Sugar Beet Seeds

Beta vulgaris

From Ophidian Farms - always organic!

90 days.  Sugar beets are a natural source of sugar and where most of the sugar industry derives its sugar from these days.  Beets are up to 1 foot long and can weigh from 3-5 pounds.  Seeding rates are from 10-15 lb. per acre.  That means you need to thin them to make sure they have enough room to grow.  Very frost tolerant.  Tops can grow 1-2' tall. Beet tops can be eaten, lightly grazed or fed to animals.  Roots are a great fodder crop too.

Sugar beets can be consumed raw when young and are grated and sliced into green salads. The roots can also be used when mature, but the flesh must be cooked to develop a softer texture, primarily utilized in boiled, sautéed, and roasted applications

Heirloom, open-pollinated, organically-grown seeds.

Botanical Names: Beta vulgaris
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Common Names: sugar 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 = 84 %

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

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