Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)

Beetroot is the earthiest tasting of all the vegetables we grow. Its red stems and green leaves with their red veins make a decorative plant, even without its obvious culinary value. 

Beetroot is one of the easiest crops to grow, preferring rich soil and plenty of sunshine and water. It's slow to germinate in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit) so direct sowing is often curtailed until April. 

We get around this by sowing in modules under cover in early spring, planting out once the temperature has warmed up. The corky seeds are in fact a cluster of seeds, so we ensure we sow thinly. 

Freshly dug beets

Beetroot in this country tends to be eaten cold or pickled in vinegar, but it's delicious roasted and I once ate chocolate and beetroot cake which was surprisingly good. 

Beetroot is best pickled when golf ball size; the larger beets tend to become woody and less tasty. It is a hardy plant, standing all winter in the garden if need be. 

'Bolthardy' is a reliable variety, as its name suggests, being slow to bolt in warmer weather. And all beets need not be red; 'Burpees Golden' produces golden roots and 'Chioggia' produces pink and white ringed roots, which look and taste lovely in salads. 

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