While I was at university, one of my more fashionable classmates surprised our batch with the secret of her new funky hair colour, which she had applied to welcome and celebrate the New Year.

Instead of the usual, commercially available hair dyes, she had created a chemical-free, natural hair dye. She had used an online recipe for her unique burgundy to dark pink coloured hair, which was prepared by mixing one’s regular oil with simmering beetroot juice. According to her, once the mixture cools down, it has to be massaged into the hair. This results in a temporary hair colour, which would last for about two weeks or so.

It is no surprise, then, that beetroot continues to be extensively used to prepare characteristic dark reddish to maroon shaded dyes. At the same time, it also is a nuisance for those who have to wash off beetroot stains from clothes. The colour is very close to what the extracts of the Malabar spinach has to offer. However, the Malabar spinach isn’t grown as abundantly in Pakistan as compared to beetroot, which is extensively used and consumed locally for preparing meals and food colours.

The use of beetroot is so widespread that any raw chopped vegetable packs being sold as salads outside bustling restaurants are considered incomplete without the usual maroon slices of this earthy-flavoured vegetable. They feature heavily in our diet, ranging from its sweeter form after being boiled to enticing curries, while also being a key ingredient of an array of colourful salads.

Locally known as chuqandar, the dark maroon and sweet beetroot features heavily in our diet, ranging from its raw form to enticing curries…

They are also used extensively as a healthy juice tonic option, often mixed with carrot juice, and extremely popular with athletes. The nitrate content of beetroot juice helps lower blood pressure, research has shown. A study, published in the US journal Hypertension, also found that men and women reacted differently to beetroot juice, with the decrease in blood pressure after taking the juice being much more pronounced in men. According to researchers, this could be because women are better at naturally processing nitrate in their bodies.

Scientifically known as Beta vulgaris and belonging to the Chenopodiaceae [or goosefoot] family, beetroots are more commonly known as beets and are locally referred to as chuqandar.

As compared to other vegetables, the seeds of beetroot are relatively irregular, rough in texture and spiky in shape. They are similar to spinach seeds. Incidentally, spinach, beetroot and Swiss chard all belong to the goosefoot family. The goosefoot name is because of the shape of the leaves of the species of this family, which closely resemble the foot of a goose.

Each beet seed can produce a number of plants, as each seed contains a cluster of smaller-sized seeds within. The beet seeds are ideally sown when the temperature is between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. This temperature range should persist for at least two to three weeks, as it is the ideal range for the proper germination of seeds. Any temperature below or above this range can severely hamper the germination phase.

In areas with a smaller summer season and more moderate temperatures, beetroot seeds can be sown and grown twice a year — in late spring and during fall. In Karachi, it is usually sown during fall, when the temperature corresponds to the above-mentioned range.

The seeds of beetroot can be sown in cups, seedling trays, seed beds or any other small container. Once the seedlings grow, they can be shifted to their permanent location. Ideally, however, it should be sown at its intended, permanent location at the very beginning. Being an underground root vegetable, any disturbance to its small roots can be detrimental to the growth of the beetroot plant.

The seeds should be sown at the depth of around half to one inch. The ideal potting mix should comprise nursery soil mixed with a thin layer of compost. It should be devoid of any pebbles and stones. The soil should be well-drained. Ideally, this potting mix should be watered long before sowing the seeds. This way the seeds remain at their intended position after sowing. If the container is watered after sowing, then there are increased chances of seeds shifting and getting displaced from their original positions.

When sown in open ground or raised beds, the distance between each seed from the next should be at least one foot on either side. This way, the plant gets enough space for its leaves to grow and spread, with ample aeration.

When seeds are grown in an enclosed space, such as a container or pot, it should have a depth of at least 12 inches, with the seeds sown at the depth of around half to one inch. Once the seeds have been planted, the container should be covered and placed in a cool, dry place till germination.

In case the seeds are sown directly into the ground, a cover should be installed to ensure maximum water retention. The next column will discuss how beetroot seeds germinate and other aspects of the plant life cycle.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 1st, 2024