Description
This Italian heirloom from the mid-1800s got its name from a fishing village near Venice, Italy. ‘Chiogga’ has delicious green tops and tasty roots. Each seed produces multiple plants and the thinnings are a delightful addition to your salad. Packed with nutrition, beets are high in fiber, potassium, folic acid, and the antioxidant, betacyanin. Delicious roasted, steamed, and pickled.
Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 55
Family: Amaranthaceae
Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris
Native: Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean region
Hardiness: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
Plant Dimensions: Medium (12” - 24”)
Variety Info: 1”–3” pinkish/red roots with interior rings of bright pinkish/red and white; green leaftops.
Attributes:
- Frost Tolerant
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 45°F, ideally 60°–85°F, for early summer crop. 6 to 8 weeks before your average first fall frost date for late summer/fall crop. Mild Climates: Sow fall through winter.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended
Days to Emerge: 5-21 days
Seed Depth: 1/2”
Seed Spacing: 1 seed every 4”
Row Spacing: 12”
Thinning: When 2” tall, thin to 1 every 4”
Growing Info
Harvesting: For early spring sowings, harvest beets before summer heat. For late summer sowings, harvest before first heavy freeze. For winter sowings in mild climates, harvest in early spring. Harvest when roots are anywhere from 1”–3” in diameter. The smaller they are, the more tender. Greens are most tender when small, so start harvesting when they are 2” tall. You can take as much as one third of a beet plant’s outer leaves without harming the root crop.