Chioggia Guardsmark Improved Beets bring the stunning candy-striped beauty of Italian Chioggia beets with better color contrast, uniformity, and bolt resistance than the classic strain. Ready to harvest in just 60 days, these globe-shaped roots reach 4 inches wide and produce generous, mild-flavored greens you can cook like chard. Grow them in full sun with moderate water and soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5, spacing them 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart. Unlike traditional red beets that stain everything they touch, these won't dye your salads or roasted vegetable medleys, making them a kitchen-friendly choice for mixed dishes and families alike.
Full Sun
Moderate
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12in H x 4in W
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Moderate
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The real draw here is the striking pink and white ring pattern inside each beet paired with a variety that actually resists bolting and performs reliably across spring, summer, and fall harvests. The greens are as much a feature as the roots, mild-mannered and tender enough that even kids will eat them. This is a beet that delivers ornamental appeal without sacrificing the practical durability that real gardeners need.
These beets shine in situations where you want beauty without mess. Slice them raw into salads where their pale interior and vivid rings become a visual centerpiece, they won't bleed color across your greens or other vegetables. Roast them alongside other vegetables without fear of everything turning purple-red. The mild, generous greens can be sautéed like spinach or chard and served as a side dish or stirred into soups.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow seeds 1 to 2 inches deep in spring when the soil is warm. Germination occurs between 50 and 75°F. You can succession-plant every few weeks through summer and into fall for continuous harvests.
Chioggia Guardsmark Improved beets are ready to harvest at 60 days from planting. The roots should feel firm and reach about 4 inches in diameter at the shoulder. You can harvest them younger for smaller, more tender beets, or leave them slightly longer if you prefer more substantial roots. Gently loosen the soil with a fork and pull the plant, twisting off the green tops about 2 inches above the root. The greens can be harvested at any point during the growing season for use as cooking greens.
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“Chioggia beets originated in the Italian seaside town of Chioggia near Venice, famous for their distinctive concentric rings of red and white flesh. This particular strain represents an improvement over the classic Chioggia, selected specifically for enhanced color contrast between the rings, better uniformity from plant to plant, and stronger resistance to bolting. The Guardsmark Improved version preserves the visual drama of the original while addressing the practical frustrations gardeners faced with the heritage type.”