Crop type: Beetroot
Beta vulgaris ‘Wodan’
Common name: Beetroot ‘Wodan’
Crop slug: beetroot
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Wodan’ is an early-maturing beetroot with an RHS Award of Garden Merit. It forms a compact clump of green and purple foliage above smooth, round roots whose flesh is a vivid red. The roots are noted for excellent quality and flavour, whether lifted young as baby beetroot or allowed to grow larger.
This cultivar is particularly suitable for pickling, while its early maturity and June-to-October harvest window make it useful for extending a succession of beetroot crops. Its low, clump-forming habit fits readily into an ordinary vegetable bed.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
‘Wodan’ reaches its full dimensions within one growing season. The broad size range reflects its leafy rosette and the spacing available to each swelling root rather than a tall growth habit.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Sand and loam
- Moisture
- Well-drained or moist but well-drained
- Soil pH
- Alkaline or neutral
Use fertile soil that drains freely, while retaining enough moisture for steady root growth. Avoid waterlogged ground and large swings between drought and saturation, which work against the production of smooth, tender roots.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H3 — hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK, but normally grown as an annual vegetable crop
A sunny, sheltered position provides the warmth needed for reliable early growth. Although the assigned H3 rating indicates some tolerance of cool conditions, ‘Wodan’ completes its crop in one year and is not grown as an overwintering perennial.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Flowers | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | — | Green and purple | — |
| Summer | — | Green and purple | — |
| Autumn | — | Green and purple | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
Green leaves with purple colouring provide interest from spring through autumn above the bright-red edible root. An em dash indicates that the RHS profile does not list a colour for that field and season.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump-forming
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Beta includes annual, biennial and perennial plants that commonly form basal leaf rosettes and thick, fleshy roots. Alongside wild species, the genus contains familiar food crops including beetroot, chard and sugar beet.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Grow ‘Wodan’ in fertile, freely drained soil in full sun. Sow seed directly from March to July in drills 2.5cm (1in) deep, cover lightly with soil, then thin the seedlings to 10cm (4in) apart. Roots can be lifted from June through October, either young for baby beetroot or later at a larger size.
Propagation
Propagate by seed. Sow in prepared ground once conditions are suitable, maintaining enough moisture for germination and early establishment.
Pruning
No pruning is required. Harvest the whole plant when the root reaches the preferred size.
Pests
The profile notes possible susceptibility to aphids, flea beetles and mangold fly, also known as beet leaf miner. Inspect young leaves for feeding damage, colonies and the pale blotches caused by larvae mining within the foliage.
Diseases
‘Wodan’ may be susceptible to beetroot heart rot, black leg and leaf spot. Good growing conditions and regular inspection help affected plants or foliage to be identified promptly.