Beetroot 'Bull's Blood' Seeds

Bull's Blood earns its place twice over: its glossy, deep burgundy leaves are some of the darkest foliage in the vegetable garden, and below them sit sweet, dark red roots. Pick young leaves for baby-leaf salads and microgreens, or wilt larger ones like spinach. Pull the roots small for roasting and pickling, or let them size up for juicing. This 19th-century heirloom, developed from the old French beet Crapaudine, has been grown in British cottage gardens since Victorian times as much for its looks as its crop. Beta vulgaris 'Bull's Blood' is handsome enough to edge a flower border or fill a patio container.

Sowing and growing

• Sow outdoors March (under cloches) to July, or start in modules under cover from February.
• Sow 2.5 cm deep and thin to about 10 cm apart.
• Germination takes 7 to 14 days; soaking the seed for an hour first helps.
• Full sun, in fertile, free-draining soil; containers need to be at least 30 cm deep.
• Leaves reach about 40 to 50 cm tall.
• Baby leaves in 4 to 6 weeks; roots from about 10 to 12 weeks, June to October.
• Hardy, and grown as an annual crop (botanically a biennial).

What you receive: a packet of about 150 seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Browse our full range of vegetable, herb and flower seeds, and find pots and planters in our growing equipment range.