VegetableBeet
Golden Detroit Beet
Yellow Beet
Golden Detroit Beet debuted in 1970 as the solution for gardeners tired of red beets bleeding all over their kitchen counters. This striking variety produces deep orange and yellow globe-shaped roots with a remarkably mild, sweet flavor that lacks the earthy bite many associate with raw beets. Hardy across zones 2-10, these vibrant beets reach harvest in just 50-59 days and grow to a manageable 12-18 inches tall, making them perfect for successive plantings throughout the growing season.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
—
Width
3 in
Spacing
50–59
Days to Harvest
PeriodBiennial
TypeRoot Crop
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
Biennial
Care
High
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Highlights
What sets Golden Detroit apart is its incredible versatility and clean eating experience. The golden-orange roots transform into a beautiful buttercup yellow when cooked while retaining their silk-smooth sweet flavor, and they won't bleed color like traditional red varieties. The dark green tops with bright red and orange veins are equally delicious, offering nutritious greens for salads when young or sautés when mature. This variety remains mild and sweet even as roots mature to 3-4 inches, giving gardeners a longer harvest window without sacrificing quality.
Common Uses
Golden Detroit excels as both a raw and cooked vegetable, with its mild sweetness making it exceptional in fresh salads where it won't overpower other ingredients. The roots slice beautifully for raw preparations, displaying their golden-orange color, and transform into buttercup yellow when cooked while maintaining their smooth texture. The nutritious greens serve double duty, with tender young leaves perfect for fresh salad mixes and larger, more mature tops ideal for light sautéing, providing gardeners with two crops from one plant.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
N/a
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow Golden Detroit directly outdoors 4-5 weeks before the final spring frost or 4-5 weeks before the first autumn frost. Plant 3-4 seeds 1/2 inch deep and 1-2 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil. Seeds germinate in 5-10 days and can be pre-soaked for 24 hours to encourage faster germination. Successive plantings every 2-3 weeks ensure continuous harvests throughout the season.
Harvesting
Baby greens can be harvested at 35 days when 2-3 inches tall, full leaf greens at 50 days when 3 inches in height, and mature roots at 55-59 days. Harvest roots when they reach 1-3 inches in diameter for best flavor, though they remain tender even up to 3-4 inches. In compacted soils, carefully loosen soil around roots with a gardening fork before harvesting. Beet greens should be harvested before any sign of wilting for maximum flavor.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Beta trigyna Waldst. & Kit.
Family
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Beta
Duration
Biennial
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)
History & Origin
“Golden beet made its debut in 1970, developed as an answer to home cooks' frustration with red beets staining everything they touched. This variety was specifically bred to provide all the nutritional benefits and sweet flavor of traditional beets without the notorious bleeding that made kitchen preparation messy and challenging.”