Beetroot 'Cylindrica'

A few months ago we ordered some beetroot  'Cylindrica' seeds from Green Harvest as I had come across a reference to them when I was searching for some pickling recipes for using up the excess beetroot that we had in the garden. We now have the beetroot growing in our watersaver garden which we installed in September.

 

 I first heard about them one day when I was reading Nellymary's blog Just Like My Nan Made and she had just used them to make pickles. By the way, whenever you have some spare time, check out her blog as there is a wealth of information there. Unfortunately she hasn't updated it recently but I guess she is busy these days.

 

As I had only grown beetroot once before I really wasn't sure when they would be ready to eat so I pulled one out the other day as they are growing right out of the soil now.

 

 

So this is what they look like! I think they are well and truly ready. I grated this one to add to a salad or two as it was quite large and too much for one meal.



 

Nellymary says on her blog that she prefers to grow this beetroot in small spaces so that she could grow more in the space she has available. They seem quite happy in the watersaver garden although the birds do tend to breakfast on the leaves at times.

 

This is the information from the Green Harvest website:

Beetroot 'Cylindrica' Organically certified
Syn. 'Cylindra; far the easiest beetroot to peel and slice. An heirloom variety with a long, deep, dark red, cylindrical root that retains sweetness even when mature. It grows to 15 - 20cm in length and up to 5cm wide. Tops are delicious steamed. Days to harvest: 60 days full-size, but you can start harvesting when still ‘baby beet’ size.

I was wondering if anyone else has grown this variety and if you were happy with them . If you would like to order some seeds from Green Harvest you will get good service. We were very pleased with what we bought.

 

 

Just an update on the Brahmi saga, when the herb got overgrown by some nasty weed a while back and Isabell Shipard helped us to clarify the fact that what we thought was brahmi wasn't the real deal...it is now doing really well since we got rid of the weed and the herb has enjoyed having room to grow. I tasted one of the leaves the other day as I had read that they were really bitter and they sure were. Someone said that when they put brahmi in a sandwich, the only way they can eat it is to remind themselves of how good it is for the brain as it is so very bitter! :-)

 

Do you have beetroot 'Cylindrica' or brahmi growing in your garden?