Babybeat Beet (40 Days)

The Babybeat Beet is a perfectly round mini beet with the earliest harvest of all our beet varieties, and easy to squeeze into small garden spaces. The deep red interior of the Babybeat Beet has an elevated sweetness with a crunchy texture and very subtle, earthy beet flavor. Reliable and consistent, holding its baby size of 1” -1 ½” for weeks in the garden. We pulled up one on August 21st, a month over the maturity date, it remained baby sized, still having exceptional flavor.           

300 seeds 

PLANTING

Beta vulgaris

Germination: 5-10 days

Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 50-85ºF. Soaking seed overnight aids in germination.

Seed Sowing Depth: 1/2” deep

Starting Indoors: 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Sow 1-2 seeds per cell/pot. Thin to 1 seedling per cell/pot. Transplant outdoors when the first true leaves appear, 3” apart.

Sowing Outdoors: Early spring with soil temperatures at least 50ºF. Sow 1-2” apart, thin when plants are 2-4” tall, 3-4” apart. Germination is slower at lower soil temperatures.

How much does a packet plant: 20-25 foot single row  

Harvest: Begin picking at 1” for baby beets and up to 3” across for the most tender and best tasting. For best storage cut off the greens 2” above the top of the beet.

Tips: Babybeat Beet “seeds” are actually fruits that contain multiple seeds inside with several seedlings emerging from one seed. Use the thinned seedlings for beet greens or plant a heavily seeded row for baby beet greens. Beets need to grow rapidly and evenly by providing soil rich in organic matter and adequate moisture. Sow every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest.