While these extra large beets will never win a beauty contest, this HEIRLOOM variety from Europe has unsurpassed capacity for winter storage, earning it the name Winter Keeper. Provide them with plenty of compost, sow your seeds further apart than for other beet varieties, thin the roots to 4 inches apart, and you will have a harvest of crimson sweet treats that only gets sweeter with time. In season, the glossy, fuchsia-veined foliage is a delightful, hearty eating green.