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The traditional kitchen gardeners were judged on the richness of their winter reserves. So it was hardly surprising that the easy to store beetroot, carrots and turnips were, and still are, the main stays of the kitchen garden.
The winter-hardy beetroot
- Round or long?: The two main varieties of beetroot are the globe and the long-rooted.
- The globe beetroot: The familiar round beetroot is less prone to bolting than other varieties and can be sown several weeks earlier, to provide roots from June. 'Avon early', 'Boltardy' and 'Early Bunch' are recommended. For later sowings to provide roots for autumn and early winter use, sow the small-rooted, quick-growing 'Little Ball'.
- The long-rooted types: This variety is still frequently used for a main crop that is allowed to mature in the ground before being harvested and stored in early winter. 'Cheltenham Green Top' is a good variety. 'Cylindra' is another long-rooted variety which is easy to prepare for cooking.
- Traditional cultivation: Beetroots thrive on light soil, but will grow successfully on most fertile, well-cultivated vegetable patches. Sow seed thinly in rows 30cm apart. Lightly cover with soil and water in well. Thin out as seedlings develop to a spacing of 15cm between plants.
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- A harvest you can leave in the ground: Beetroot is grown for harvest any time from June into early winter, depending on the variety. As soon as they are large enough to cook, you can pull early globes whenever you need them.
| Main crops for winter use can be left in the ground until required if they are covered with straw or bracken to protect them from frost. Alternatively, lift them in November and store in boxes of sand in a frost-proof shed, or outdoors in a clamp. Cut the tops off the roots for storing, being careful not to cut too close to the crown or the root will bleed.
- A visual feast: If you like decorative dishes and a touch of originality, grow yellow beetroot, such as 'Golden', or even two-tone beetroot with concentric circles of red and white, such as 'Pink Chioggia'. You'll be able to buy the seeds from most good vegetable seed catalogues.
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| Beetroot 'Boltardy'
Fine flavoured, early variety which lives up to its name
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| Beetroot 'Forono'
Unusual long variety. Best eaten when young and tender.
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| Beetroot 'red ace F'
Deep red flesh and fine flavour. Stands well.
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| Beetroot 'Golden'
unusual variety with yellow flesh and edible leaves. Tender and mild.
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Soil
| Prefers well drained, fertile, light soil not recently manured. Ideal pH 6,5-7,5.
| Pests & diseases
| Beetroot is relatively free from most pests and diseases and so is very easy to grow.
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Feeding
| There are no specific feeding requirements for beetroot.
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Site
| Although tolerant in most sites beetroot prefers a sunny postion.
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General
care
| Hoe regularly to keep the weeds down and mulch to retain the moisture in the ground.
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Watering
| Only water in very hot dry conditions to prevent the soil from drying out altogether.
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When to Plant your Beetroots.
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When to Harvest your Beetroots.
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Beetroot seed produce several plants. This is because the beetroot seed is in fact, a 'multigerm': a ball like
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cluster of seeds that all germinate in the same place.
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Gardeners must thin out the young plants. Today there are single seed varieties. Try 'Modena' and 'Mona Lisa'
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