VegetableBeet
Red Mammoth Mangel Beet
Red Mammoth Mangel Beet is a heritage fodder beet with roots that grow surprisingly large and juicy, reaching 18 to 24 inches tall when mature. These giant roots feature a distinctive light red exterior with pinkish flesh, and they're remarkably sweet for a storage beet. Hardy across zones 2 through 10 and ready to harvest in 100 to 109 days, this variety thrives in full sun and handles late-season planting beautifully, making it an excellent choice for winter and spring crops in cold climates.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
Spacing
6
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
Since the 1400s, gardeners have relied on mangel beets as nutritious, long-keeping feed for livestock and household stores. Red Mammoth stands out as the heaviest yielder and most popular mangel variety on record, according to the 1940 Oscar H. Will seed catalog. What surprises first-time growers is how genuinely sweet and juicy these giant roots are, despite their humble reputation as animal fodder. They store with remarkable ease and adapt readily to challenging growing conditions, making them as practical as they are productive.
Common Uses
Red Mammoth Mangel Beet traditionally serves as nutritious animal feed that stores exceptionally well through winter and spring. The juicy, sweet roots can be sliced and fed fresh or stored in root cellars for months, providing consistent nutrition when other forage is scarce. Home gardeners also use these beets for human consumption, roasting or boiling the tender roots for their sweetness, though their primary reputation remains in livestock agriculture and homestead food preservation.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow Red Mammoth Mangel Beet seeds directly in the garden in spring as soon as soil is workable, or in late summer for winter and spring crops. Press seeds into the soil and cover lightly, keeping the bed moist until germination.
Harvesting
Harvest Red Mammoth Mangel Beets after 100 to 109 days when roots have reached full size, typically in fall for spring plantings or late fall for summer plantings. You can harvest by gently loosening the soil around each root and pulling upward, or dig carefully with a garden fork to avoid damaging the flesh. These beets are ready when they feel firm and full; the light red exterior and pinkish flesh are visible indicators of maturity. Leave roots in the ground until just before the first hard freeze if you live in a cold climate, as they sweeten further in cool temperatures.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Beta vulgaris
Family
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Beta
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)
History & Origin
“Mangel beets emerged as a distinct crop type sometime before the 1400s, when European farmers began selecting larger, more productive varieties specifically for animal feed and winter storage. Unlike sugar beets, which were developed for their sweetness and processing potential, mangels evolved to maximize yields and longevity in root cellars. The Red Mammoth variety itself became recognized as the most prolific and reliable of all mangel types, a reputation codified in the 1940 Oscar H. Will seed catalog, which declared it the heaviest yielder in the category. This variety represents the culmination of centuries of practical breeding by farmers who understood that a winter's worth of nutrition depended on choosing the right beet for storage and feed value.”