The Kitchen Gardener - Episode 7 - Beetroot
This information is general in nature and should not be taken as professional advice.
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Beetroot
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Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Genus: Beta
Species: B. vulgaris
Subspecies: B. v. vulgaris
Variety: B. v. v. vulgaris
Latin Name: Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. vulgaris
No of Species:
It is also popularly harvested as spinach. Globular or oval types include the cold tolerant Melbourne Early Slowbolt, Crimson Globe, Crimson King, Detroit Dark Red and Derwent Globe. For quick growth try Rapid Red which provides a mature harvest in less than 10 weeks. Long and half-long types produce elongated roots and include Cylindra, Long Dark Blood and Obelisk.
Look for the White and Golden varieties available from Eden Seeds and other non-hybrid seed stockists.
Origin:
The type of wild plant from which it came, had thin, poor roots and was native to the Mediterranean but spread eastwards into West Asia. It was known as a vegetable as early as 300 BC but was only introduced into Germany and Britain around the sixteenth century.
Distribution:
Worldwide
Anecdotal:
Related to the sugar beet, the foliage beet that is grown for the greens and not the root and also to Swiss chard.
Description:
Beetroot are biennial plants grown as annuals and harvested for their swollen root tuber and leaves.
Taste:
Earthy caramel roasted.
Fresh is akin to earthy mint.
Eat alone with:
Grated into Salads
Pickled
Boiled, steamed or roasted as a vegetable
Roasted (cover with lemon juice to stop browning).
Eat with:
Salads
Pizza
Fresh on sandwiches
The usually deep-red roots of beetroot are eaten boiled either as a cooked vegetable, or cold as a salad after cooking and adding oil and vinegar, or raw and shredded, either alone or combined with any salad vegetable. A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beets or into pickles. In Eastern Europe beet soup, such as cold borscht, is a popular dish. Yellow-coloured beetroots are grown on a very small scale for home consumption.
Other Uses:
As a dye. Betanin, obtained from the roots, is used industrially as red food colourants, e.g. to improve the colour of tomato paste, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, ice cream, sweets and breakfast cereals.Within older bulbs of beetroot, the colour is a deep crimson and the flesh is much softer. Beetroot dye may also be used in ink.
Fruiting:
Seed
Growing:
Beetroot has shallow roots and it is important to water the plants regularly. If they experience long dry periods, the beetroot will become hairy and fibrous. During cool weather, the plants can be watered once a week. During very hot weather, less water can be given two to three times a week instead of a lot of water once a week.
If there is too little boron in the soil, the beetroot will have black blotches on both the inside and the outside. It will also display black cracks and holes.
Propagation:
Beetroot seeds are clustered together with each cork-like fruit containing 2-3 potential offspring.
The seeds require plenty of moisture to germinate. Soaking them in warm water for an hour or two prior to planting is a great way to speed up germination. Seeds may be sown directly into prepared beds to a depth of 1-2cm or into seed trays for later transplanting as seedlings.
Unlike other root crops, beetroot seedlings transplant reasonably well providing they are not too large and are kept moist when transplanting. Successful transplanting can be carried out as soon as plants have formed their first true leaves. When purchasing punnets of seedlings the clustered nature of the seeds become evident, with several seedlings obvious in each cell.
Be sure to carefully separate these into individual plants prior to planting out. This will avoid seedlings competing with one another and prevent a distorted, misshapen harvest. Where plants are sown direct it is important to thin the multiple seedlings back to one plant. If carefully removed, the thinnings can be transplanted to form additional rows. Allow 10-15cm between plants and 20 cm between rows.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 7°C and 25°C. Tolerates light frost.
Expected germination time - 10-14 days. Hasten germination by soaking seeds for several hours prior to sowing
Life expectancy of stored seed - Three years
Approx. time between sowing and harvesting - Globe varieties - 11 weeks, Long varieties - 16 weeks
Pollination:
Wind and insect.
Will cross with silverbeet, chard, other beets.
Flowers:
None cited
Seedsaving:
Larger corky seed.
Plants are biennial, producing vegetative growth in the first season and flowers and seed in the second. If plants bolt, eat donot allow to go to seed.
They also require substantial differences in day length to initiate flowering, so gardeners in warmer parts of the country may find that plants do not bloom at all. Beetroot are both wind and insect pollinated.
Do not have two varieties in flower at the same time or isolate plants to keep different strains pure. Where possible, allow at least three to four plants of one variety that show good growth and disease resistance for flowering and seed production.
Cuttings:
Not from cuttings.
Growth Habit:
Produce the best commercial quality when grown during cool temperatures (50° to 65°F [10o to 18.3°C]).
When the seedlings emerge there may be more than one from each seed cluster. Remove all but the strongest seedling from each seed cluster.
Intermittent or inadequate watering can result in stress cracks and breakdown of roots.
Pruning:
Thinning is nearly always required as seedlings emerge from a seedball of several seeds.
Soil:
Beetroot require a soil pH of 6.5-7.5, so a dressing of lime is often necessary prior to planting. Plenty of sunlight is essential as plants grow poorly in shaded situations. An adequate supply of water is also required for a tender, juicy harvest.
Like all root crops, adequate levels of phosphorous and potassium are required. Dig over the soil in autumn prior to sowing but do not add manure to the soil as this will cause the roots to develop incorrectly.
Aspect:
Prefers moist,sunny conditions with not excessive heat. Suits alongside other vegetables in the garden and may prefer some shade in summer conditions. A good space saver.
Beetroot can be grown across a wide range of climates. It is sown as a warm season crop in most regions, but performs best during the cooler, drier months in tropical zones.
Can be planted from August through until February in temperate climates with successive plantings providing a continuous harvest from late spring through until early winter.
Diseases:
Fungal leaf spots and rust sometimes occur on beetroot leaves. These are worse when plants are poorly grown (lack of sun, water and nutrients) or planted at the wrong time of year. Avoid growing beetroot during most humid time of the year in tropical regions, improve air circulation, reduce nitrogen applications and avoid excessive wetting of the foliage. Apply seaweed sprays to build disease resistance and supply trace elements.
Pests:
Slugs or snails may eat the leaves. Repellent molasses or chilli spray, a sprinkling of Derris dust or barriers and traps to control slugs and snails may be required in extreme cases.
Insects:
None cited
Companions:
NOT tall beans, runner beans.
YES Onions, Silverbeet, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cabbage, Dwarf Beans. Aromatic Herbs, Celery, Chamomile, Spinach, Chard.
Nutrition:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetroot
The bright red colour in beet roots is caused by betacyanin, a water soluble plant pigment related to anthocyanin. Anthocyanins often have antioxidant properties and are believed to be good for health. Beet roots are good sources of folic acid, potassium and dietary fiber. They also contain sugars that contribute to its colorie content.
Even though the root develops in the soil the best part of the beet from a nutritional point of view may be the beet tops. The tops contain three times as much iron as the roots. The tops are also an excellent source of vitamin A. A comparison of the various nutrients found in beet root and beet tops shows that, on a per weight basis, the tops have a higher nutritional value that the roots.
Ethnomedicinal:
Beetroot also has stimulating effects on the liver's detoxification processes. The betacyanin content gives beetroot its rich purple - crimson color and is a potent cancer - fighting agent. Beetroot's fibre promotes both healthy cholesterol levels and bowel function.
Since Roman times, beetroot juice has been considered an aphrodisiac. It is a rich source of the element boron, which plays an important role in the production of human sex hormones. Field Marshal Montgomery is reputed to have exhorted his troops to 'take favours in the beetroot fields', a euphemism for visiting prostitutes.
From the Middle Ages, beetroot was used as a treatment for a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. Platina recommended taking beetroot with garlic to nullify the effects of 'garlic-breath'.
Betanin is not broken down by digestion in the stomach, and in higher concentration can temporarily cause urine and stool to assume a reddish color. This is completely harmless and will subside once the food is out of the system again.
Beetroots are rich in the nutrient betaine, which is important for cardiovascular health. It functions by acting with other nutrients to reduce the concentration of homocysteine, a homologue of the naturally occurring amino acid cysteine, which can be harmful to blood vessels and thus contribute to the development of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Betaine functions in conjunction with S-adenosylmethionine, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B2 in order to carry out this function.
Additionally, several preliminary studies on both rats and humans have shown that betaine may protect against liver disease, particularly the build up of fatty deposits in the liver caused by alcohol abuse, protein deficiency, or diabetes, among other causes. The nutrient also helps individuals with hypochlorhydria, a condition causing abnormally low levels of stomach acid, by increasing stomach acidity.
Beetroot juice has been shown to lower blood pressure and thus help prevent cardiovascular problems. Research published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension showed drinking 500 ml of beetroot juice led to a reduction in blood pressure within one hour. The reduction was more pronounced after three to four hours, and was measurable up to 24 hours after drinking the juice. The effect is attributed to the high nitrate content of the beetroot. The study correlated high nitrate concentrations in the blood following ingestion of the beetroot juice and the drop in blood pressure. Dietary nitrate, such as that found in the beetroot, is thought to be a source for the biological messenger nitric oxide, which is used by the endothelium to signal smooth muscle, triggering it to relax. This induces vasodilation and increased blood flow.
Medical Warnings:
May turn urine or faeces red. Harmless.
Information Sources:
scpa.org.au
thebegavalley.org.au/seedsavers.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aioli
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetroot
www.annettemcfarlane.com/Stories/Beetroot.pdf
www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/planting-beet.html
www.gardeningpatch.com/vegetable/growing-beetroot.aspx
www.elsenburg.com/info/els/035/035e.html
www.science.edu.sg/ssc/vegetables/chenopodiaceae.jsp
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Recipe Options:
Grated fresh with fresh carrot, roasted sesame seeds with orange juice and an olive oil and garlic dressing.
Beetroot and Potato Salad
Meatballs and Grated Beetroot
Grated fresh on Focaccia bread in order lamb, mint, beetroot and cheddar or cheese
Grated fresh on Focaccia bread in order beef, horseradish and mozarella
On Pizza with yoghurt (or other toppings) and coriander
Fresh with cheese and lettuce on sanwhiches
Beetroot, Cottage Cheese and Leek Salad
Baked with oil and other vegetables esp roasted garlic
Vegetarian Borsch
Recipe Links
Dark Chocolate-Beetroot Brownies
www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/01/18/brownies-au-chocolat-noir-et-a-la-betterave-dark-chocolate-and-beet-brownies/
Horseradish
1 cup sour cream, cream or creme fraiche
1/4 cup grated fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
OR
4 tablespoons fresh horseradish, grated
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon pure cream
salt and pepper
Aioli
It is made by pounding garlic with olive oil and salt in a mortar until a smooth texture is obtained.
Traditionally, it differed from Provençal aioli in that it does not use egg but most contemporary preparation instructions suggest the use of a small quantity to allow faster and easier mixing. The mix of eggs, oil and garlic is pejoratively referred to as mayonnaise with garlic.
More commonly, egg yolks, garlic and Dijon mustard (if adding this as a common variation on the basic aioli) are combined first with a whisk, then the oil and the lemon juice are added slowly with whisking to create the emulsion. The additions of the dissimilar ingredients must be slow to start and then can be faster once the initial emulsion has formed.
4 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped fine
2 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cold water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dukka
2 tablespoons whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Roast hazelnuts and sesame seeds with cumin, blend or grind into course power with rest of ingredients
OR
1/4 cup walnuts or roasted chick peas
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1-1/2 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. white peppercorns
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. salt
As above
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