Beetroot

Beetroot is a root vegetable prized for its sweet, earthy flavour and deep, jewel-toned flesh ranging from dark red to golden and striped. Plants grow 25–30 cm tall with edible foliage and develop smooth-skinned globular or cylindrical roots. The crop is biennial but grown as an annual in Nordic gardens. It thrives in open sun with loose, moisture-retentive soil and dislikes waterlogged or compacted ground.

Growing

Sow seeds directly outdoors once soil reaches 7 °C, spacing them approximately 3–8 cm apart in rows 30–50 cm apart, pressing each seed 2 cm deep. Because each beet 'seed' is actually a cluster of seeds, multiple seedlings may emerge from a single sowing point — thin to the strongest plant at each station. Make successional sowings to extend harvest. Beets intended for storage should be sown later in the season to prevent roots becoming over-large and woody.

Care

Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged; uneven watering causes cracking and poor root development. A single application of balanced fertiliser at sowing is usually sufficient — avoid excess nitrogen, which promotes leaf growth at the expense of roots. Weed carefully around young plants, as beetroot is a poor competitor. No staking or pinching is required.

Harvest

Roots are ready to harvest when they reach golf-ball to tennis-ball size, typically 50–60 days after germination. Grasp the foliage at the base and pull firmly, or loosen the soil with a fork first if ground is compacted. Harvest before roots exceed 7–8 cm in diameter to avoid woodiness. Young thinnings can be harvested earlier and eaten whole, leaves included.

In the kitchen

Roast whole beets in their skins until tender, then peel — the flesh becomes sweeter and less earthy with heat. Eat raw, grated or sliced thin, in salads and slaws. Boil and slice for pickles or warm side dishes. The leaves are nutritious and can be wilted or eaten raw like spinach. Pale-fleshed varieties such as Chioggia or white beet are ideal where you want colour-free dishes.

Storing

Twist off the foliage, leaving 2–3 cm of stem to prevent bleeding, and store unwashed roots in a cool (0–4 °C), dark, humid environment — a box of damp sand in a cellar is ideal. Roots keep 3–5 months under these conditions. Cooked beetroot keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, or can be preserved by pickling in vinegar for several months.