Chioggia Guardsmark Beet

seeds

250 seeds: $4.50; Item: 2137-A
500 seeds: $7.50; Item: 2137-B
1,000 seeds: $10.00; Item: 2137-C
5,000 seeds: $34.00; Item: 2137-D
20,000 seeds: $98.00; Item: 2137-E

Beta vulgaris

Beautiful when sliced, this heirloom home-garden type attracts attention in the kitchen with its alternating interior rings of pink and white. Noteworthy also for its light red exterior color, green tops and exceptional sweetness. It loses quality when it gets large. Also known as Bassano, for the Venetian hill town where it originated. Has been cultivated in the States since the 1840s, was listed by Fearing Burr in 1863, and offered by Vick’s for 75¢ per lb in 1877.

ships year-round

Shipping

Items shipping from our garden seeds warehouse take 1-3 business days to process.

* We are currently receiving seed from our growers. We may hold orders for up to two weeks as we pack seed to complete orders.

Additional Information

Beets

About 1000-3600 seeds/oz. Seed size varies widely by variety.
Days to maturity are from seeding date.

Culture: Spring or fall, beets are hardy and easy to grow. Can be sown almost as soon as ground can be worked in spring. Minimum germination temperature 40°, optimal range 60–85°. For full-sized beets, you must thin to at least 3" apart. Early thinnings make good salad greens; baby-beet thinnings cooked with tops are a Yankee delight!

Diseases:
PM: Powdery Mildew
DM: Downy Mildew
CLS: Cercospora Leaf Spot looks like someone shot a series of small target-like circles in the foliage. Prolonged periods of rainfall and high humidity exacerbate this disease. In serious cases the spots darken and extend. Rotating crops, removing plant debris, and wider spacing to ensure adequate air circulation are preventive measures.

Scab, the same disease that afflicts potatoes, causes rough brown spots on the skin. Adequate irrigation is a preventive.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.

Our Seeds are Non-GMO

All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.