Lily's Garden Store

Beet 'Early Wonder' Organic Heirloom (50 seeds)

$2.99 ~~$3.99~~

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Early Wonder beet adapt to all seasons but are especially good in early spring with quick growth in chilly soils. Early Wonder is an excellent beet that can be harvested for greens or tasty beet roots for roasting, canning, pickling, freezing, soups and fresh use. This early variety has high-quality nutritious greens that can be picked any time and enjoyed raw in salads, or cooked as a spinach substitute in recipes. Flattened globe shaped roots are dark purplish-red in color and mature in about 50 days.

Beets seem to have originated in the Mediterrenean region, where people grew them for thousands of years. Later, beets grew in Germany and Holland and were used as cattle fodder; they were later imported to England for this purpose, but the poor began to raise them for an affordable food source. American colonists later brought them to the New World, where they became a commonly enjoyed food both for their roots and their greens. S. D. Woodruff & Sons introduced the Early Wonder beet in 1911, advertising it as "the Arlington Strain of Crosby's Egyptian Beet."

50 days to maturity.

Approximately 50 seeds per packet.

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Culture

• Beets perform best in fertile, evenly moist soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0
• Uniform soil moisture is essential
• Sudden changes in temperature or soil moisture will increase zoning (ring formation in the root) and lead to premature bolting
• Transplanting not recommended as it can damage the tap root

Direct Sowing
• Incorporate a shovelful of compost and 1/4 cup of balanced organic slow release fertilizer and 1/4 cup of organic bone meal and mix into the bottom of the furrow
• Cover seeds with sifted compost, loose soil, or vermiculite and water evenly
• Use row cover when soil temperatures are cool and to protect from pests
• Sow June—August for a fall crop

Insects & Diseases
• Common insects: Leaf miners, flea beetles, and leaf hoppers
• Insect control: Pick off affected leaves and check for eggs—if found, spray with Pyrethrin
• Common diseases: Scab
• Disease prevention: Neutral pH (7.0), 3-4 year crop rotation, keep adequately watered
• Common pests: Mice, voles, and gophers
• Pest control: Traps or underground screens

Harvest & Storage
• Harvest when roots reach desired size; small roots are tender, large roots may become woody if left in the ground too long
• Leaves can be used as pot greens or in salads
• Trim tops and store at 36°F and 95% relative humidity

Fall & Winter Harvest
• Beets should be harvested before temperatures drop to the 15-20°F range
• If you are in a temperate climate, and your soil is well drained, your best location for root storage is in the garden under a protective layer of straw