Red Mammoth Mangels / Fodder Beet Seeds

Beta vulgaris

From Ophidian Farms - always organic!

100 days. A giant beet for the adventurous gardener! Harvest this delicious beet for the dinner table when young, or allow it to grow to epic proportions (some reported to reach up to 40 pounds and 6 feet long) for a wonderful animal winter feed! A popular livestock feed in the 1800s, this makes a great fodder crop for the homestead. Harvest the roots when small and tender; they can be sliced thin and eaten raw or cooked. The greens are tender, even as the roots swell; and the greens from our giant mangel can be harvested for up to 6 months. The roots are endlessly useful; they can be eaten, fed to chickens, horses, cows and sheep, or used for sport!

Heirloom, open-pollinated, organically-grown seeds.

Botanical Names: Beta vulgaris
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Common Names: red mammoth mangel, red mammoth fodder beet
Life Cycle: Biennial
Plant Type: Beet

Requirements: Choose a planting site that gets full sun. They should ideally receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.  Beets prefer well-prepared, fertile soil, but will tolerate average to low soil fertility. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is best and slightly alkaline (7.0+) soils can be tolerated. Beets will not tolerate acidic soils (pH below 6.0). To allow the round beet roots to develop properly, soil should be free of rocks and other obstacles.  Avoid planting beets where Swiss chard or spinach has recently been grown, as they are cousins of beets and are susceptible to similar pests and diseases.

We prefer to sow beets directly in the garden so that we don’t have to disturb their roots. However, beets—unlike many root crops—do generally tolerate being transplanted while still young. Since they are cold tolerant, beets typically have no trouble being started outdoors, though.  Sow seeds ½-inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in rows that are about 12 to 18 inches apart. After sowing, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.  Make sure soil remains moist for optimal germination. Soak seeds for 24 hours prior to planting to speed up germination.

Approximately 40 seeds / gram

Auction is for 1 packet = 50 seeds

Germination rate = 85 %

Harvested fresh in fall of 2022, for sale through 2023!

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