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How to Grow Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden

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Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden

Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris

vegetable

A stunning heirloom beet variety featuring golden-yellow roots with distinctive red and white candy-striped interior rings. This dual-purpose beet excels both as a tender microgreens or baby beet harvest and as a full-size storage root vegetable. The sweet, mild flavor and beautiful color make it a favorite for both culinary presentation and nutritional value.

Looking for a specific variety?

Candy Stripe Chioggia Golden Detroit Dark Red Bull's Blood Touchstone Gold

When should you plant Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden in your zone?

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Example Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden

    Around Jun 6

    ≈ 50 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Beet Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold Golden dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6+ hours daily; tolerates partial shade in hot climates
💧
Water: Consistent moisture; 1-1.5 inches per week. Keep soil evenly moist during germination and root development, but avoid waterlogging. Irregular watering causes woody roots and poor color development.
📏
Spacing: 3 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 50-70 days for baby beets; 70-85 days for full-size roots
🌱
Planting depth: 0.5 inches

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy loam to loamy soil, loose and rock-free
pH: 6.0-7.5
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure Wood ash for potassium Boron (if deficient in soil)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 2-10; prefers cool to moderate temperatures (60-75°F)

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a

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Growth Stages

1

Germination & Seedling

2-3 weeks

Beet seeds (which are actually multi-seed clusters) sprout in 7-14 days. True leaves emerge after cotyledons, with distinctive oval-shaped dark green foliage.

Thin seedlings to proper spacing (3 inches apart) when 2-3 inches tall. Keep soil consistently moist but not saturated. Thin seedlings can be eaten as microgreens.

2

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Rapid leaf development creates a bushy rosette of dark green foliage with reddish petioles. Root begins to swell underground during this phase.

Maintain consistent watering and fertility. Side-dress with compost or balanced fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. Mulch to retain moisture and keep soil cool. Thin any competing plants.

3

Root Development & Expansion

3-4 weeks

Golden exterior begins to show at soil surface; internal red and white striping develops. Root diameter increases steadily to 1.5-3 inches.

Avoid high nitrogen (causes excessive leaf growth). Ensure consistent moisture to prevent tough, woody roots. If roots bulge above soil, gently pull soil around them to prevent greening.

4

Maturity & Harvest Readiness

Variable; ready to harvest from 50 days onward

Root reaches desired size (2-3 inches diameter for table beets); foliage may show some aging. Interior striping is fully developed with sweet flavor at peak.

Can harvest at any point from baby beet to mature. For storage, allow skin to cure slightly. Do not allow roots to exceed 4 inches (becomes woody and tough).

5

Storage

Up to 4-5 months in proper storage

Roots are lifted and stored in cool, humid conditions with tops removed.

Remove soil gently; cut greens 1-2 inches from root. Store in refrigerator (32-40°F) with high humidity, or in root cellar with sand/peat moss. Greens can be stored separately and used within 1 week.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Lettuce Spinach Chard Onions Garlic Carrots Kohlrabi Cabbage Marigolds Nasturtiums

Avoid planting near:

Pole beans Fennel Mustard greens (can inhibit germination) Amaranth

Common Pests

  • Remove affected leaves; encourage beneficial parasitic wasps; row covers on young plants; spinosad spray if severe

  • Row covers until plants establish; neem oil; diatomaceous earth; reflective mulches

  • Remove infected leaves; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering; fungicide spray if widespread

  • Hand-pick; remove affected foliage; encourage parasitoid wasps; spinosad spray

  • Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage beneficial insects

Uses

🍳

Roasting & Side Dishes

Culinary

The golden exterior and candy-striped interior create stunning visual appeal when roasted whole, sliced raw, or pickled. The mild, sweet flavor works beautifully in salads, grain bowls, and as a side vegetable. [source]

🍳

Beet Greens

Culinary

The nutrient-dense leaves are excellent sautéed, blended into smoothies, or used raw in salads. Young tender leaves are particularly mild and delicious. [source]

💊

Betalain Pigments & Antioxidants

Medicinal

Beets contain betalains, powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. The candy-striped varieties provide dual betalain pigments (red betacyanins and golden betaxanthins) for enhanced health benefits. [source]

🏠

Natural Dye

Household

Both the golden and red-striped tissues yield beautiful natural dyes for fabric and paper. The vibrant colors are particularly vivid when fresh beets are processed. [source]

🍳

Pickling & Preservation

Culinary

The firm texture and sweet flavor make these beets ideal for pickling, fermentation, and canning. The distinctive striping creates visually striking preserved products. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest baby beets at 1-1.5 inches diameter for maximum tenderness (50-60 days); mature beets at 2-3 inches (70-85 days). Gently pull roots and twist off greens 1-2 inches from crown. For storage, harvest before hard frost. Greens are edible at any stage and highly nutritious—use fresh or cook like spinach. Leave some beets in ground until needed for continuous harvesting.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Candy Stripe Touchstone Gold is an heirloom variety that dates back generations; the striking interior rings develop due to differences in pigment deposition during growth rings, similar to tree rings.
  • 🌱 Beet leaves (betaine) contain compounds that support liver function and detoxification; eating both root and greens maximizes nutritional benefit.
  • 🌱 Beets are naturally sweet because they concentrate sugars to help regulate their osmotic balance in soil—this is why consistent watering produces sweeter roots than dry conditions.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Compost Crown Full Sun Germination Heirloom Mulch Partial Shade pH True Leaves
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