Scientific name: Beta vulgaris
Common name: Beetroot
General description: Originating from the south of Europe and the north of Africa, it is a descendant of a wild species which is still found on the Mediterranean coasts, which will have been initially consumed because of its leaves only. The root was used for medicinal purposes, tea, and dye, and only after many centuries of cultivation did it develop the size, and characteristics we know today.
In the 19th century, it also began to be used for sugar and ethanol production.
We have the following varieties available:
- 'Detroit 2' beet with a round root and a deep red interior.
- 'Red Ball' with a size similar to a golf ball, firm skin, and dark red color.
Nutritional facts: Rich in carbohydrates, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C, and the minerals potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and calcium.
GROWING CONDITIONS
Climate: Adapts to temperate climates, tolerating only poorly high temperatures, and needs places with some hours of direct sunlight and good luminosity.
Soil: Deep, aerated, with high water holding capacity and little tendency to form surface crusts. And has some resistance to salinity.
Irrigation: Depending on the soil, one should adapt the irrigation so that it does not soak but it is always moist.
Associations: Celery, Lettuce, Garlic, Onion, Cabbage, Creeping bean, Green bean, Strawberry, Cucumber, Radish, Cabbage, Turnip, Rosemary, Sage, Chives.
Sowing season: March to August
Harvest time: April to November, 70 to 80 days after sowing.