I didn’t always love them. In fact, I used to avoid them altogether.
Beets!
Stay with me—I know I just lost half of you with that word. Most people have a memory of those soggy canned beets served on a plate when they were kids, and that memory has been holding them hostage ever since. I get it. I was right there with you.
It wasn’t until I grew my own that everything changed.There’s something about pulling those deep red roots out of the soil with your own hands, washing them off, and roasting them in the oven with a little olive oil. Or pickling them and lining the jars up on the counter. Suddenly, they weren’t the beets I grew up dreading—they were something entirely different. Fresh. Sweet. Earthy. Real.
The more I grew them, the more I appreciated them. And now? I’d call myself a beet fan.Beets are one of those crops that reward you quickly. In just 55 days you’ve got roots ready to harvest. They thrive in cooler weather—perfect for fall planting and even through the winter here in the South. And unlike some finicky crops, beets are low-maintenance: a starter fertilizer, a follow-up feeding, and they’re good to go.
The whole plant is useful too. The roots are delicious, and the greens make an excellent stir-fry. They don’t take much space, so you can grow them in raised beds or containers. And the best part? They rarely give you trouble with pests or disease.
- Merlin– The sweetest beet we grow, packed with natural sugars and topped with gorgeous greens.
- Schrute Beet – Yes, named after Dwight from The Office. Vigorous, uniform, and hands-down the most consistent beet we offer.
If you’ve never grown beets before, plant some this fall—October 1st is prime time for us. And if you think you don’t like them? Grow your own and try them fresh, roasted, or pickled. You might just surprise yourself like I did.
P.S. Anybody remember Mercurochrome? That little red bottle with the brush? It was banned back in 1998 because of the mercury content. If you remember having it dabbed on every scrape and cut as a kid—let me hear an AMEN.
