Ruby Queen Beet Seeds - (Beta vulgaris)

Ruby Queen Beet – Sweet, Tender, and Easy to Grow

This delightful heirloom variety boasts a natural sweetness that makes it stand out. Forget harsh, bitter flavors – the Ruby Queen offers a sweetly mellow, almost sugary taste that wins over even hesitant beet eaters. Its tender texture stays true even when harvested on the larger side, meaning no more battling woody, inedible cores.

The good news keeps coming – Ruby Queen's sweet simplicity and gorgeous color hold beautifully with preservation. This beet is a canning and pickling champ, filling your pantry with jars that burst with summer sweetness and color even in the depths of winter. Opening a jar in winter and being greeted by those same bright ruby-red slices is a taste of sunshine and garden goodness all year round.

Offering more flexibility for your garden, this beet thrives in various conditions, from full sun to a bit of shade. This easygoing nature makes it a perfect choice for home gardeners, even those with less-than-perfect garden spaces, whether in-ground, raised beds, or containers. With a reputation for reliability and success, the Ruby Queen works hard to please you.

Details

The Ruby Queen beet showcases a tidy and productive growth habit, developing beautifully smooth, perfectly round roots that reach an average of 3-4 inches in diameter. This consistent shape and uniformity add to their appeal, especially for canning and pickling, where uniformity translates to perfectly shaped slices. Additionally, the Ruby Queen boasts strong, deep green leaves that don't just look good – they're also delicious! Harvest the young, tender leaves and enjoy them as tasty additions to salads or a flavorful cooked green, similar to spinach or Swiss chard, for a double harvest from one plant.

Say goodbye to the dreaded "beet juice crime scene" on your cutting board! The Ruby Queen exhibits minimal color bleeding during cooking. This preserves the beautiful, vibrant red hue and prevents your dishes from taking on an unappetizing murky brown tint. Your beautiful creations and culinary artistry will remain intact, while your hands are less likely to be stained bright pink during preparation!

History

The humble beet traces its origins to the wild sea beet, a leafy plant found along the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, where early civilizations first ate the leaves of these wild ancestors. Over time, cultivation practices led to the development of beets with larger, sweeter roots, likely beginning in the Fertile Crescent around 2000 BC. 

The Greeks were among the first to document beets, with figures like Theophrastus, the "Father of Botany," describing different forms. Greek physicians like Hippocrates used beet leaves for medicinal purposes, recommending boiled beet leaves to aid digestion and as a poultice to help heal wounds, sores, and skin inflammations.

The Romans played a significant role in the domestication and spread of the beet, selecting for sweeter, larger-rooted varieties. They left behind detailed writings on cultivation and recipes, revealing the beet's importance in their cuisine. Beyond its culinary uses, the beet was believed to hold medicinal properties and, in some cases, even considered an aphrodisiac. Modern research, including archaeological studies and analysis of ancient texts, continues to illuminate the long and fascinating history of the beet, tracing the evolution of different varieties and its diverse roles in the lives of past civilizations.

The Ruby Queen variety emerged in the late 19th century, quickly becoming a favorite with gardeners for its exceptional sweetness, tender texture, and adaptability in the garden. This superior performance earned the Ruby Queen the esteemed All-America Selections (AAS) award in 1957, a recognition reserved for new plant varieties demonstrating excellence across various conditions. The Ruby Queen's consistently reliable growth and delightful flavor explain its continued popularity among home and market gardeners. This heirloom variety represents a timeless classic, connecting to gardening history and lasting value in the modern-day kitchen and garden.

Uses

The Ruby Queen beet unlocks a world of delicious possibilities beyond basic boiling. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Roasting Ruby Queen beets intensifies their natural sweetness, producing a caramelized, tender treat. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for a simple yet elegant side dish. Try slow roasting them on a charcoal grill for an extra flavor dimension. This method infuses the beets with a delightful smoky flavor while enhancing their sweetness through caramelization. Here's how:

To grill-roast delicious Ruby Queen beets, set up your charcoal grill for indirect heat with a target temperature of 350-400°F. Bank your coals to one side or use a charcoal chimney to create hot and cooler zones. Next, give the beets a good scrub, leaving the skin on, then lightly coat them in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped beets on the cooler side of the grill, away from direct heat, and close the lid. Let them roast for about 45 minutes to an hour or until easily pierced with a fork. Carefully unwrap the beets (beware of escaping steam), let them cool slightly, then peel and enjoy. The grill infuses them with a smoky depth and perfectly caramelized sweetness, making these Ruby Queens an irresistible treat!

Don't limit these beets to hot dishes! Its sweetness balances beautifully with tangy goat cheese, citrusy vinaigrettes, and crunchy nuts in fresh and satisfying salads.

The Ruby Queen's vibrant color translates beautifully to juices and smoothies. Combine with other fruits and vegetables for a boost of nutrients and an eye-catching, earthy sweetness.

Adventurous bakers can sneak shredded Ruby Queen beets into cakes, brownies, or muffins! Beets add moisture, a subtle sweetness, and a stunning, unexpected color.

Maximize your Ruby Queen harvest by preserving them for year-round enjoyment. They excel in both canning and pickling.

Their color and flavor hold up exceptionally well in the canning process. You can preserve them as simple canned beets or create flavored variations with herbs and spices.

From sweet and tangy pickled beets to spicy, garlicky variations, this variety's mild flavor takes on the personality of your favorite pickling recipe.

Companion Planting

Beneficial companions include bush beans, onions, brassicas (kale, cabbage), and lettuce – they'll all benefit from one another's company for nutrient sharing and pest protection.

Antagonistic plantings include cauliflower and sunflower.

Pest and Disease Management

Watch out for leafminers (which leave trails on the leaves), flea beetles (which create tiny holes), and occasional powdery mildew in humid conditions.

Practice crop rotation to discourage pests, handpick beetles for smaller infestations and use organic solutions like neem oil or horticultural soap for larger pest issues or persistent fungal diseases.

Planting and Growing Tips

Ruby Queen beets thrive in rich, well-drained soil. This means soil that holds moisture but doesn't become waterlogged, allowing the beetroots to develop properly. If soil is heavy or clay-like, amend it generously with compost or well-rotted manure before planting. This will improve drainage, boost nutrients, and create a welcoming environment for your beets.

Soak seeds in water for 12 hours before planting to speed up germination. 

Like most beets, Ruby Queens prefers full sun for optimal growth and the sweetest flavor. This means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. However, they are surprisingly tolerant of some partial shade. You can still enjoy a successful Ruby Queen crop if your garden doesn't get all-day sun.

Plant Ruby Queen beet seeds about ¼-½" deep and 3-4" apart. Once the seedlings emerge and grow a few inches tall, thinning them out is crucial. Aim for a final spacing of 3-4" between plants. While it might feel counterintuitive to remove healthy seedlings, thinning ensures each remaining beet has enough space to form its beautiful, round root without competition.

Consistent moisture is critical for sweet, tender beets. Water deeply and regularly, especially during hot weather. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely between waterings, leading to tough beets and uneven growth. A layer of mulch around your plants will help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Ruby Queen beets aren't just tasty; they're quite pretty, too! Their rich red roots and vibrant green foliage offer aesthetic value to your garden.

Plant Ruby Queens along the edges of beds or pathways for a visually appealing and tasty border.

Integrate Ruby Queen beets into a potager garden, where ornamental beauty meets culinary value. Their cheerful color complements a wide range of flowers, herbs, and other vegetables.

For an extended harvest, consider succession planting. Sow a new batch of Ruby Queen seeds every 2-3 weeks for several months to enjoy a continuous supply of fresh beets.

Harvest Tips

Aim to start harvesting your Ruby Queen beets when they reach golf ball size for the absolute best flavor and tenderness. Be bold and harvest some on the smaller side, especially as you get into the swing of succession planting (see below!). This variety is known for maintaining its sweetness and tender texture even as the roots get larger, but the younger beets are a delicacy. You can continue harvesting up to 3-4" in diameter.

Harvest your beets during the cool morning hours to ensure they are as fresh and crisply succulent as possible. This minimizes heat stress on the plants and helps the beets retain their moisture content and crisp texture.

Ruby Queen beets have good storage qualities, allowing you to enjoy their sweetness long after harvest season with proper preparation. Here's how to maximize their storage life:

After harvesting, gently twist off the leaves, leaving about 1" of stem attached to prevent "bleeding." Trim the long taproot to 1" at the bottom as well. Carefully brush off any excess dirt, but avoid washing them, as moisture can promote spoilage in storage.

A cold and humid environment is ideal for long-term beet storage. Traditional root cellars excel at this, but a basement or unheated garage may also work if temperatures stay cool (ideally in the 32-40°F range) and high humidity levels.

You can store beets in a box or bin filled with slightly damp sand, sawdust, or peat moss. This helps maintain humidity and prevents the beets from drying out.

If you enjoy beet greens, harvest them separately while the plants are still young. This will ensure a continuous harvest of fresh, nutritious greens while your beet roots mature.

Learn More

• History of Beets
• Dijon Roasted Heirloom Beets
• Cool Season Vegetables to Love

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