Chioggia Beet

Pronounced "key-OH-gee-uh", Chioggia Beet is an heirloom variety that originated in the town of Chioggia near Venice, Italy, and is also sometimes called Bassano Beet. Unlike most beets varieties that have a solid color on the inside, Chioggia has concentric rings of red and white that resemble a bullseye. The colorful appearance make it a popular choice for market stands or CSA operations. Plants produce 2-3" round beets with beautiful greens that are edible as well. Chioggia Beet has a mellow and less earthy flavor than traditional beets. They also don't "bleed" like traditional beets, which make them a great choice for eating raw on salads. They are also a great choice for pickling.

Beets may be direct seeded or grown as transplants. Beet Seeds are multigerm, which means that each seed will germinate 2-3 plants. As a result, plants will require thinning once they emerge from the soil. Failure to thin will result in overcrowding and lack of consistently sized roots. Plants should be thinned to one every 3-4" along the row. Beets may be planted on a bed with multiple rows close together. Harvest beets when roots have reached 3-4" in size. For storage, remove the greens and keep the roots in the refrigerator.

Growing beets from transplants is also an effective method, because thinning can be done in the trays as opposed to the ground. Place one seed per cell in our seed starting trays and thin to one plant per cell. Transplant when a solid root system has developed, when the plants can be easily pulled from the cells. Transplant into the ground at 4" spacing along the row. Beets work great grown in double rows to maximize garden space. For double row planting, plant two rows 4" apart with 3' between double rows.

Chioggia Beet Planting Information

Planting Method: transplant and direct seed

When to Plant: early spring and fall

Planting Depth: 1/2"

Seed Spacing: 4-6"

Row Spacing: 3'

Days to Maturity: 55

Disease Resistance: None