Beets

Culture: Plant as early as soil can be worked into a well-composted, friable soil. I find that soaking the seeds overnight goes a long way to aid the rate and speed of germination. As each "seed" is a number of seeds, thinning will be necessary. Plant 1/2" deep, rows 1' minimum apart. All packets minimum 100 seeds.

• Albino
  
  A sweet white treat, no purple staining. Very mild flavoured. Add white to your beet colour spectrum



• Bull's Blood
  
  Many people grow this beet for its gorgeous red/purple leaves, which are just stunning small in salads or very nice in a stir fry when larger. The roots are good, too. Very sweet. 35 days for nice small leaves for salad, 55 days for the roots.



• Chioggia
  Many people think of this Italian beet as "Candy Cane" beet because of its pretty appearance, concentric rings of red and white. Very sweet and earthy tasting. 60 days.



• Colossal Red Mangel
  Mangels are fun to grow. When I talk to people about them they think I am talking 'Mango.' I wish, but not quite. These are in the same family as beets, often grown as fodder for livestock. My dad grew them on the family farm. But pulled small, these delicious, long-tapered, sweet roots are wonderful. Beautiful rings of colour like the Chioggia beets and a brilliant magenta colour on the outside. And grown large, they are wonderful for your bunnies and chickens. Cooked up, my pig Joey gobbles them up! 60 days for small or leave them in the ground for massive tankards.



• Cylindra
  I love this beet! Although many people think of this as a variety that is best for canning and pickling (which it is), it is an all-round great eating beet with its sweet flavour. Grows long and cylindrical as the name suggests and is a deep ringless red.



• Detroit Dark Red
  
  An Ontario heirloom, selected by Mr. Reeves in Port Hope. Very dark red, excellent for fresh eating or canning. 60-65 days- 200 seeds per pack.



• Early Wonder Tall Top
  An excellent beet for greens and for the roots. Very early. Always the first out of the garden. Great taste. 45 days.



• Golden Detroit
  
  Dual-purpose beet for roots and greens. Roots are orange, turning golden yellow when cooked. Tender and mild even when large. Great for salads since the roods do not bleed. 55-60 days. 



• 3 Root Grex
  SOLD OUT for 2012 This is a very interesting interbreeding mix; the work of Alan Kapuler. The roots are very vigorous and there are some that are long and tapered. There are three colours: pinkish red, bright gold and bright orange. These are wonderful beets to try. The tops are fantastic, too. 60 days.