Table beet (also known as garden beet, blood
turnip or red beet) is a popular garden vegetable throughout the United
States. Beet tops are an excellent source of vitamin A and the roots are
a good source of vitamin C. The tops are cooked or served fresh as
greens and the roots may be pickled for salads or cooked whole, then
sliced or diced. Beet juice is a basic ingredient of Russian borscht.
The garden beet is closely related to Swiss chard, sugar beet and
mangel.
 |
| Chioggio Beets |
When To Plant
Beets
are fairly frost hardy and can be planted in the garden 30 days before
the frost-free date for your area. Although beets grow well during warm
weather, the seedlings are established more easily under cool, moist
conditions. Start successive plantings at 3 to 4 week intervals until
midsummer for a continuous supply of fresh, tender, young beets.
Irrigation assures germination and establishment of the later plantings.
Spacing & Depth
The beet "seed"
is actually a cluster of seeds in a dried fruit. Several seedlings may
grow from each fruit. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep and one inch
apart.
Allow 12 to 18 inches between rows. Poor
stands are often the result of planting too deeply or the soil's
crusting after a heavy rain. The seedlings may emerge over a relatively
long period of time, making a stand of different sizes and ages of
seedlings. Some gardeners find that placing a board over the row after
planting preserves the soil moisture and eliminates crusting from hard
rains. The board must be removed as soon as the first seedling starts to
emerge.
Hand thinning is almost always necessary.
The seedlings should be thinned to 1 to 3 inches apart. If thinning is
delayed until the plants are 3 inches tall, those removed may be cooked
greens, similar to spinach. Some cooks leave the small root (usually
about the size of a marble) attached to the greens.
Though
it is seldom done, beets actually may be transplanted. Some care must
be taken to get the roots oriented vertically so that the beets can
develop properly.
 |
| Golden Beets |
Care
Frequent
shallow cultivation is important because beets compete poorly with
weeds, especially when small. Because beets have extremely shallow
roots, hand weeding and early, frequent and shallow cultivation are the
most effective methods of controlling weeds in the rows. Deep
cultivation after the weeds are large damages the beet roots. Like most
root crops, beets need a fertile soil (especially high in potassium) for
vigorous growth. Keep your beet plants uniformly supplied with moisture
for best performance.
Harvesting
Beets
can be harvested whenever they grow to the desired size. About 60 days
are required for beets to reach 1 1/2 inches in diameter, the size often
used for cooking, pickling or canning as whole beets. Beets enlarge
rapidly to 3 inches with adequate moisture and space. With most
varieties, beets larger than 3 inches may become tough and fibrous.
Beets may be stored in a polyethylene bag in a refrigerator for several
weeks. Beets also may be stored in outdoor pits if the beets are dug
before the ground freezes in the fall. Cut off the tops of the beets one
inch above the roots. Beets store best at 32°F and 95 percent humidity.
Do not allow them to freeze.
 |
| Detroit Dark Red Beets |
Selection & Storage
Beets
can be harvested at any stage of development, from the thinning to the
fully mature stage at about 2 inches in diameter. The "thinnings" are
beets that have been pulled from the ground prematurely to make room for
others when rows are overcrowded. Thinnings can be eaten raw, tops
included, in salads or roasted. Beets are high in natural sugar and
roasting brings out the natural sweetness.
Beets vary in color and shape based on
variety. The most common is the deep maroon globe-shaped beet. There is
an Italian variety which has pink and white rings upon slicing. The
golden globe is globe-shaped and orange in color then it turns golden
yellow when cooked. Another variety is white and still another is pink.
When harvesting beets, separate the green
tops from the roots leaving an inch of stem on the beet. Beets larger
than 3 inches in diameter are often fibrous and woody. Beet greens are
packed with nutritional value but must be prepared separately. Upon
storage the greens will quickly draw the moisture from the root greatly
reducing flavor and the beets will become shriveled. Leave one inch stem
and the taproot intact to retain moisture and nutrients. After
separating, beets store well for about a week in the refrigerator. Use beets while they are still firm and fresh.
 |
| Bull's Blood Beet |
Companion Plants for Beets
Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are
composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition to the compost pile
if you don't care to eat them. Beets are also beneficial to beans with the
exception of runner beans. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's
growth. Companions for beets are lettuce, onions and brassicas. Beets and
kohlrabi grow perfectly together. Beets are helped by garlic and mints. Garlic
improves growth and flavor. Rather than planting invasive mints around beets
use your mint clippings as a mulch.
Recipes for Fresh Beets
Sign up for our E-Newsletter
No comments:
Post a Comment