Why Grow Chioggia Beet?
Beautifully Striped Chioggia Beets (pronounced kee-OH-jah) are a classic Italian heirloom known for their stunning red-and-white striped interior. Often called the "Candy Cane Beet" or "Bullseye Beet," this unique variety reveals beautiful concentric rings when sliced, making it one of the most eye-catching beets you can grow. Each root offers a slightly different pattern, creating an impressive presentation straight from the garden.
Mild Flavor That's Great for Fresh Eating sets Chioggia apart from many traditional red beets. Its flavor is sweeter and less earthy than typical beet varieties, making it an excellent choice for gardeners who aren't usually big fans of that classic beet taste. The colorful roots are especially delicious thinly sliced or shredded for salads and other raw preparations, where their beautiful striped interior can be fully appreciated. They can also be roasted, pickled, or cooked like traditional beets for a versatile cool-season harvest.
Chioggia Beet Growing Tips
• When to Plant Beets
Beets are a "cool season" vegetable that grows best during the fall, winter, and early spring months. Established beet plants can tolerate light freezes and cold weather quite well, making them a great option for overwintering in many areas. Like most cool-season root vegetables, beets will perform best when they can mature before consistently hot temperatures arrive.
Beets should be directly sown in the backyard garden in the fall once temperatures begin to cool, or in the late winter/early spring before temperatures become too warm. Although beet transplants can be grown, we prefer direct seeding because it is easy and allows the roots to develop in place without being disturbed.
To plant beets, make a shallow furrow in your garden beds that is approximately 1/2" deep. Plant the beet seeds approximately 1-2" apart along the furrow and lightly cover them with soil. Once the seedlings are established, thin them as needed to provide approximately 3-4" of space between plants if you're growing them primarily for full-sized roots.
Beet "seeds" are actually clusters that can produce more than one seedling, so don't be surprised if several seedlings emerge from what appears to be a single seed. Thin crowded seedlings as they grow to give the developing roots plenty of room.
Keep the soil consistently moist after planting to ensure optimal germination. Depending on soil temperatures and weather conditions, beet seeds will typically germinate within 5-10 days.
• How to Fertilize Beets
It's always a good idea to apply some pre-plant fertilizer to the soil prior to planting beet seeds. We like to sprinkle a balanced, pre-plant fertilizer on our raised beds or along our rows prior to planting. This ensures the young plants have the nutrients they need to establish healthy roots and vigorous tops.
Root vegetables like beets will benefit from relatively balanced fertility throughout their life cycle. Once the beet tops are approximately 4-6" tall, you can begin feeding them every 2-3 weeks with a balanced fertilizer. Avoid going too heavy on nitrogen, as excessive nitrogen can encourage lots of leafy growth at the expense of root development.
When using a granular fertilizer, sprinkle it alongside the beet rows and lightly incorporate it into the soil with your favorite garden tool. When using a liquid fertilizer, mix the solution according to the label directions and apply it alongside the plants. Consistent moisture and fertility will help produce healthy tops and smooth, well-developed roots.
• When to Harvest Beets
Beets can be harvested at almost any stage once the roots reach an acceptable size. Smaller beets are especially tender, while allowing them to grow longer will produce larger roots. Most varieties are best harvested once the roots reach approximately 2-3" in diameter, although ideal harvest size can vary depending on the variety.
The shoulders of the beet roots will often become visible above the soil as they size up, making it easy to monitor their progress. If you've planted your beets thick, you can harvest smaller roots first to thin the planting while giving the remaining beets additional room to grow.
Don't forget that beet greens are edible too! Young leaves can be harvested for salads, while larger leaves can be cooked much like spinach or other greens. When harvesting leaves from plants you're growing for roots, take only a few at a time so the plant has plenty of foliage remaining to continue developing the beet below the soil.
