Beets (Golden, Chioggia, Detroit Red) — Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris

layout: base.njk title: Beets description: Growing Beets in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: cool-season

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below

Type: Biennial (grown as annual)
Family: Amaranthaceae (formerly Chenopodiaceae)
Sun: Full sun to part shade (6+ hours, tolerates light shade)
Water: Moderate (1-1.5" per week, consistent moisture prevents woodiness)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5 (optimal 6.5-7.0, tolerates alkaline better than most vegetables)
Hardiness: Zones 2-11 (very cold hardy, can overwinter with mulch)

🌱 Expected Yield

Per plant: 4-12 oz per root (variety-dependent). Greens: 2-4 oz per plant (cut-and-come-again).
Per 10' row: 10-20 lbs roots. 3-5 lbs greens.
Per season: With succession planting: 25-50 lbs per 10' row annually (roots + greens).

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

Red Beets

'Detroit Dark Red'

Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
Days: 55 days
Notes: American heirloom from 1890s. Round, deep red roots (3-4" diameter). Sweet, tender, mild. Excellent for canning, roasting. Greens also edible. Cold hardy. Standard for home gardens for over century. Reliable producer.

'Early Wonder'

Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
Days: 48 days
Notes: Heirloom from 1930s. Early maturing. Tall green tops with red veins. Round, red roots. Sweet flavor. Good for early harvest. Greens productive. Cold tolerant.

'Ruby Queen'

Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Burpee (burpee.com)
Days: 55 days
Notes: European heirloom. Round, deep red roots. Sweet, tender. Doesn't bleed as much as some varieties. Excellent for salads. Slow to bolt. Good storage.

'Red Ace'

Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
Days: 50 days
Notes: Hybrid, F1. Round, red roots. Uniform size. Sweet, mild. Bolt resistant. Good for baby beets or full size. Reliable producer. Disease resistant.

Golden Beets

'Golden' (Golden Beet)

Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
Days: 55 days
Notes: Heirloom. Golden-yellow roots. Sweet, mild flavor—less earthy than red beets. Doesn't bleed. Beautiful color. Nutritionally similar to red (no betalains). Excellent for roasting, salads.

'Touchstone Gold'

Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek
Days: 60 days
Notes: Heirloom. Deep golden roots. Exceptionally sweet. Tender texture. Doesn't bleed. Beautiful appearance. Slower growing but superior flavor.

Striped/Specialty Beets

'Chioggia' (Candy Stripe, Bassano)

Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
Days: 55 days
Notes: Italian heirloom from 1840s (Chioggia, Italy). Red and white concentric rings when sliced (stunning). Sweet, mild. Rings fade with cooking—use raw for visual effect. Tender, less earthy than red beets. Greens also striped. Beautiful.

'Chioggia Guarda'

Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
Days: 60 days
Notes: Improved Chioggia selection. More pronounced stripes. Holds color better. Sweet flavor. Slower bolting. Reliable striped beet.

'Barabina'

Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
Days: 60 days
Notes: Italian heirloom. Elongated, carrot-shaped roots. Red skin, white flesh. Sweet, tender. Traditional for Italian cuisine. Unusual shape. Excellent roasted.

'Albina Vereduna'

Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
Days: 55 days
Notes: White beet heirloom. Pure white roots. Very sweet, mild—least earthy of all beets. Doesn't bleed. Beautiful. Good for people who think they hate beets. Tender texture.

'Formanova'

Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
Days: 60 days
Notes: Elongated, cylindrical red beets. Uniform shape. Easy to slice. Sweet, tender. Good for pickling. High yield. Less waste than round beets.

🌾 Seed Saving

Method: Beets are biennial—require vernalization (cold period) to flower. For seed saving, select best roots, leave in ground over winter (mulch heavily in zone 6b/7a) or dig and store in cool, humid place (root cellar at 35-40°F in damp sand), replant in spring. In spring, plants send up 4-6' branched flower stalks with clusters of small, greenish flowers.

Flowers are wind-pollinated (produce abundant pollen). Seeds mature 3-4 weeks after flowering, turning from green to brown. Each "seed" is actually dried fruit cluster containing 2-7 true seeds (multigerm).

This causes beet seedlings to grow in clumps. Cut seed clusters when brown and dry. Hang in paper bags in dry, ventilated area 2-3 weeks.

Thresh by rubbing clusters between hands or beating bags. Winnow by pouring between bowls in breeze to separate seeds from chaff. - Isolation distance: 2 miles minimum (up to 5 miles for pure seed). Beets are wind-pollinated, cross readily with other Beta vulgaris varieties (Swiss chard, sugar beets—all same species).

For pure seed, grow only one B. vulgaris variety or cage isolated plants with netting and hand-pollinate. Swiss chard in neighborhood can cross with beets. - Viability: 4-5 years when stored in cool, dry, dark conditions in airtight containers.

Medium-sized seeds store well. - Special notes: Save seed from minimum 5-10 plants to maintain genetic diversity. Select for root shape, color, flavor, bolt resistance, disease resistance, sweetness. In zone 6b/7a, beets can overwinter with heavy mulch (straw, leaves 12-18" deep).

Less hardy varieties must be stored indoors and replanted. Biennial requirement means seed saving requires two full seasons. Beet seed clusters (multigerm) mean each "seed" produces multiple seedlings.

Thinning required. Some modern varieties are monogerm (single seed per fruit)—these are hybrids, won't come true from saved seed. For seed saving, choose open-pollinated heirloom varieties.

Beets cross very readily with chard—if neighbor grows chard and you grow beets, seeds will be hybridized. Communicate with neighbors or cage plants..

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead