Organic Beetroot ‘Chioggia’

£2.55

Availability: 48 in stock

Soil Association Organic Logo          Beta Vulgaris – 3.2g – Approx 200 Seeds       

The Chioggia beetroot is an Italian heirloom dating back to 1840 from Chioggia, a small fishing village in Northern Italy.

It is known for its attractive flesh which has alternating red and white rings like a candy cane. 

Chioggia is loved for its appearance and for its earthy flavour. 

It is often used raw to preserve its stripes but can also be baked whole and carefully sliced to retain the stripes. 

Chioggia is a favourite for home gardeners and speciality growers.

The seeds should be sown in modules in the spring and planted out when large enough approximately 10cm apart. Sow successionally until mid summer.

Seed Story

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans first domesticated the beetroot and grew it for its greens. It is believed that the Romans were the first to cultivate it for its root however this was used for medical treatments for digestive or blood issues. 

Hippocrates used to dress wounds with beetroot leaves. 

The original beetroots looked more like a carrot or parsnip and were usually white or even black. The first mention of a red beetroot was in Northern Italy in the 17th Century. The round root we know today did not appear in England until the 16th and 17th centuries. They were introduced to the US by European immigrants.

Beets can be eaten raw and grated into salads, boiled, roasted, pickled or eaten cold after cooking.