beetroot

[serenity]

This is my first year of growing beetroot. I have pronto and bulls blood. NO comparrison, bulls blood wins for coulor but has anyone tried these for taste? there are so many diferent varieties but what I really want to know is which taste good?

[dexterdoglancashire]

I grew cheap and cheerful B&Q boltardy last year for the first time. I hated beetroot until I tasted those! fantastic! would never eat jars of the pickled stuff ever again!
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[serenity]

I have had fresh beetroot from the farmers market which was very tasty grated into a mixed salad. first year growing myself so wondered which variety were v tasty and if bulls blood were tasty AND beautifull

[dexterdoglancashire]

Am I right in thinking that you can eat the leaves as well?

[serenity]

yes you can and bulls blood add a lovely colour to any mixed salad but at the end of the day I have loads of salad leaves of various colours which are far more tasty than beetroot. What I want from this plant is to be a great addition to the pottager and be tasty as a root . If there is another variety of beet that is better to eat then I will grow this separately in pots

[Alice]

Sorry Serenity, I'm not an expert on the relative merits of different varieties of beetroot. (We might all get there though !) Maybe we could compare notes later.
I just wanted to say - apparently beetroot likes a little salt sprinkled on the ground around it. I'm trying it anyway.

[lyndap]

Bolthardy def the winner on taste for me(and for germination).I now grow this every year,and a different one along side(this year chicco pink),so I can compare,but as I say so far Bolthardy the best all round.

[miniplot]

My grandma (now nearly 80!) has been growing beetroot for 50 years and always goes with boltardy for flavour. jo

[serenity]

Has anyone ever tried the mature leaves cooked like chard? there is a white rooted type sold by real seeds and they say the tops are cooked this way. just wondered if all varieties would be suitable.

[bionda75]

Hi serenity

Last year I would pick off a couple of leaves per plant whilst the root was still maturing and cooked it in olive oil and garlic for a couple of minutes and it was really yummy.

[terrier]

Like Dexterdog, I picked up a pkt of B&Q Boltardy a few weeks ago. not tried these befor but looking forward to a good crop. Most of our beetroot goes into borsch. Everything but the soil.(well almost)

[serenity]

I bionda, welcome to the vine. Will try this with my bulls blood leaves when they get a bit bigger