beet, with uniform and smooth, blood-red roots that are sweet and tasty. The 14-inch tops make good greens, especially in the baby stage. Growers have depended on this vigorous variety since it was introduced with much excitement by the D.M. Ferry seed company in 1892. A look back at the original listing shows an exuberant half page ad dedicated to their favorite new beet with “the most perfectly shaped and smoothest roots.” Growers are still smitten with this variety over 100 years after its introduction.

• 55 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

Best Seller! 55 days. A glorious, gilded beet with supremely sweet flesh and dense nutrition. The rich golden roots do not bleed or stain, making for less kitchen mess. It is an excellent variety for kids and newbie beet eaters, as the mellow flavor is much less earthy than regular red beets, and it’s a perfect choice for market gardeners and those looking to grow a rainbow of produce. Rich in folate, manganese and, of course, beta carotene. This variety dates back to at least the 1820s, but it did not become widely adopted by gardeners until Burpee Seed introduced it in the 1940s. Perfect for eating raw, roasting, juicing, and more!

• 55 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris

Growing Tips: Amend planting site with well-rotted compost, work soil deeply, and remove rocks. Sow 3-4 weeks before last frost. Thin early for best results. Requires neutral to slightly alkaline soil.

100 days. A gargantuan beet for the whimsical gardener! Harvest this delectable beet for the dinner table when young or allow it to grow to epic proportions (ours have reached up to 40 pounds and 6 feet long) for giant veg competitions or just for a good old-fashioned gardener’s brag! A popular livestock feed in the 1800s, this makes a great fodder crop for the homestead. The giant roots are also used for a game called “mangold hurling.” Dating to the 11th century, the sport is still played in the U.K. today. Harvest the roots when small and tender; they can be sliced thin and eaten raw or cooked. Grated, the roots make a delicious beet burger! The greens are supremely tender, even as the roots swell; we have harvested yummy greens from our giant mangel for up to 6 months. The roots are endlessly useful; they can be eaten, fed to chickens, horses, cows, and sheep, or used for sport!

• 100 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 4-6" 
• Frost Hardy: Yes
• Beta vulgaris