Description

The Elegant Cylinder, Perfectly Sliced Beauty and the Beet of Refined Perfection

Cylindra is the beet for cooks who love clean lines and beautiful repetition, the kind of root that makes every slice look intentional. Instead of the usual round globe, Cylindra grows long and perfectly cylindrical, as if it were shaped for the cutting board. When you harvest it, you get deep crimson roots that turn into uniform rounds with a single steady motion: the same size, the same thickness, the same jewel-dark colour. It is a beet that practically plates itself.

In the garden, this elegance comes with absolute practicality. Cylindra is easier to peel, easier to slice, and often easier to fit into tighter beds because the root grows down rather than out. It is refined perfection with an honest, generous heart: sweet, earthy, tender when harvested young, and deeply satisfying whether you roast it, pickle it, or shave it paper-thin for a beet carpaccio.

A whisper of history

Beets trace back to the Mediterranean, where early forms were first grown for their nutritious leaves. Over centuries of European cultivation, gardeners selected for sweeter roots, richer colour, and better storage.

Cylindra is a 20th-century European refinement of a beet bred for culinary precision: long, uniform roots designed for consistent slicing and beautiful presentation, while still delivering classic beet sweetness and dependable yields.

What You’ll Grow

• Plant type: Cool-season annual beet (grown for roots and greens)
• Growth habit: Vigorous leafy rosette
• Plant height: typically 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in)
• Spread: typically 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in)
• Roots: long, smooth, cylindrical; typically 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) long and 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) wide
• Colour: deep crimson skin and flesh (often with subtle rings)
• Flavour: mild, earthy-sweet; tender when harvested at the correct size

Days to maturity: typically 50 to 70 days (greens earlier; roots vary by harvest size).

Growing Instructions

Cylindra is grown like any beet, with two keys to success: thin early and water consistently.

When to Plant

• Direct sow 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost for an early summer harvest
• Sow again in mid-summer for a fall crop
• Ideal germination soil temperature: 10 to 21°C (50 to 70°F)

Sowing (Important Note: Beet Seeds Are Clusters)

Beet seeds are actually seed clusters, and each cluster can sprout 2 to 4 seedlings.

• Plant 1 to 1.5 cm (1/2 in) deep
• Space seed clusters 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) apart
• Rows: 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) apart (or plant in blocks)
• Germination: typically 7 to 14 days

Thinning (Non-Negotiable for Good Roots)

• Thin when seedlings have true leaves
• Final spacing for roots: 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) apart
• Use thinnings as baby salad greens

Sun + Site

• Full sun is ideal (6 to 8+ hours)
• Light shade is tolerated (roots may size more slowly)

Soil

• Loose, stone-free soil helps Cylindra form smooth, straight roots
• Aim for pH 6.0 to 7.0
• Work in compost before planting
• Avoid excessive nitrogen (lush tops, smaller roots)

Watering

• Provide 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) of water per week
• Keep moisture consistent to prevent woody texture and to support sweetness
• Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds

Feeding

• Compost at planting is usually enough
• If needed, a light balanced feed is fine
• Avoid heavy nitrogen

Common Issues

• Forked/rough roots: compacted or rocky soil
• Tough roots: inconsistent watering or harvesting too late
• Leaf miners: remove affected leaves; row cover early can help

Harvesting (Greens + Roots)

Greens

• Harvest baby leaves once plants are established
• For ongoing harvest, pick outer leaves and leave the center to regrow
• Young leaves are tender for salads; mature leaves are best cooked

Roots (The Cylindra Sweet Spot)

• Harvest when roots are about 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) thick for the best tenderness
• Cylindra can be harvested smaller for baby beets or left longer for bigger roots, but sweetness and tenderness are best when not oversized
• Water the bed if the soil is dry, then pull gently

Preserving + Storage

Roots

• Short-term: store in the fridge
• Longer storage: keep roots cool and humid (root cellar conditions)
• Cylindra is especially good for pickling because slices pack neatly and evenly

Greens

• Use fresh for the best texture
• Store unwashed leaves in the fridge and use within a few days

Culinary Notes: Made for Slicing

Cylindra is the beet you grow when presentation matters.

• Uniform roasted rounds: slice, toss with oil + salt, roast until tender
• Pickled beet coins: perfect for jars and charcuterie boards
• Beet carpaccio: shave thin on a mandoline; dress with olive oil, vinegar, herbs
• Salads: arrange slices like tiles with goat cheese, walnuts, and greens
• Soups: deep colour and sweetness enrich borscht-style bowls
• Beet hummus: vivid, earthy, and beautiful

Prep Tip

• For the cleanest, most even slices, use a sharp knife or mandoline.

Canadian Climate Notes

Cylindra is well-suited to Canadian gardens because it prefers cool weather.

• Sow early for spring harvest; sow again mid-summer for fall
• In hot spells, keep watering consistently to prevent tough roots
• Mulch helps moderate soil temperature

Growing zones: 2 to 11 (annual; cool-season crop).

Nutrition Notes

Beets are nutrient-dense and deeply nourishing.

• Roots provide folate, manganese, potassium, fibre, and natural pigments (betalains)
• Beets also contain natural nitrates that support blood flow
• Greens are rich in vitamins and minerals

Seed Saving (Your Only Guide)

Beets are biennial: they produce roots the first year, then flower and set seed the second year.

How to Save Seed

1. In the fall, select the best roots (straight, cylindrical, good colour, good flavour)
2. Overwinter roots (in-ground where winters are mild, or lifted and stored cool and humid)
3. Replant in spring; plants will bolt and send up tall flower stalks
4. Let seed clusters mature and dry on the plant
5. Harvest when brown and dry; finish drying indoors if needed
6. Store seed cool, dark, and dry

Isolation & Cross-Pollination

• Beets cross with other beets and Swiss chard
• For pure seed, isolate by distance (as practical) or only let one variety flower

Seed viability: typically 3 to 4 years

Cylindra is refined in the way the best kitchen tools are refined: designed for a purpose, beautiful in motion, and quietly capable of a beet that turns every slice into something you’d serve with pride.