What is a sugar beet used for?
Sugar beets grow large white roots with a very high sugar content. Home gardeners grow them to make homemade beet syrup and sweetener, as nutritious livestock and chicken feed, and as a hearty cooked vegetable.
When and how do I plant sugar beet seeds?
Direct sow in spring 2-3 weeks before your last frost, 1/2 inch deep in deep, loose soil. Sugar beets need a long season, so an early start helps the roots size up.
How long do sugar beets take to mature?
Sugar beets need a longer season than table beets, generally about 90-100 days, to build up their high sugar content. Harvest before hard freezes in fall.
How much space do they need?
Thin seedlings to 4-6 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, in full sun. The larger roots need more room and deep, loose soil to develop fully.
How many seeds are in the packet?
Each packet contains approximately 100 seeds. Each seed is a cluster, so thinning is important for these large roots.
Are these sugar beet seeds heirloom and non-GMO?
Yes. These are open-pollinated, non-GMO sugar beet seeds. Note this is a distinct, non-GMO seed and not the commodity GMO sugar beet grown industrially.
Can I make sugar at home from these?
Yes. Sugar beets can be cooked and reduced into a homemade syrup, though extracting crystallized sugar is labor-intensive.
Are sugar beets good for animals?
Yes. They are a traditional, nutritious fodder crop for livestock and attract wildlife as well.
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