More Beets, Less Radishes

I keep meaning to make a note of this...I want to plant more beets and less radishes next year.  Actually, the radishes don't need to be less overall, just fewer and further between.  But I definitely want more beets.

The optimal row length for radishes (in my humble opinion) is about 12 feet.  And you need to plant them at least five days apart in a bunch.  It seems like one row of radishes is ready before we are finished with the last row.  I don't mind a little bit of overlap, but too much means too many radishes at once.  And there aren't a lot of options for storage.

So I have come up with several useage options for radishes.  We can eat them of course, raw, in salad, or braised.  We can also pickle radishes.  I haven't tried roasting them yet, but I think that it might be another preparation option.  We also donated radishes to Common Table (a non-profit restaurant downtown).  But in the end, how many radishes can one family eat?  Even pickled.  And there isn't a huge market for radishes.  You either love them or hate them.

As for beets, bring 'em on.  Not only are beets easy for me to eat, they are great canned, pickled, or even frozen.  And I can steam them or use them in soups.  I can cook them and then eat them cold in my salad or butter them in a pan.  They are SO good.  I could eat them all day.  And the market for beets seems to be pretty good.  Everyone likes fresh beets.  I don't have enough to keep up with demand.

With the beets, I think at least 24 feet in a planting...maybe even more like 50 feet per planting.  And no more than ten days between plantings.  I want the last batch of beets just fading out as my next batch is coming on.  Any "extras" are easily canned for later.

And a note about quantity...I planted a LOT of snow peas this year.  Partly because they are easy to grow.  Partly because I remember the boys raiding my garden and never seeing a pea make it to the house.  But the 75 feet of peas that I planted is a bit overkill.  I have been picking and picking and picking...and eating and eating and eating...and I cannot keep up.  It wouldn't be so bad if there were a storage solution, but so far I haven't found a great way to keep them.  I think freezing is about the only choice.  And they just aren't as good when I thaw them later.  The demand for snow peas is pretty good, but I may have to lower the price just to get them out of the house quickly.

Spinach needs to be planted in 24 foot batches but with about a two week interval so that you really get the most out of the row before the next one gets going.  Same thing with lettuce.  I think two weeks is a good interval for lettuce...but maybe only a 12 foot row at a time.  And bunch onions should only be a 12 foot row every two weeks as well.  Carrots could easily be planted in larger batches - maybe 50 foot rows - because any that aren't eaten can be blanched and frozen.  With lettuce and green onions, you need plan to use all of what is available.  So shorter rows and larger intervals works well.  The spinach and carrots can be frozen, but are much better fresh.