Gnarly Long-lived Beet Leaf Mix

Beta vulgaris Origin: Ottawa, Ontario Improvement status: Breeding population Seeds per packet: ~40 Germination tested 10/2024: 89% Life cycle: Short-lived perennial EFN EXCLUSIVE. In 2018, EFN co-founder Dusty Hinz met planter breeder Telsing Andrews for the first time in person at the Organic Seed Conference in Corvallis, Oregon, after years of communicating online. Telsing is a kindred spirit from Ottawa, Ontario. She gave us seeds for this long-lived leaf-beet population from her. Her breeding goal was primarily focused on perenniality. She began with an open cross of mostly thin-petioled Beta vulgaris accessions known to be long-lived. Telsing is in USDA Zone 5, so this population has the potential to be extremely cold hardy. We assume this is especially the case where there is a lot of snow cover providing insulation. How long can you expect these plants to live? We think 2-3 years is probably a good average for most of our customers, but longer is certainly possible. It probabl