Heirloom Beet Seeds
Beets are easy-to-grow root vegetables. The pigment that gives the beet its color has many health benefits. The leafy greens are also delicious.
Sowing Beet Seeds
Sow beet seeds outdoors 4 weeks before the last frost date, 1/2" deep. Thin to
3" apart. Full sun.
Beet 'Chioggia'
(60 days)
200 seeds $3.00
Chioggia is a fascinating beet with distinct red and white stripes. To retain the markings after cooking, bake them whole. The flavor is sweet and mild. The pink-tinged greens are also tasty. The roots grow to about 2" in diameter.
Italian heirloom. Also known as Beet 'Bassano'.
Beet 'Cylindra'
(55 days)
200 seeds $3.00
Cylindra is a wonderful beet for two reasons. First, you get more vegetable per square foot because the roots grow deeper into the soil. Second, it is easy to prepare, making lots of uniform slices. The roots can grow up to 8" long.
Dutch heirloom. Also known as Beet 'Formanova'.
This is the most commonly grown heirloom beet with the classic shape and color. The 3" round, dark red roots are great for canning. The red-tinged greens are wonderful steamed or stir-fried with butter, salt and lemon juice.
Canadian heirloom, 1892.
Beet 'Detroit Dark Red'
(55 days)
200 seeds $3.00
Bull's Blood is our favorite beet for bronze-red, tasty tops, which can be cooked or eaten raw in salads. The 3" wide, dark red roots are also delicious. We harvest them in the fall after enjoying the tops throughout the season.
Netherlands heirloom, 1840.
Beet 'Bull's Blood'
(50 days)
200 seeds $3.00
Crosby's Egyptian beet is our favorite. It has a fine texture and a sweet, rich flavor that we adore. The dark red roots are shaped like a flattened globe or a flat-topped heart. Josiah Crosby of Massachusetts improved the original Egyptian beet strain that was popular in the 1860's and introduced this new strain in 1885. Also known as Crosby's Early Egyptian.
Beet 'Crosby's Egyptian'
(55 days)
200 seeds $3.00
