Beetroot Albina Vereduna is a deliciously flavoured beetroot variety. The beets are white both inside and out, with a mild taste that is slightly sweeter than other red varieties. The roots are round to slightly flattened at the base. Because of their white color and mild flavour, they provide an appealing alternative to red beetroot. This variety has a long history in European home gardens and is valued for its taste, appearance, and ease of cultivation. The leaves of this variety are bright green and also edible, and can be used as a substitute for, for example, spinach.
Beetroot is very healthy and versatile. They contain: vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B11 and C. And the minerals: sodium, calcium, manganese, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and zinc. Beets also contain a lot of fibre, betanin and vulgaxanthin and few calories. That is why beetroots are very healthy. You can boil, cook in the oven, prepare raw, bake, steam, stew, pickle and use in soups and stews. Beetroot is delicious in combination with: apple, potatoes, lettuce, onions, carrot, garlic, lemon, orange, cheese, sour cream, nuts, chives, gherkin, rocket, corn salad, spinach, beef, eggs, chicken, minced meat and bacon. Hardy annual.
Soaking: ½ - 1 hour
Outdoor sowing: middle of April - middle of July
Germination: 7 - 21 days
Germination temp: 16 - 22°C
Sowing depth: 1 - 2½ cm
Plant spacing: 40 - 50 cm
Row spacing: 30 cm
Planting position: sunny
Harvest period: July - September
Sow outdoors from the middle of April till the middle of July, when there's no more any danger of severe frosts and the soil is warmed up. Sow on a sunny plot with loose, freedraining soil. Remove as much stones as possible to give the roots a good chance to grow deep in the ground. Sow for a longer harvesting period, small amounts approx. 2 - 3 weeks from eachother.
Soak the seeds prior to sowing in tepid water for ½ - 1 hour to help the germination. Sow in rows approx. 30 cm apart every 5 cm 1 seed. Germination can take 7 - 21 days, depending on the weather and temperature. From each seed germinate about 3 seedlings. Remove all weak seedlings till 1 strongest per hole remains. Thin the seedlings, when they're approx. 5 cm long to 10 cm for little round beetroots and approx. 15 cm for larger elongated varieties.
Beetroot needs a lot of water during the growth, give enough water during dry-spells. Protect the beetroots against birds with nets. Harvest the beets when they're still young. You can harvest when the leaves begin to hang. Cut the leaves approx. 5 cm above the root to prevent bleeding and rotting. Eat your beetroots right after harvesting them. But It's possible to store them in a cool, dry, dark place in closed containers. Put the beetroots in layers and put some sand between each layer. This way you can store them for about one month.
