1. Good Organic Gardening - January-February 2016

GROWING | Beetroot
Beetroot
Beta vulgaris
A golden beetroot and a target spot variety
Words Jennifer Stackhouse
Beetroot is related to sugar beet and the amazing
mangel-wurzel, which are also grown for their
swollen roots, as well as to the more commonly
grown leafy vegetables silverbeet and Swiss chard.
All are in the plant family Chenopodiaceae, which
also accounts for some weeds, including goosefoot
(Chenopodium album).
Although beetroot is usually thought of as a root
vegetable, you can harvest the tender young leaves to
add to a salad. Their red stalks and veins add colour to
any green salad.
Many varieties
Beetroot is best known for its round red root, but
these vegies come in many shapes and colours and
today there are lots of named varieties to buy and
grow. They can be large and round, such as the
widely grown ‘Derwent Globe’, small and round (baby
beet) or tapered more like a carrot (‘Cylindra’). In
the colour range there are white (‘Albino’), red and
white (‘Chioggia’), dark red (‘Bulls Blood’) and golden
(‘Burpees Golden’ and ‘Golden Derwent’).
Growing beetroot
Beetroot can be grown just about all year round in most
climates but is best planted in late summer for harvest
in autumn or planted in winter or spring for a spring-tosummer
harvest. If the growing conditions are not right,
the plant can flower and seed before it produces a goodsized
root. This is known as “bolting”.
Producing good beetroot means starting with a
well-prepared soil. Before planting beetroot seed or
seedlings in the vegie patch, it’s vital to prepare the soil
by digging it over thoroughly. Remove rocks and clods
(hard lumps of dirt) so the roots can easily penetrate
the soil. Shallow soil will cause the roots to poke out
above ground and will lead to smaller roots and a
smaller harvest. Even in good soil it’s normal to see the
top of the beetroot above the ground.
For best growth in shallow soils or containers, select
baby beets. These small but tasty forms of beetroot grow
readily in troughs in a sunny spot.
Get sowing
A curious thing about beetroot is its seed. Beetroot grows
from a corky seed cluster, which contains one to four
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