Not missing a beet
And the beet goes on – pardon my Sonny and Cher pun. The root (another pun) of my gardening experiences go back to the days I followed my father around our garden. He was busy pulling weeds from the garden row and I was right behind him, pulling all the green sprouts he missed. When he arrived at the end of the row and turned around to survey his work, I was so proud of my helping him. His puzzled look turned to one of knowing his work was all in vain. I had pulled the beet seedlings he had left. Fortunately, he was very forgiving as he explained the principles of gardening.
He did rescue and replant the seedlings and I learned gardening basics!
Because I enjoy eating pickled beets and Harvard beets, both with a vinegary base, growing them became a pleasure for me, (it’s always a gamble when I’m at salad bars that serve sliced beets). The bland beet was not as interesting a flavor. I later learned the greens were very edible, also. I loved spinach with vinegar dressing; guess sour tastes give me delight, so I eat beet greens with vinegar or lemon juice.
Beets are described as an ancient, prehistoric food, growing naturally along coastlines of Africa, Asia and Europe. Claims of growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the greens were the part used for eating then. Beta vulgaris is the name for beets and Swiss Chard groups, different varieties in the Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot) family. They are very close kissing cousins.
Long beet roots were pale and highly regarded in Ancient Rome and Greece. Cultivated for consumption in 1542, with long pale parsnip-like roots, then later, red, round beets, were cultivated after crossing with an African root vegetable. Northeastern Europe was the first to use the root in their diets, because it was the only vegetable that grew well throughout their long winters. Thomas Jefferson grew them at Monticello, introducing them here.
Beets and Swiss Chard are biennials, flowering after their roots have matured and one month of cold has happened, in their second year. Swiss Chard and beets will cross pollinate if in close proximity, so seeds can be compromised. Although beets tolerate a light frost, they aren’t as cold hardy as broccoli. In colors of red, pink, white and deep gold, they are hardy in zones 2 through 11. The beet seeds have been planted at Trafalgar Gardens.
Soaking seeds overnight before planting softens the seeds and helps germination. Since beets are a root crop, grow in light well-drained soil, full sun (about 6 hours) with partial daytime shade. Beets grow with a portion of its root above ground, so only plant the seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep, 3 inches apart in organic, non-alkaline soil (6.2 to 7). Seeds germinate in 5 to 10 days if kept constantly moist, not soggy, don’t let them dry out. Also, don’t use too much nitrogen; potassium for the roots is best. Beet seeds are actually capsules of two to five seeds, so thinning will be necessary to keep them 3 to 4 inches apart (which is unnecessary if growing for greens). The best greens are cut when between 4 and 6 inches in height. Harvest time for roots is about 55 days from seed. Beets should be harvested when about 2-3 inches in diameter, or they will become woody and fibrous.
Cook with one inch of stem to keep them from bleeding during cooking. They are rich in folic acid, potassium, fiber and anti-oxidants called betalains. Betalains give beets their redness and were used as cheek and lip stain by women in the 19th century that led to the expression, “red as a beet.”
I romanticized over stories that told of eating “Borscht” soup. They have been considered an aphrodisiac in many cultures; that may be real as it is a natural source of tryptophan (think turkey, only chicken has more) as well as betaine, substances that promote feelings of well-being, as well as boron which increases the level of sex hormones.
In 1747, a chemist from Berlin discovered a way to get sugar from beets. Sugar beets were developed in the 18th and 19th century by French and Prussian plant breeders for their short growing season and utilized by Emperor Napoleon when the British blockaded their supply of sugar cane from the New World. He ordered cultivation and refinement on a large scale. In the very far back reaches of my refrigerator have been jars of beet sugar syrup sent by my daughter when she lived in Germany. They use it widely there. Chemists say there is no difference between processed sugars from sugar cane and sugar beets.
Molasses from sugar cane and sugar beets differs. Sugar cane is boiled cane that was cut, crushed or mashed, boiling its juices to make “cane syrup.” The second boiling is molasses, a common ingredient in baking and cooking and the third boiling is black strap molasses. Sugar beet molasses differs in that the third crystallization is the molasses.
Sugar beets are Beta vulgaris vulgaris. The difference in sugar and regular beets is their color, flavor and use. Sugar beets with higher sugar content and edible, are a variation of Mangel-wurtzel, grown for animal fodder. American abolitionists boycotted the sugar from the South because it was raised by slaves, so they turned to sugar beets. Unlike sugar cane, sugar beets can be raised in the North. Sugar can’t be produced from regular beets. In appearance, sugar beets resemble early beets in that they are long and white. Resembling parsnips and daikons, their leaves tell the difference.
All beets (and Swiss chard) are the same species, be they round red, white, pink or gold table beets or sugar beets, each bred for different purposes and cultivated for thousands of years.
Time to linger awhile under a tree, thank it for my clean air and de-stress.
Joyce Comingore is a Master Gardener, hibiscus enthusiast and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.