They seemed to grow rather slowly in my garden. The seed packet said 2 months, but they were still far from grown at that time. I think I've been letting them grow for well over 4 months now, maybe 5 or 6 months. I think some of them are 4 inches in diameter now. The leaves are still green and healthy looking. I'm just wondering, what if I just kept letting them grow indefinitely? How big could they get?
Some varieties of beets don't get very big, but if they're left in the ground too long, they'll taste 'woody'. Most varieties I've tried take around 3 to 4 months and some don't get much larger than my fist (woman's fist).
I'd say pull them now and try them. If they taste fine, you've caught them in time. If not, you'll know for next season. Beets are great roasted.
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some of the larger varieties (Lutz, for example) can get up to sugarbeet dimensions, 12-15 inches in diameter. They taste best at one-two inches though.
When they taste woody, do they look different also or the same?
It hasn't happen to me yet, but from what I read, there might be a 'fibrous' look to them (especially in the core) and the taste is 'woody'. No garantee on the look like there is on the taste.
Most recommend that you not let the beets get too large so I always pick a little early. The way I look at it, they can't be underdone but they can be overdone.
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