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Beets (Beta vulgaris)
by Rosalind Creasy
Beets are earthy, sweet, vitamin-packed vegetables, and I adore them. Fortunately, my family loves them too, as I serve them often. Chard, spinach beets, and beets were all selected from the wild beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima). The ancient Greeks and Romans grew both red and white beets; later, yellow beets became popular throughout Europe. In America, the colonists relied on the large, red "keeper" beets for food in early spring when the larder was getting low. Beets such as 'Winter Keeper' grow to eight inches across, yet remain tender and sweet. Traditionally, they were placed among the coals in the hearth and roasted. Though many traditional seed companies offer only red beets, specialty seed houses carry white and golden beets; some carry an Italian striped cultivar called 'Barbietola di Chioggia' ('Chioggia').
Beets grow to their succulent best under cool conditions. In most climates, they are planted in the spring for an early-summer crop. But in cool-summer areas where temperatures rarely climb above 85°F, they can be grown over the summer; in USDA Zones 8 and 9 they can also be sown in the fall and harvested in early spring.
Growing Beets
'Barbietola di Chioggia' ('Chioggia'), an Italian beet variety, looks beautiful and tastes delicious, espcially when roasted, as in the salad recipe below.
Generally, beets grow best in full sun, except in regions where temperatures regularly rise above 85°F by late spring or early summer. In that case, plant beets in a spot in the garden that gets afternoon shade.
Sow beet seeds in rich, fast-draining soil. You can mix the different-colored varieties in the same bed, but be aware that golden beets have poor germination rates, so sow more of them to compensate. Plant seeds ¼-inch deep in rows, or broadcast the seeds over a three-foot-wide bed. Thinning is critical to prevent stunted roots: Thin the seedlings of most varieties to three inches apart; thin large storage beets to six inches apart. Once the beets are a few inches tall, apply an inch of organic mulch, such as compost or straw, to keep the roots cool. Fertilize the bed in midseason with a balanced organic fertilizer, and be sure to water regularly and deeply so that the roots grow evenly.
Occasionally, leafminers tunnel through beet leaves; you can control them by growing your crop under floating row covers. Two fungi cause orange spots on the foliage: Cercospora and a rust fungus. Grow beets in full sun and rotate beet crops to help cut down on pest infestations and diseases. Harvest most varieties when the roots are three inches in diameter or less.
Recommended Varieties
Days to maturity listed below are counted from the time of planting seed.
'Action'—50 days; hybrid; bolt-resistant, sweet and tender.
'Albina Verduna'—65 days; Dutch heirloom; pure white, large, and sweet; has been used to make beet sugar.
'Burpee's Golden'—60 days; sweet golden root that doesn't "bleed" and discolor other foods. Low germination rate, so plant extra seeds.
'Barbietola di Chioggia' ('Chioggia')—50 days; Italian heirloom; red on outside, white inside with red rings like a bull's eye; sweet.
'Cylindra' ('Formanova')—60 days; dark red, long, cylindrical beet; good for slicing.
'Detroit Dark Red'—60 days; heirloom; many strains available, some susceptible to Cercospora leaf spot; uniform in color and shape.
'Lutz Green Leaf' ('Winter Keeper', 'Long Keeper')—80 days; heirloom; large reddish-purple root that is sweet and tender even when six inches across; for fall harvest and storage.
'Ruby Queen'—60 days; uniform shape; for home use and processing; AAS winner.
Eating Beets
My favorite way to cook beets is roasting, sometimes with carrots and parsnips. I dress the roasted beets with butter and fresh herbs such as mint, dill, or fennel; I also add them to salads or marinate them in a vinaigrette as an appetizer. I think a bowl of steaming borscht makes a perfect supper on a cold evening, and when I have a large harvest, I often make pickled beets.
The rich flavor of beets is enhanced when they are combined with oranges, onions, walnuts, ginger, and mustard. I find beet greens a special treat steamed and served with butter or olive oil and garlic. For me, beets are real soul food.
Rosalind Creasy is a writer, photographer, and landscape designer with a passion for beautiful vegetables and ecologically sensitive gardening. Her 1982 bestseller, The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping (Sierra Club Books) is still used in college courses, and her 1988 Cooking From the Garden (Sierra Club Books), though out of print, is a bible for regional cooks. She is a regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, Garden Design, and Country Living Gardener. Her Edible Garden Series (Tuttle/Periplus, 1999Ð2000) won a Quill and Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association of America in 2001.
Photo: David Cavagnaro