(Beets)
The rich purple-pink stain of beetroot (beet) juice is startling, even if you’ve been cooking with them for years. There’s something ancient about their earthy taste — and if you eat too many, your urine turns pink!
They say beetroots were originally cultivated only for their greens, but by the time the Ancient Romans came along, their roots were on the menu too. There’s a history of beetroot being used medicinally (often in relation to blood conditions) and we know its crimson has been used to colour all sorts of things, including human hair during the Victorian era.
When it comes to regrowing your beetroot, it’s all about sprouting fresh leaves and stalks, both of which can be used in a variety of dishes throughout the year. For example, the greens make a wonderful side dish when seasoned, sautéed in butter and mixed with a little cream and roasted pine nuts. Before you start, it’s good to know that the fresher your beetroot, the greater the yield for regrowth. We’re lucky enough to have our own crop from the allotment, but many supermarkets and health stores sell fresh beetroot, particularly when it’s in season.
| Growing speed | Medium |
| Difficulty level | Easy |
| Position | Sunny |
| Temperature | Cool |
| Use | Edible |
| Container | Medium |
You will need
Sharp knife
Medium-sized glass mason jar
Fresh water
Potting compost (optional)
Plant pot with drainage holes and drip tray (optional)
To regrow beetroot
| 1 | Using a sharp knife, remove the top 3cm (1¼in) of the beetroot and retain this to regrow your greens. |
| 2 | If the beetroot top already has leaves coming out of it, cut these off and discard. |
| 3 | Place the beetroot top (with the leaves facing upwards) in a glass mason jar and fill with enough fresh, cool water to cover the base of the severed root by about 1cm (½in). You’ll see the water turn a beautiful shade of pink, which will look gorgeous on a sunny windowsill. |
| 4 | The beetroot now needs lots of light to grow fresh leaves again. Place your jar somewhere sunny and bright. You’ll notice the smallest flecks of bright green, baby beetroot leaves growing from your cutting within the first 24 hours, which is pretty remarkable. |
| 5 | It’s important to refresh the water every other day, or daily in warm weather. |
| 6 | You can harvest the new leaves and stalks as soon as you see fit. We prefer to have several regrowing beets on the go at any one time so we can harvest a few of the leaves from each plant, rather than risk shocking the crop by removing all the leaves and stalks in one go. Eventually, the tops will stop producing entirely. At that point they are destined for the compost bin, but you might be surprised at just how much extra produce you garnered from such a small scrap of root. |
Tips
Try using a Blankoma variety. Its white root produces strong, tall tops which can be used like spinach.
Mix golden and red beetroots with carrots, purple radishes and other colourful vegetables for a technicolour rainbow salad you can be proud of.
Try using a plastic inbox tray to regrow ten or more beetroot tops at once.