Ken and Cherryl’s Big Beet Adventures

Credit: Sharon Hanna

The last weekend of April, I took the seaplane over to Gabriola Island for my pal Cherryl Reed’s birthday bash.

One of the highlights was harvesting and eating beets that had overwintered, despite the harsh temperatures. Ken had planted the beets sometime in May and, in fall, had mulched them with hay or straw.

The greens had grown lush and full and made fantastic eating! The beets were tender—they did require maybe a few more minutes of cooking than they would have in summer.

You can leave carrots, beets and other root veggies right in the ground in coastal gardens. Unlike roots that you harvest and refrigerate, they’ll last right through until spring. The roots won’t grow over winter, and the tops will die down and are dormant for awhile. But once February hits, they’ll start growing again. Greens can be enjoyed without the beets too—until they start to set seed in late spring.