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A Bull's Blood beet with a dark-red root and striking deep-red burgundy leaves in a sunny garden.

How to Grow Bull's Blood Beets From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Bull's Blood is one of those heirloom beets that earns its place in the garden twice over. Its round, dark-red roots are sweet and satisfying, but the real showstopper is the deep burgundy foliage, which is tender enough to toss straight into a salad. Because it is grown as much for its striking leaves as for its roots, you can start snipping baby greens in about five weeks and let the roots size up a little longer. This heirloom, non-GMO variety is easy to direct sow and rewards you with color from the soil all the way up.

Ready to grow your own? Shop Beet Bull's Blood Seeds from Organo Republic.

This is the quick guide to Bull's Blood. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, sowing, feeding, and troubleshooting beets, see our complete guide to growing beets from seed.

Quick start

Direct sow Bull's Blood seeds about half an inch deep once the soil can be worked in early spring, since beets do not like being transplanted. Remember that each wrinkled seed is actually a cluster, so thinning is essential: once seedlings are a couple inches tall, thin them to 3 to 4 inches apart so the roots have room to swell. The roots reach full size in about 55 days, though you can start snipping the burgundy leaves for salads at around 35 days. Pull the roots when they are one and a half to three inches across for the sweetest, most tender flavor.

Best tip

Harvest the outer leaves regularly rather than pulling whole plants, and you will keep a steady supply of that deep-red salad foliage coming for weeks. In hot-summer regions like Texas and the Southeast, sow in early spring or again in fall so the roots mature during cooler weather, while gardeners in the Upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest can enjoy a long, forgiving spring-into-summer window.

At a glance

How to Grow Bull's Blood Beets From Seed — growing specifications at a glance
Botanical name	Beta vulgaris
Plant type	Cool-season biennial grown as an annual
USDA zones	2 to 11 (grown as an annual)
Sun	Full sun to part shade (6+ hours)
Days to maturity	~55 days (leaves in ~35)
Height	12 to 18 inches
Spacing	3 to 4 inches apart
Water	Even and consistent; about 1 inch a week

Uses

Bull's Blood is a true two-for-one in the kitchen. Toss the tender young leaves into salad mixes for a splash of burgundy color and a mild, earthy beet flavor, and roast, pickle, or grate the sweet round roots. Both the roots and the greens are edible, so nothing from this plant goes to waste.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Bull's Blood beets take to mature?

Roots are ready in about 55 days, but the vibrant leaves can be picked as early as 35 days for baby salad greens. This makes Bull's Blood a great choice if you want an ongoing harvest of both tops and roots from a single sowing.

What do Bull's Blood beets look and taste like?

The roots are round and dark red with a sweet, earthy flavor, while the standout feature is the striking deep-red, burgundy foliage. Those richly colored leaves are prized for salads and garnishes, giving you two beautiful, edible parts from one plant.

What is the best use for Bull's Blood beets?

Bull's Blood shines as a dual-purpose variety: use the tender young leaves fresh in salad mixes for color and a mild beet flavor, and roast or pickle the sweet roots. Many gardeners also grow it as an ornamental edging plant because the burgundy leaves look wonderful in the garden bed.

Any growing tips for the best Bull's Blood color?

For the deepest leaf color, give Bull's Blood full sun and keep the soil evenly moist so growth never stalls. If you are picking leaves for salad, harvest the outer ones regularly to encourage fresh, tender new growth from the center.

Ready to grow your own? Bull's Blood rewards you with vivid burgundy leaves and sweet, dark-red roots from a single easy sowing. For the full step-by-step, see our complete beet growing guide linked at the top of this page.

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.