Beet Detroit Dark Red Seed (Beta - vulgaris)

heriloomThese tender, sweet, tasty, extremely nutritious roots are much better when they are home-grown. This heirloom variety was introduce in 1892 and is “the standard for beets”. The young leafy greens are great in salads, can be substituted in recipes for spinach or Swiss chard, and can be steamed or frozen. 1 cup of greens has more iron than a hamburger patty. Try sliced beets in salads or to add extra nutrition to your fresh juices (try making a juice with apples and ginger – yummy!). Beets make an excellent spring or fall crop and can also be grown in containers. This packet plants: Three 10-foot rows (about 30 lbs. of beets).

When to plant outside:
RECOMMENDED. Early spring, 3-4 weeks before average last frost for an early summer crop AND late summer for a fall crop. Growing during hot temperature periods should be avoided. In frost-free areas, sow in September for February harvest.

When to start inside: Not recommended. Sow directly outside.

Special Germination Instructions: Soak seeds for 24 hours before sowing. Beet seed is actually a dried fruit with 1-5 seeds in each fruit. Therefore, thinning instructions are very important. Plant seed 1” deep and 1” apart. If several seedlings emerge from 1 fruit in the same spot, immediately thin to 1 seedling per 1”. After 3-4 weeks, thin to 1 seedling for every 3”-5”. Thinned seedlings can be used in that evening’s salad. Do not allow a crust to build up on the soil surface which could hamper seedling emergence. Mulch soil after plants are 2” high.