It’s autumn for most of our Gurney’s Gardeners, and that means it’s time to put up the last of your preserves and prep your gardens for winter. One of our favorite cold weather crops, beets are ready for harvest. Beets can be planted first thing in spring, or started in late August – Harrier Beets are a Gurney’s Choice – for good reason.
Why do we love Harrier Beets? This variety grows big, and has a great buttery flavor. I like veggies that are no-brainers for me- I want to slice and eat, or steam and eat. I don’t want to add too much because I feel like food should taste like food. These beets are naturally sweet and truly need nothing added to them. If you enjoy preserving, Harrier Beets are gorgeous lined up in Mason Jars, and have a deep, ruby red color. Are you a juicer? I am, and beet juice is one of the best ways to start your day, as it is chock full of potassium and vitamin C- but it can be an expensive habit. Growing your own beets (at just under three dollars a packet) is an economical way to enjoy having beets as part of your daily diet. I’m a bit of a lazy gardener though- recently I found lots of packets of seeds I never started, so I strongly suggest purchasing the seed tape. Dig a trench, lay the tape down, cover it up and water! I still have to move the beets around a bit so they have enough room to grow to their optimum size (rumor is, they can get as big as a softball)- so I’ll plan to do that.
Thinking of giving beets a try in your garden? For most northerners, you’re cutting it close to snow time and beets have a 50 day to maturity timeline. If it’s too late for you to plant beets now, plan ahead for spring! Cold crops (beets, lettuces) can go out early, so start your seeds inside and transfer out once you are past the danger of heavy snow. Interested in learning more about beets? Check out the different varieties Gurney’s offers at https://www.gurneys.com/category/beet-seed.
