Radishes and Beets

With the potatoes duly tucked in, my attention turned to other root vegetables, namely beets and radishes. First, I pulled up the radishes that had managed to over-winter under cover ... a half row each of the small tricolor Easter Egg radish and Shunkyo semi-long specialty radish. Their roots had matured and some were surprisingly crispy and tasty. Others were obviously cold-hurt. I put the good ones in the 'fridge and fed the bad ones to the chickens. In their place I planted a full row of the Easter Egg radishes. These radishes are small and round, and come in three colors ... white, pinky-red, and purply-red. This row of radishes joins the already established row of Red Globes (the familiar-looking red and white radish) planted February 19.

But wait! There's still room in the bed for two rows of Round Red Ace, a hybrid beet. So ... two rows of radishes, two rows of beets, and down the middle - a row of carrot seedlings that have successfully over-wintered. Forty-eight square feet full of potential deliciousness!

Two rows of beets, however, is not going to be enough to satisfy this family. I turned to another empty bed and planted three 12' rows of Ruby Queen beets.  That ought to hold us.

Start the countdown ... ~30 days to zesty radishes and 50 days to beautiful beets!