Description

Beetroot ‘Chioggia’, also known as ‘Candy Stripe’, is an Italian heirloom variety. It has red skin and, when cut crosswise, it has pink/red and white alternating rings which look great in salads. The flavour is sweet. The roots can be used in salads, or can be boiled, baked or pickled. Leaves are also edible, and are used as a spinach substitute, either raw or cooked.
Soak seed overnight before sowing.
Beetroots are the same species as silverbeet and chard; they can all be cross-pollinated with each other. Being biennial, they set seeds in the second year. If collecting seed, ensure that only one variety is flowering. However, beets are wind pollinated and need more than one plant of the same variety for pollination. For best results, hand‑pollinated early in the morning when flowers are wide open.