RE: Beets - when to harvest
sounds like I am right on track then. I did think the ones I pick earlier
were not as flavorful as I expected. I did notice the greens were starting
to look a ragged. We have had plenty of sun this summer so they should be
pretty tasty.
Thanks for all the info.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Allan Day [SMTP:allan@crwys.demon.co.uk]
> Sent: Monday, August 23, 1999 3:05 PM
> To: 'veggie'
> Subject: Re: Beets - when to harvest
>
> On Mon 23 Aug, Smith, Sue wrote:
> > I fear I have let my beets get to large. I always thought if they were
> > large they got woody. My neighbor said she thought her father left them
> in
> > the ground till after the frost so they were sweeter. But our first
> frost
> > is still a month or more away. Can anyone shed some light on this
> topic?
> >
> > Sue
> >
> Beet have to have sun on the leaves to build up sugars and flavour in
> the roots. If they are tough or bitter it is because they have grown too
> slowly such as because of lack of nutrients or water or the temperature
> too low. If you pull them too early they will lack flavour, best time is
> about the first frost time or just before if you know when that is, but
> if the days are short they will stop growing anyway. The tastiest beet
> that I ever grew were Boltardy that got overlooked, they were huge but
> delicious, not a bit tough. They say don't cut the leaves, just twist
> them off so that they don't bleed, in practice leave them on the surface
> until the leaves flop and then remove them.
> Allan
>
>
> --
>
> Allan Day Hereford allan@crwys.demon.co.uk
