Beets
This page is an open source resource guide for beets. It is for growing and maintaining the most bio-diverse, delicious, and broadly applicable beet selection possible. It contains cultural considerations, planting guidelines, descriptions, and the best places we’ve found for purchasing the species we’ve listed. As part of the One Community Highest Good food component of global transformation, this page will continue to evolve indefinitely to contain maintenance and care tips, accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model, and even recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property.
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BEETS
(Click here for beets purchase details)
Beets (Beta vulgaris)
 | Beets are an important vegetable from a dietary standpoint; leafy tops are consumed and roots are eaten raw, cooked, (though will lose about 25% of their folate value when cooked) pickled, and canned. They are a dietary source of betaine (trimethylglycine) and an important modified amino acid that helps protect cells against osmotic stress (which assists in DNA formation). |
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Beets are generally direct seeded
- Plant in spring after soil reaches 55F
- Beets like humus and good drainage
- Beets like mulch and steady moisture
- When thinning, pinch off rather than pull
PLANTING GUIDELINES
Plant seeds in well-worked soil in spring and rake in lightly. Keep moist until germination occurs. Once stand is thinned, mulch to conserve soil moisture. Light feedings with compost or earthworm casting teas are beneficial, but avoid excessive nitrogen.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Wikipedia ” Beets
 | GBt#1 :: Bordo BeetBordo 237 is an old-time favorite with a slightly rough surface, dark red pulp, and an outstanding taste. It’s sweet, dark, red globe roots are 9-18 oz (250-500g) with green foliage, producing in 65 to 100 days. This beet is from Russia pre-1945 cv by VNISSOK, and is a good keeper in cold storage, not requiring special conditions of growth. This variety is a mid-ripening, widespread variety of beet distinguished by stable crop capacity and recommended for cooking and processing. |  | GBt#2 :: Detroit Dark Red BeetDetroit Dark Red are extra round 3-inch beets with a striking red color and extremely sweet taste. This variety is an all-purpose, smooth, red beet with 14-inch tops without rings or white streaks. This open pollinated early standard beet is perfect for canning and fresh use, and produces in 45 days. It is great for pickling, freezing, boiling, baking, and storing. The dark-green leaves, striped with red, are wonderful when braised or in salads. Many growers regard it as one of the most dependable root crops to grow for taste and keeping quality. |  | GBt#3 :: Feuer Kugel BeetFeuer Kugel, German for “Fire Ball”, is the name of this prized German heirloom beet. Deliciously sweet and solid, even to large size, this variety has sturdy tops and is a good winter keeper. It is of premium quality cooked or raw, and can tolerate hard frost. A feature of the dark red roots is a light zoning of the flesh when cut in a crosswise direction. Feuer Kugel is excellent as a market bunching variety, producing in 60 days. |  | GBt#4 :: Ruby Queen BeetRuby Queen are widely adaptable beets that are great for processing for gardens and market growers. This variety produces early (in 55 days) and has ringless, deep red, round-shaped roots. These smooth-skinned beets are exceptionally tender and have a creamy texture. They are known for their short green tops, plus a super sweet taste, and are good for canning and pickling because they hold their ruby color. |  | GBt#5 :: German Lutz BeetGerman Lutz beets are a European heirloom variety known for their size and tasty greens. These beets are bigger than a softball, often reaching 7 pounds (over 3 kilos), and have a fantastic sweet flavor. They produce in 120 days and are soft and tender inside. They maintain their tenderness throughout the winter too. |  | GBt#6 :: Albina Vereduna BeetAlbina Vereduna is a sweet white beet, a perfect option for avoiding purple staining and color bleeding. The smaller the root the better quality–this beet is good at 2.5 inches in diameter but will get much larger with a texture that is a bit more like that of a potato. This old Dutch variety has a curved and wavy top leaf that is high in vitamins and can also be served like spinach as a vegetable delicacy. The seedlings usually appear in 7-21 days. |  | GBt#7 :: Burpee’s Golden BeetBurpee’s Golden is a tender, mild beet with sweet, flavorful leaves. This non-bleeding variety originated in the Mediterranean region, first appearing in 1828 in seed catalogs. This beet produces in 50-55 days, providing roots that are bright, golden-orange, and vary in size from 2.5 to 5 inches in diameter (between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball). They are excellent pickled, boiled, steamed, stir fried, or grated raw into salads. The tender green leaves and attractive yellow stems add color and flavor to a salad mix too with the tops being perfect for steaming and eating like spinach. |  | GBt#8 :: Colossal Long Red Mangel BeetColossal Long Red Mangel are easy to produce, huge forage beets (often 3 feet long, 8 inches in diameter, and up to 20 pounds). These beets are grown for human or animal consumption (typically sheep, poultry and cattle), and produce in 35-120 days. This variety is best when young and small for table use, and they contain more sugar than any other variety. This beet can be used for its fresh greens in the winter because they store well. The skin is a bright, rich red and contains a white flesh with a pale rose hue. |  | GBt#9 :: Rywal BeetRywal is a mid-early producer and prolific beet with elongated, cylindrical, bright-red roots that weight an average of  7-11 oz. This variety has a high sugar and betanin content and the flesh is tender and juicy with a pleasant taste. This all purpose beet is prized for its high yield, palatability, and suitability for long-term winter storage. |  | GBt#10 :: Plattrunde Rote Feinlaubige BeetPlattrunde Rote Feinlaubige is an heirloom flattish-round and dark red beet (without rings) from Scandinavia. This beet is tender, good for borscht, and fabulous for winter storage. It is an early and fast growing variety for spring and summer sowing. |
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Beet Plant Material/Seed Providers:
Beet Purchase Details
REF # | VEGETABLES | VARIETY | SOURCE | QUANTITY | UNIT COST | TOTAL COST |
GBt#1 | Beets | Bordo | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#2 | Beets | Detroit Dark Red | BCH | 4 oz. | $4.50/oz | $18 |
GBt#3 | Beets | Feuer Kugel | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#4 | Beets | Ruby Queen | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#5 | Beets | German Lutz | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#6 | Beets | Albina Vereduna | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#7 | Beets | Burpee’s Golden | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#8 | Beets | Colossal Long Red Mangel | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#9 | Beets | Rywal | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
GBt#10 | Beets | Plattrunde Rote Feinlaubige | SSE | 3 pkt. | $4.00/pkt | $12 |
OTHER BEET RESOURCES
We are seeking awesome beet resources. If you know of one, please click here to share it with us so we can make this page better.
BEETS AS PART OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN MODEL
This section will evolve to include accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model.
BEET PREPARATION, PRESERVATION, AND RECIPES
This section will evolve to include testimonials, recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property first, and then later with additional information from other Highest Good collaborators and teacher/demonstration hubs

Beet Salad
Recipe courtesy of: Kitoula’s Greek Food Journal
Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Cook: 0 min | Yield: 4 Servings Level: Easy |
Ingredients- 1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 can of sliced beets, rinsed & drained
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1/4 lb of feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 head of boston leaf lettuce, rinsed & spun, then torn by hand
- Hydroponic lettuce
- Greek Salad Dressing
| Directions- Mix ingredients and toss.
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Creamy Roasted Beet Pasta
Recipe courtesy of: Eclectic Recipes
Total Time: 2 hours Prep: 15 min Cook: 90 min | Yield: 4 servings Level: Easy / Intermediate |
IngredientsSauce: - 3 fresh beets
- 1 cup chopped leeks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup Plain Voskos Greek Yogurt
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1/3 cup vermouth
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pasta: | Directions Sauce: - Preheat Oven to 350°Â F.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to beets and rub oil all over to coat.
- Roast until fork tender, 1 – 2 hours, depending on size.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to saute pan and add leeks, garlic, tarragon, and thyme to pan.
- Saute for 5 – 7 minutes, or until tender.
- Add vermouth and remove from heat.
- Add beets, leek mixture, yogurt, balsamic vinegar, salt, and agave to blender or food processor.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Pasta: - Cook pasta according to package directions.
Combining sauce and pasta: - Add pasta and sauce to saute pan.
- Cook over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes, or until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.
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Vegan Lettuce Wraps
Recipe courtesy of: Eat Drink and Be Skinny
Total Time: 25 min Prep: 15 min Cook: 10 min | Yield: 4 Servings Level: Easy |
Ingredients- 1 Sweet Potato
- 2 Medium Beets (2″)
- 6 Brussels Sprouts
- 4 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 T Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Water Chestnuts
- 1/2 cup Bamboo Shoots
- 1/2 cup Slivered & Toasted Almonds
- 1 Head of Butter Lettuce
- 1 Avocado
- 4 Green Onions
- 3 T Soy Sauce
- 2 T Peach Jam
- 2 T White Wine Vinegar
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| Directions- Prepare your beets, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts by chopping into tiny pieces (like 1/4″). You can use a mandolin, chop chop machine or food processor to save some time. Also chop up the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green onions, avocado and set aside separately.
- Prepare your sauce with 1 T minced garlic, soy sauce, jam and vinegar in a small dish and set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat olive oil under very high heat with 3 cloves of chopped garlic. When the garlic is crispy and slightly browned, your oil is hot enough for cook up some veggies!
- Set a timer for 10 min and add beets first. Wait about 2 min, add sweet potatoes and wait about another 2 min. Add Brussels sprouts and then let cook together another 2-3 minutes.
- Add sauce, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, cover and let cook until desired softness. It took me exactly 10 min total but may vary depending on the size of your veggies and heat of your pan. Remove from heat and add almonds.
- Fill each lettuce cup with 1/2 cup veggie mixture, top with green onion and avocado and serve!
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
Brilliantly Berry Beet Smoothie
Recipe courtesy of: Healthy Blender Recipes
Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Cook: Chill | Yield: 4 Servings Level: Easy |
Ingredients- 1 medium beet, baked until soft at about 180° C / 350° F, peeled and cut in chunks
- 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- 3 large or 4 medium purple kale leaves
- 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
- 1 scoop of plain or vanilla protein powder (I used Growing Naturals)
- 1 cup rice milk
- 5-10 drops liquid stevia or 1 packet of dry stevia
| Directions- Place all of the ingredients in your Vitamix and blend until smooth.
- Note: if you use fresh berries, you might want to add 1-2 ice cubes for a cold smoothie.
- Drink immediately for the best flavor and texture.
- Makes 1 large 16-oz glass or two small glasses. YUMMO!
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