How to grow Beetroot Detroit

How to grow

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Background

We all need some fat beets in our life. Detroit beetroots (Beta vulgaris) are one of the best, thanks to their sweet taste, delicate texture and deep red colour.

Detroit beets were first developed in Ontario Canada in 1892

The history of beets themselves go back waaaaaaay further than that

Early mediterranean civilisations first ate beetroots, but they harvested the leaves, leaving the thin fibrous root alone.

They are said to have grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Beets were first grown for their roots in either Germany or Italy, with the first recording being in 1542!

Mediaeval cooks were fond of stuffing them into pies

Not everyone is a fan though, apparently Barrack and Michelle Obama specifically requested that Beets not be grown in the White House Gardens?!

Health Benefits

Homegrown, organic beetroots are good for you!

Beetroots are an excellent source of vitamins (C and folate) and minerals (potassium). Eating beetroot can help to regulate blood pressure, protect the body against chronic diseases and fight inflammation.

Growing Tips and Tricks

Location: Detroit beets prefer full sun and well-drained soil. The soil should be rich in organic matter and well-drained, so make sure you prepare your beds with a little compost, worm castings or well aged manure before planting.

Watering: Detroit beets need to be watered regularly, but be careful not to overwater. The soil should be moist, but not soggy.

Problems:

Roots are split: inconsistent watering. Make sure you water deeply and frequently

Small roots: planted too close together or over fertilised. Make sure you thin plants after germination to give them plenty of room to grow and avoid adding any high nitrogen fertilisers that encourage leaf growth rather than root growth

Harvest: Your beetroots will be ready to harvest in about 60 days. They are ready to harvest when they are about 5cm in diameter. To harvest, simply dig them up with a garden fork. If you can’t wait that long you can even get in a mini harvest of beetroot leaves beforehand. The leaves can be harvested anytime after about 4 weeks, just make sure you never take more than a third!

Patch to plate

Every kitchen needs some fat beets! Beetroot is super versatile when it comes to culinary options, whether grated and eaten raw or roasted to develop that sweet, earthy flavour. Here’s a couple of bits of culinary inspo to get the beet dropping in your kitchen!

• Roast them up, peel them, then cut them up and serve them as a part of a delicious beetroot salad with nuts, cheese and herbs
• You can’t go past a hearty borscht when the weather gets cool and you have beetroots in the garden.
• It’s not just the root that is edible! Harvest young beetroot leaves and add them stirfries, frittatas or anywhere that you would use something like silverbeet.
• Vegetables don’t always have to be healthy! Bake your beetroots into a some buttery, sweet, beetroot brownies!