How to Harvest and Store Beets

Beets are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. The roots, in shades of ruby-red, gold or red and white, add sparkle to any table; the deep green and red foliage looks stunning enough for any ornamental garden.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sawdust
• Garden Knives
• Gardening Gloves
• Sand
• Plastic Storage Bags

1. Pick up to 1/3 of the foliage from a beet plant at any time to use as cooked greens.

2. Harvest both roots and green tops when they're young and tender for best flavor.

3. Pull or dig the roots when they reach the desired size for cooking or canning; this varies with the variety of beet and the spacing in the row (the seed packet or catalog write-up will tell you the size range of your variety). Test the size by feeling the tops of the roots with your fingers.

4. Store unwashed beet roots in plastic bags in your refrigerator's crisper section for up to three weeks; to increase storage life, remove the greens but leave at least an inch of stem.

5. Store beet greens the same way and use them as soon as possible; they'll last only a few days.

6. Keep unwashed beet roots long-term by covering them with sand or sawdust and storing in a moist, cool spot (35 to 40 degrees F).

Tips & Warnings

• For maximum flavor, eat both beet greens and roots as soon as you've picked them.
• Though beet roots can boast folacin, vitamin C and fiber, the real nutritional treasure lies in the green tops: they're packed with beta carotene, calcium and iron.