Chioggia Beetroot - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

'Chioggia' beetroot is a great Italian heirloom. It is named after a charming fishing town just South of the Venetian lagoon, where it was first grown. The bright red, globe-shaped beets are stunning when sliced. The flesh has alternating white and pink rings that look beautiful in salads. The rings will also hold their colour when cooked.

This early season beet is ready to be harvested 50 days after sowing. Yields generally average 1.5 to 4 kg per m2. The green leaves are delicious picked young and prepared as salads greens or spinach.

Beets are biennial vegetables. During the first year, nutrients are stored in the root. During the second year, the plant draws from its food reserve to produce flowers and seeds. The edible root is harvested in the first year; if you want to grow your own seeds, you will have to wait until the following year and set aside a few plants for this purpose. Beets come in a variety of shapes and colours. They can be red, white, yellow, orange or pink, spherical, elongated, oval etc. The carbohydrate content often differs from one variety to the next.

Beets fall into three main categories, namely:

- Common or red beetroots, the type usually found in vegetable gardens

-  Sugar beets, grown on a larger scale for the sugar industry

- "Mangel-wurzel" beets or Fodder beets, generally grown for livestock

Although they are famous for their high carb content, beets are packed with essential vitamins and minerals including potassium. The leaves, with their pretty dark red veining, can be eaten like spinach or baby greens. Make sure to pick them whilst they are still young and tender.

Storage: pick the beets carefully then leave them to dry for a whole day outdoors, preferably in the shade. If you wish to keep them over winter, store in a cool, dark place (a cellar is perfect). Burying the beets under a layer of dry sand will help preserve their flavour and texture.

Good to know: Beets do best in full sun, in loose, fertile soil. Mulching will help keep the soil moist whilst limiting weed growth.

NB. Organic seeds (in French "AB" for "Agriculture Biologique") are produced from plants that aren't treated with phytosanitary products (insecticides, weed killers). The seeds do not undergo post-harvest treatment. They carry the AB label and are approved by Ecocert, an independent structure.