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Who Needs Flowers?

July 25th, 2012

Who needs flowers when you can have a vase of beet greens? I’ve been harvesting some of my golden beets recently and we’ve been enjoying them roasted. Since we eat the beet greens, I put them in a vase with some water to keep them fresh until the next morning. They get sautéed with garlic and onions, with eggs poached on top.


That’s one of the things I love about beets, you can eat the roots and the leaves. It always makes me feel like I’m getting a lot bang for garden space when I grow beets! It’s like a double harvest.

Do you grow beets? Do you eat the greens?

14 Comments to “Who Needs Flowers?”
  1. Sue from Ky. on July 25, 2012 at 6:01 am

    Pop eats so few veggies, we have gotten to where we only raise what he will eat in our main garden. If I want something different, I raise it in my own little beds, or get it from a neighbor. Neighbors are always bringing their excess produce,which works out wonderfully for all.We are a close knit community, and we all tend to share whatever we have,whether it be our labor,our talents,or our veggies.I love growing and experimenting with at least one new plant each year,whether it be a flower or a vegetable.I love experimenting with composting, but Pop could care less about my kind of gardening, so he does his same old boring style of gardening,and I do mine,my way.

    Reply to Sue from Ky.'s comment

  2. jennifer fisk on July 25, 2012 at 6:08 am

    Beet green especially if there are little beets attached are wonderful greens. This year though a deer is keeping them trimmed.

    Reply to jennifer fisk's comment

    • Susy on July 25, 2012 at 7:00 am

      I have a few deer that are keeping one of my patches trimmed too. Thankfully they haven’t found the golden beets yet!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. Ken Toney on July 25, 2012 at 7:25 am

    We eat a lot for greens (beet, kale, collards, swiss chard). What doesn’t go to our table is treats for the rabbits.

    Reply to Ken Toney's comment

  4. Songbirdtiff on July 25, 2012 at 8:27 am

    We will be growing turnips this fall. My grandfather grows them, but only eats the greens, not the roots. I guess he feeds the rest of them to his bunnies.

    Reply to Songbirdtiff's comment

  5. Sherri on July 25, 2012 at 8:59 am

    What a fantastic idea! Golden beets are my personal favourite and we eat the greens sauteed exactly the same. I have not tried them with poached eggs as usually, I put them in an omelette or commonly, in a quiche or frittata. We eat a lot of those egg and vegetable based meals in summer to take advantage of the bounty from the hens and the garden. Great tip – thanks for sharing!

    Reply to Sherri's comment

  6. K.B. on July 25, 2012 at 9:13 am

    I grow beets, but the leaves tend to be decimated either by rabbits or leaf miners by the time I get to them, so I’ve never eaten them.

    This year, I planted “3 root grex” beets, which have turned out to be great performers – it will be my go-to beet from now on, I think. I’m also thinking of trying to over-winter some and allow it to seed next year – as long as the pesky rabbits leave enough alone!

    Reply to K.B.'s comment

  7. Maybelline on July 25, 2012 at 11:08 am

    Grow beets for the roots alone.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  8. Deb on July 25, 2012 at 11:30 am

    For the roots. Anything resembling cooked spinach I can’t eat. Don’t like chard either I found out. Grew them for the first time. Too much like spinach cooked. Great posting. Per the posting above, I’m not sure turnips should be fed to rabbits. I know any cabbage family veggies should not be.

    Reply to Deb's comment

  9. Chicago Mike on July 25, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    I have never grown beets, but after reading this I am not sure I shouldn’t be. Hmmmm….. where to put them?

    Winter planting maybe?

    Reply to Chicago Mike's comment

    • Susy on July 25, 2012 at 2:04 pm

      They’re perfect for winter planting!

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Chicago Mike on July 25, 2012 at 11:09 pm

        Win! Getting seeds tomorrow morning. And thanks. I will post some pics of some zinnias that are descendants of the ones you sent me years ago, they are still gorgeous!

        Even after my then 14 yr old mistook them in the twilight for basil and we had to call poison control. (they taste bad, but are not particularly dangerous).

        to Chicago Mike's comment

  10. Green Bean on July 25, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply to Green Bean's comment

  11. KimH on July 25, 2012 at 7:43 pm

    Yep, we’ve eaten beet greens my whole life.. and nothing makes me happier than than a big ol skillet of beet greens.

    I was happy when chard came on the US scene in the 70s/80s? The plant puts all its energy into the leaves instead of the root & gets here much faster. Yum!!

    I also eat it with eggs… one of my favorites.

    Reply to KimH's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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