Heirloom Beet
Bull's Blood Beet is a striking multipurpose beet that delivers color and nutrition in equal measure. From its deep burgundy leaves to its blood-red roots, this open-pollinated variety excels as both a salad green and root vegetable. Baby leaves are ready to harvest in just 35 days, while the sweet, earthy roots mature in the same timeframe. You can pick tender greens throughout the season or let roots develop for storage, though many gardeners prize this variety most for its exceptional microgreens and baby-leaf production.
Full Sun
High
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4in H x 6in W
Biennial
High
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The leaves are where Bull's Blood truly shines, offering a deep burgundy color that looks as striking on the plate as it tastes. Harvest them at the baby stage, around 3 to 6 inches tall, for tender greens bursting with antioxidants; let them grow beyond 6 inches and they toughen considerably. The roots develop lighter red rings when sliced, packed with iron and nutrients that exceed most other beet varieties, and the plants tolerate both cold and heat extremes far better than you'd expect from a beet.
Bull's Blood serves triple duty in the kitchen. The deep red leaves are a gourmet addition to salads, especially when harvested at the baby stage, and they're considered the best variety for microgreens production, bringing color and nutrition to any plate. The sweet, earthy roots can be roasted, pickled, boiled, or eaten fresh, while some growers have even experimented with using them as a natural dye for fabric and cosmetics. Baby-leaf greens can be harvested repeatedly throughout the growing season, making this variety excellent for continuous salad production.
While seed catalogs note that starting Bull's Blood indoors is not recommended due to root disturbance delaying maturity, if you choose to start seeds indoors, sow 1/2 inch deep in 72- or 128-cell flats about 5 to 6 weeks before your intended transplanting date. Use 2 to 3 seeds per cell. However, be aware that transplanted beets often produce less uniform roots and tangled taproots compared to direct-seeded crops.
Transplant seedlings 3 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart after heavy frosts become infrequent and soil has warmed. Cut leaves about 1 inch above the soil when transplanting to reduce transplant shock. Expect that transplanted beets may not be as uniform as direct-seeded ones.
Direct sow 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date for an early summer crop, or 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost for a late summer or fall crop. In mild climates, you can sow from fall through winter. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep when soil temperature is at least 45°F, ideally between 60 and 85°F. Succession sow every 1 to 2 weeks for continuous harvest.
Baby leaves are ready to pick in as little as 35 days from sowing. Harvest leaves when they reach 3 to 6 inches tall by cutting with a knife about 1 inch above the soil to allow for clean regrowth and continued harvests; once leaves exceed 6 inches, they become tough and less palatable. For root harvest, loosen the soil around the beet and pull gently when roots reach your desired size; small roots are tender, while large roots may become woody if left in the ground too long. You can harvest one to two mature leaves per plant at a time while allowing the roots to continue developing.
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“Bull's Blood emerged as an heirloom beet selected for its exceptional leaf color and quality, though the exact origins and selection history are not detailed in available sources. What is clear is that this variety has been preserved and championed by the seed-saving community for its distinctive dual-purpose performance, becoming a favorite among both home gardeners and microgreens producers who recognize its superior leaf pigmentation and yield.”