Pull one up and the root is deep blood-red, sweet and plump at 4 inches across, with high sugar contents that suit mixed salads. Red beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is easy to grow, good cooked or raw, and rich in fibre, protein and betaine; water it regularly and the flesh stays tender rather than hard and fibrous.
| Name | Beta vulgaris |
|---|---|
| Family | Amaranthaceae |
| Type | biennial vegetable |
| Height | 16 to 24 inches (40 to 60 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | light, humus-rich, neutral pH |
| Harvest | when root is 4 in (10 cm) wide |
It is easy to grow. Caring for beetroot from seed to harvest will not be hard for anyone, and will make for delicious meals both raw and cooked.
Either sown directly in the ground from seed or planted from young seedlings purchased on the market, red beets are very easy to grow.
Red beet favors rather rich soil. It helps to amend the soil beforehand with fertilizer such as manure and seaweed to mix into the ground.
This guarantees that you will have plump, delicious red beet upon harvest.
If you’re looking to sow red beet from seed, it is best to sow directly in the ground in Mid-spring, late spring or early summer.
Red beet sprouts quickly, only 10 to 12 days after sowing.
You might have purchased your red beet in nursery pots, or prepared your own from seeds under cover to protect it from the cold. Red beet can be transplanted to the ground anytime in spring.
Once the seeds are sown or the planting done with, caring for red beet is straightforward and easy.
Harvest season starts in the Late spring to late summer, depending on when they were planted or sown.
When the root reaches 4 inches (10 cm) across, pull it out and eat it, either cooked or raw.
If correctly prepared, red beet can keep for months.
Several plants in this group share the same botanical name but are grown for entirely different parts. Here is what each one gives you.
| Type or variety | Grown for | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Red beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) | Swollen red root | Eaten cooked or raw, especially in mixed salads |
| Silverbeet or chard | Leaves only, no usable root | Edible leafage |
| Sugar beet | Saccharose-rich roots | Sugar production, in large fields |
| Early varieties such as ‘Flat of Egypt’ | Quick, early roots | Fresh summer salads |
| Egyptian red beet | Roots on dry ground | Stands drought with less impact on the flesh |
Later varieties, by contrast, come into their own as a winter crop.
Red beet is eaten for its roots, whereas other varieties called silverbeet or chard are only grown for their leaves. Red beet is part of the same family as spinach.
With scientific name Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, red beet is a subspecies of the Amaranthaceae family.
→ For fresh summer salads, early beet varieties such as ‘Flat of Egypt‘ are best. Later varieties excel as a winter crop.
Red beet is also used to produce sugar, but a special, saccharose-rich sugar beet variety is cultivated in large fields specifically for that purpose.
It has high sugar contents and is particularly well-loved in mixed salads. Whether cooked or raw, it will also replenish your vitamin, fiber and mineral needs!
Red beet also has high vitamin C contents and its leaves contain a high vitamin A ratio. Finally, note that red beet has elevated levels of fibers, proteins and betaine.
Keeping red beet in sand crates will let you eat them all winter long. Simply cover them with clean, dry sand and store them in a cool, dark and well-ventilated spot.
However, you can also leave them out in the ground, covered under a layer of hay. Then, you’d just need to go dig a few out every week or so as the season progresses. Great way to have a reason to go gardening outside during the wintertime!
