Louisiana vegetable growers produce beets for local retail sales at farmers’ markets and roadside stands in the fall, winter and spring. Growers make several small plantings of beets at different times from late September to mid-February. This provides a consistent supply of beets for sale from late November through April.
Growers harvest beets from a planting for an extended period of time. This provides a good volume of product and a significant return from a small piece of land. Louisiana growers want a beet variety that matures early with globe-shaped roots 2 to 2-1/2 inches in diameter with good exterior and interior color with tall dark green glossy tops that remain in good condition for an extended period of time.
Fourteen beet varieties were evaluated at the Burden Center in Baton Rouge, La. Preplant fertilizer at the rate of 400 pounds of 8-24-24 per acre was applied in two drills spaced 12 inches apart on each row on September 29, 2005. RoNeet 6EC (2 quarts/acre) was applied October 13, 2006, as a preplant incorporated preemergence herbicide before planting. The beets were planted October 17, 2005. The varieties were planted double drill with an Earth Way Precision Garden seeder in 25-foot plots, replicated three times. The beets were sidedressed with 200 pounds of ammonium nitrate/acre on November 10 and December 1, 2005.
The plots were evaluated three times February 3, 2006, February 22, 2006, and March 8, 2006. The beets on 2 to 3 feet of the row were dug by hand. The beets were tagged, tied into bunches, removed from the field and washed. The bunched beets were evaluated for maturity, root shape, exterior color, interior color, marketable yield and length of tops. The conditions of the tops were evaluated on February 3 and March 8, 2006. Asgrow Wonder was included in the test as the check variety.
The top beet variety in the test was Chariot. It is a mid-early variety that produces a 2- to 2¾-inch globe-shaped root with good exterior and interior color. This variety had the best shape in the test. The tops were medium tall in length, dark glossy green and stayed in good condition during the time of the test.
The second variety was Scarlet Supreme. It is a mid-early variety that made 2- to 2-1/2-inch globe roots with a tip. Both the exterior and interior were good. The tops were medium in length, dark glossy green and maintained a good condition throughout the test.
Chariot and Scarlet Supreme are hybrid varieties. Hybrid beets offer the advantage of early uniform maturity. Growers are encouraged to try small plantings of these beet varieties to test their performance under their farm conditions.
A complete table on the performance of the fourteen beets varieties is attached.