For Good Nutrition, Beets are Hard to Beat

Top 5 reasons to grow beets in your organic garden:

1. They are a fast-growing crop that grows well in almost any garden

2. Their bright color adds pizzazz to any salad or meal.

3. They are the sweetest of all vegetables.

4. They have been shown to prevent colon and stomach cancers.

5. Their roots and tops are both edible, which saves you a trip to the compost pile.

Beets are one of the most healthful vegetables you can eat. What's better, they're also one of the sweetest vegetables there is. In fact, much of the sugar that we consume in the US is made from beets, not from sugar cane. Beets are colorful, easy to grow and can be eaten raw, cooked, dried or pickled.

Multitaskers will appreciate beets: the tops and the roots are both edible. Beets and Swiss chard are very close cousins, so the greens that top your beets taste similar to chard. In fact, some varieties of beets, such as Big Top and Bull's Blood are grown primarily for their greens (for lack of a better term--Bull's Blood's "greens" are actually dark purple), not their roots.

Beets appreciate cool weather and can even tolerate a light frost. In most areas of the US, they should be planted in early to mid-spring and in late summer to early fall. Direct seed your beets--they dislike being transplanted or having their roots disturbed at other times, such as during weeding or thinning. Sow beets about 1'' apart in rows 12-18'' apart. Make plantings every two weeks or so to ensure a steady supply of beets.

There are many different and interesting beet varieties to try in your organic garden. Beets come in many colors: orange, red, purple, yellow, white and striped (red and white striped "Chioggia" and purple and red striped "Bull's Blood" are very striking). Most commonly, they are round but can also be cylindrical, or carrot-shaped. In my garden this spring, I grew "Red Ace" (which is a favorite of commercial growers and home gardeners alike), "Chioggia" and "Bull's Blood" beets. I had good success with all of them.

Beets normally take between 50 and 60 days from seeding to harvest. Eating them while they are still young, tender "baby beets" (about 2'' in diameter) will ensure that they are at their sweetest will allow you to enjoy cooked beets without having to peel them.

Disease and insect pests of beets are relatively minor. They are somewhat prone to being attacked by aphids, flea beetles and armyworms as well as by cercospora leaf spot, a fungal disease that thrives under cool, moist, conditions.

Sandy or loamy soils with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 are ideal for growing beets. Get your soil tested to determine what its pH is. When you get your soil test results, make sure that you have adequate boron in your soil, because boron deficiency can cause beets to turn brown and hollow in the middle.

Beets have been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, reduce high blood pressure and fight stomach and colon cancer. These healthy treats are so colorful and easy to grow that they are one of the most popular garden crops out there. Be sure to grow them in your garden too!

For More Information:

Nutritional info and how-to store and prepare beets, check out this site.
Texas A & M beet growing info
More Texas A & M beet growing info
Borscht Recipe
Descriptions of several common beet varieties and ideal beet growing conditions

~Tammy Biondi

Tammy Biondi is a former suburbanite who moved to the country in order to dedicate herself to the farm and garden life. She grows and sells organic plants and vegetables and uses the knowledge she gains from her professional experiences to make a beautiful and bountiful home garden for herself and her family.

Photo: Scarlet Supreme Hybrid Beet  Gurney's Seed and Nursery