Best grown in moist, fertile, organically rich, light, well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. Beet seeds (actually dried "seed clusters", each with 3 or 4 seeds) may be sown in the ground about 30 days prior to the last spring frost date. Plant seeds 1/2" deep and 1" apart (with 12-18" between rows when growing in vegetable gardens). Since several seedlings will emerge from each seed cluster, hand thinning to a 3-inch minimum spread should be done promptly after germination. Thinning is somewhat less important if plants are being grown only for foliage or as ornamentals. Successive plantings may be made every month during the season (seed planted in the heat of the summer may not germinate). Baby leaves develop in 35 days. Baby beets develop in 9-11 weeks. For proper growth, beets need regular and consistent moisture, with additional water provided during hot and dry summer periods to prevent bolting. Beets also prefer shallow cultivation to help control weeds. Beets are biennials whose roots may overwinter (they need a good straw mulch), with resprouting occurring in spring.
'Bull's Blood' is an heirloom beet that is primarily grown today for its dark purplish-red leaves that make excellent additions to salads. Its tasty beetroots (hereinafter beets) can also be enjoyed. Regardless of culinary value, 'Bull's Blood' is also often grown today in beds, borders and containers solely for the ornamental effects of its excellent foliage. It typically forms a dense rosette of metallic, dark purplish-red leaves that grow in a clump to 18" tall (sometimes more). Foliage provides excellent contrast with other garden plants. Young, tender leaves (remove outer leaves first when picking) make excellent and colorful additions to salads and have many other culinary uses including use as a spinach substitute. Beets may be used in a variety of recipes that extend well beyond the classic soup (borscht). Beets are best dug and harvested when 2-3" in diameter. When cut in cross section, each beet shows attractive white zoning rings. Non-showy, greenish flowers (sometimes tinged red) appear in dense spikes. In Sweden, red food coloring may be legally produced only from this cultivar.
Although this heirloom beet produces very tasty beetroots which display distinctive white rings in cross section, it is also frequently grown today for culinary or ornamental use of its stunning dark purplish red leaves which form dense rosettes to 18" tall. Young, tender leaves make excellent and colorful additions to salads. Leaf clumps also provide excellent foliage contrast to garden areas in somewhat the same manner as hostas. This plant can be grown in vegetable gardens or as an ornamental in the landscape or in mixed containers.
No serious insect or disease problems. Beets may suffer from fungal leaf spots, downy mildew, powdery mildew and root rots. Watch for leaf miners, flea beetles, aphids and caterpillars.
Fresh young leaves are a culinary treasure with excellent taste, texture and color. Young beets have excellent taste. Plants may be grown in vegetable gardens, but the effect of the ornamental foliage will be somewhat lost. For ornamental use, grow at the front of beds and borders, in cottage gardens, at the edge of sidewalks/paths or in mixed containers.
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