Beetroot is a lovely vegetable, especially in the Winter for Winter salads . It stores well (usually stored throughout the Winter in sand boxes) and adds variety and colour to the plate, when many vegetables are nowhere to be seen! To start growth early, beetroot can be started in plugs and planted outside under cloches. It can then be planted in succession so that you have young and tender globes throughout the season.
This is a traditional Italian beetroot with rosy skin, lovely sweet flesh and a delight for any dish due to its unusual striped pattern, often called "bullseye". Best tender when young and when tops can be added to salads, or even steamed like spinach.