The life and times of beetroot

Beetroot has always seemed an odd vegetable to me. Google beetroot recipes and it turns
up in combination with a huge variety of other foods and in every type of meal you could think of.

Kiwis seem to have a special affinity with it – particularly in a burger. I even found a tasty
looking recipe for beetroot and chocolate cupcakes. Personally, I like to add grated beetroot to a summer salad or roast them with other winter veges.

There’s no denying it’s an incredibly versatile vegetable to have in your pantry. So you’d be
crazy not to plant it. Especially when you can whip it up into any number of tasty snacks like the simple beetroot hummus I’ve included a recipe for at the end of this article. Perfect for kids to snack on with carrot sticks or pita bread.

So grab some beetroot seedlings from your local Bunnings, The Warehouse or supermarket.

Better still, head online to www.awapuni.co.nz, get the seedlings delivered straight to your door and take advantage of our fantastic September giveaways.

To celebrate the official launch of our new website we’re giving away one free seedling bundle with every order made online during September.

Even if you order just one seedling bundle this month, we’ll throw in another for free. Visit
www.awapuni.co.nz to find out which seedlings we’re giving away on any given day.

Plus, purchase six or more items from our online shop and get free delivery to a non-rural
address or pay just $4 for delivery to a rural address.

Once you’ve got your beetroot seedlings, it’s simply a matter of working out where to plant
them. Beetroot like well-drained, friable (breaks apart in your hands) soil.

They grow well next to brassicas, like broccoli and cauliflower, which take longer to mature and spread out. This means you can plant beetroot in the spaces in between your brassicas, and harvest them before the brassicas start needing the extra room.

Alternatively, they grow great in pots. Wherever you plant, simply dig a little 3cm deep hole,
place the seedling in the hole and fill in with soil.

They like moisture as they start to develop so keep them well watered.

In around 10 to 12 weeks they should be ready. The great thing about beetroot is they can be eaten at any size, just dig them up and enjoy.

Now, for that tasty beetroot hummus I’ve been bragging about. Trim, wash and half two
beetroot and place in a kitchen whiz. Add a tin of white beans (butter beans), half a block of
feta and mix. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, white vinegar and lemon juice until you like the taste.

Serve with vegetable sticks of pita crisps. Voila!


Tod Palenski
Awapuni Nurseries
www.awapuni.co.nz