Detroit Dark Red beet
$4.00 – $6.00
(Beta vulgaris)
An old classic which our family loves for its reliability and ease of growing; we plant, thin, mulch, and forget them until it is time to bring in the abundant harvest. Apparently this variety was originally released by D. M. Ferry & Co. of Detroit, Michigan (of course) in 1892. By 1895 their catalogue declared: “This variety was introduced by us and is now universally recognized as being The Best Turnip Shaped Beet for Market Gardeners and the Home Garden. Its small upright-growing tops, the splendid shape and color of the roots, make it Popular with Everyone. The color of the skin is dark blood red, flesh bright red, zoned with a lighter shade. VERY CRISP, TENDER AND SWEET.”
What more is there to say?
Biennial. Plant when daffodils bloom (late April-early May); sow 1/2” deep, spaced 1” apart, and thin to 3” with rows 24” apart. Dig beets before hard frost; cut off leaves 1” above root so stem can heal. Brush off soil and let dry briefly, but do not break taproot; pack in layers of damp sawdust, dry leaves, or sand and store cold and moist.