VegetableBeet
Early Wonder Tall Top Beet
Early Wonder Tall Top Beet delivers a remarkable double harvest in just 45 days from seed, offering both tender, sweet crimson roots and abundant leafy greens striped with striking maroon veins. This hardy variety thrives across zones 2-10, producing upright plants reaching 12-18 inches tall that excel in cooler weather when many other vegetables struggle. With its open-pollinated reliability and quick maturation, it's perfect for succession planting and extending your harvest season well into fall.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
High
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
6 in
Width
TypeUpright
Spacing
3
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
High
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x 6in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
What sets Early Wonder Tall Top apart is its versatility as both a greens and root crop, with harvest flexibility that lets you pick baby greens at 35 days, full leaves at 45 days, and mature roots at 55 days. The vigorous, tall foliage creates an impressive garden display with glossy dark green leaves streaked in burgundy, while beneath the soil, deep red round roots develop their signature sweet yet earthy flavor. This variety's cold tolerance and quick maturity make it invaluable for northern gardeners and anyone wanting fresh beets throughout the growing season.
Common Uses
Early Wonder Tall Top excels in diverse culinary applications, from fresh salads using the tender young greens to hearty sautés with the mature leaves that taste remarkably similar to chard. The sweet, earthy roots shine when roasted, boiled, or transformed into tangy pickled beets paired with vinegar, while warm beets complement walnut oil beautifully. Health enthusiasts prize this variety for juicing, taking advantage of the roots' high glycine betaine content and the greens' wealth of fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin A.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before transplanting, using 72- or 128-cell flats with 2-3 seeds per cell planted 1/2 inch deep in a cold frame or indoor setting during early spring.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant after heavy frosts become infrequent, spacing plants 3 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches wide, though note that transplanted beets may be less uniform than direct-seeded ones and taproots can tangle during harvest.
Direct Sow
Direct sow 3-4 weeks before last frost, succession sowing every 2 weeks through summer for continuous harvest, with June-August sowings providing excellent fall crops.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting baby greens at 35 days, full-sized leaves at 45 days, and mature roots at 55 days when they reach desired size. For greens, harvest 1-2 mature leaves per plant while leaving several leaves to support root development, noting that leaves become tough once over 6 inches tall. For roots, loosen soil around the beet and pull gently, remembering that smaller beets tend to be sweeter while larger ones develop more earthy flavor.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Beta vulgaris
Family
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Beta
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)