(Beta vulgaris)

Beets have been cultivated since the dawn of early Greece & Rome, when white coloured beets shared equal popularity with red. Yellow or “golden” beets have been recorded as early as c.1580 in Northern Europe. The sugar beet, however, was not developed until 1740 in Poland, where it was intended to compete with high demand for sugar cane. In fact, Belgium breweries are famous for using the sweetness of the sugar beet to produce some of their very unique beers. For the home gardener today, beets are versatile providing both their greens and roots as edible delicacies.