Let’s use this thread for collecting varieties for a wonderfully diverse beet grex in 2026.
I can copy all the variety names you find, so we have a list below. I can volunteer to receive the seed packets. I will then mix them all together and send out the mixes to the contributors, so everyone benefits from the effort. Everytime someone buys and sends a variety to me, I will move that variety from ‘We could get it’ to ‘We have it’.
Wish list
White: Geante Blanche
American varieties: Badger Sunset Beet, Evansville Ember Beet, Blushing Not Bashful, Badger Flame Beet, Coral, Ideal Dapple
We have it
I will put a dot (·) if someone plans on getting it, o if someone already bought it and an x when it is sent to me and put into the mix.
Malte
Saskia
Jack
Jacek
See below
Christopher
Red
Alexis
·
Alvro Mono
x
Bernstein
·
Betina
·
Bolivar
x
Boltardy/Kogel 2/Bikores
·
x
Bona
·
Bull’s Blood
·
(Red) Crapaudine/Rouge Ecorce au Crapaudine
·
·
Cylindra
x
x
o
Czerwona Kula
·
Detroit
x
x
o
Detroit 2 (Globe)
x
Deventer Zwartblad
·
(Early) Crosby’s Egyptian
·
Early Turnip-Rooted Egyptian (possibly Egyptian Flatround)
x
Early Wonder Top
x
o
D’Egypte (possibly Egyptian Flatround)
·
Egyptian Flatround
x
·
Erfurter Lange
·
Jannis
x
Foniro
x
·
Formanova
x
Forono
o
Gesche (low geosmin)
x
·
Karkulka
x
Kornett
·
MacGregor’s Favourite
o
Marner Halanga
·
Moneta
·
Monorubra
·
Mulatka
x
Okrągły Ciemnoczerwony
·
o
Opolski
·
o
Nochowski
·
Regulski Cylinder
·
Renova
·
·
Robuschka
x
Red Mammoth
o
Red Toad
x
Rywal
·
Sanguina
x
Solist/Moulin Rouge
·
o
Wiener Lange Schwarze
·
Yellow
Boldor
·
Chioggia (Golden Orange)
x
Flaming Barrel (low geosman)
x
Golden Burpee
x
x
Golden Detroit
·
x
Golden Eye
x
·
Jaune de Vauriac
·
Touchstone Gold (low geosmin)
x
Wintersonne
x
x
Yellow Mangel
o
White
Schneewittchen
x
Albina Vereduna (Blankoma, Albino)
x
·
x
Avalanche
·
Striped
Tondo de Chioggia
x
o
Chioggia Guardsmark/Anello
·
Sugar beet
Nesvizhskaya
x
Pink
Lutz Winter Keeper (syn. Saladleaf, Greenleaf)
o
·
o
Extra:
Stephane will send ‘Early Wonder Top’
Tomas - Moulin Rouge 500g (freezer since 2023)
What is this?
This project is part of the attempt in the European community to put focus on beetroot. Read more and join that effort here: BEET - 2026 European Focus Crops
I have a full jar of Early Wonder Top seeds collected in 2024 from my garden. For the person in charge of centralizing them, I can send some if you are interested .
I updated the top post with a table that summarizes the work so far. Please keep it coming and pitch in with ideas. This could become a pretty monstreous grex.
@jackpeppiatt raised a good question - how should we divide the purchasing when there are overlaps? My initial thought is whatever is easy. With the goal in mind that we get as much diversity as possible. Some varieties might have been grown different places so it doesn’t hurt to get more accessions. But higher priority are other varieties. Perhaps we can use our common sense.
I also noted down some of the varieties that have low geosmin (the compound that gives beets their earthy flavor). I am considering making a separate flock with low geosmin types. I would have to make that pool at the seed stage, because you can’t see it on the root like the color. So if you find varieties you know are low in geosmin, please note it.
From VEN (German seed savers) I can get the following:
Bernstein
Erfurter Lange
Gesche
Jaune de Vauriac
Lutz Winterkeeper
Marner Halanga
Wiener Lange Schwarze
From PNOS (Polish commercial varieties) some of these:
Alexis
Bona
Betina
Czerwona Kula
D’Egypte
Nochowski
Monorubra
Opolski
Okrągły Ciemnoczerwony
Regulski Cylinder
Renova
Rywal
We will end up with more varieties in the grex than I have space for individual plants in my garden. I suggest we use a similar amount of seed per variety/accession in the grex as not to swamp it with one variety. The PNOS seeds are available in 5 g, 10 g, 20 g packets.
As a way to balance the mix, I can put similar amount of each to maximize the different varieties people get in their grow outs. And for the surplus seed make a separate mix for those who have extra space, unless someone comes up with a better idea.
Really looking forward to make this happen! Thank you everyone who’s announced which seed their planning on getting so far. Just write me a PM for an address to send it to and please attach your own address too, so I know where to send the final mix.
I’m happy you want to contribute too Anita! Yes, there’s a lot of variety on the table already. I join you on wanting to distribute the weight - it doesn’t have to be overly thought-through, but just using our common sense. Those varieties that have already been bought are indicated on the table with o while those that are only planned are · so you go ahead and order some that haven’t been ordered yet and I will update the table. Then that frees up resources for other people in the group to pick others.
I’ve ordered a number of varieties from Kokopelli and Bingenheimer (updated table). People are starting to order and ask me for an address - just send me a PM. And remember to include your own address. I will create the mixes when they have all arrived and send out packages.
I also have seeds from some standard varieties from the large seed coprorations and from my own seed growing (original variety forgotten). They are of a variable numbers of years old. So, maybe not interesting?
Any resourceful person in here who can try to get some of the varieties across the Atlantic? (listed in the top post)
I’m also curious if we could get more genetic diversity from Asia.
Consider that one single variety from a geographically very different region than ours is likely to have more genetic diversity than ten of the most common varieties from Europe.
Again, there’s very little breeding work done on beets, so you can assume that existing varieties have cross-pollinated very little between regions.
Today I sent ca. double the required amount of Moulin Rouge, so if someone wants more than usual amount, just ask Malte to put extra seeds to your packages.
I’ve been quite busy to think about the beetroot grex, sorry for not participating. I will just sow what I already have (no idea which varieties anymore) and maybe order several packs of new genetics. I am overwhelmed with all kinds of activities
If anyone will have some extra seeds, please send me some.
I have around 20 plants in the ground from last year that overwintered so I am confident there will be many beets seeds in summer, but I will start with a new bed of beetroot to increase the number of crosses, and seeds for the community. I have quite a big surface to play with, so I am open to receive seeds, and I would be happy to send something in return without too much thinking, because I am out of memory capacity at the moment
I propose anyone who’s taking part in the beetroot focus this year can receive the beetroot-mix, if they’re willing to grow it out to cross it into a grex.
Whether you send varieties to the mix or not. You need to send me your address though. I think we will have enough seed if everyone who said they’ll send me varieties will do it.
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