[Crops 101] How to Sow & Harvest Red Beet / Beetroot

Welcome to your next “Crops 101” lesson of the Farming Simulator Academy! In this tutorial, we will focus on red beet (also known as beetroot). We'll show you how to grow, harvest and sell the crop.

Red Beet or Beetroot?

Some of you have noticed the different names. That’s because of the difference of British English (beetroot) and American English (red beet). In some regions, one is more common than the other. No matter the word, we are always talking about the same crop. 

What you need for red beet

Let's take a look at everything you need. Please note that we require special equipment. This is not the cheapest equipment, so beetroots might not be the best choice to start with at the very beginning. If you still want to, think about leasing the machines at the dealership!

• You need a tractor + weights. You need the weights as a counterpart for some of the following attachments. If you don’t use them, your tractor may not have enough traction to move. 
• You need a subsoiler. You have to plow your field after each harvest to get rid of the roots. We recommend a subsoiler: It does the same job as a plow, just faster and simpler. If you rather prefer a plow, you can use that one instead.
• You will need a planter and seeds. In the “Vegetable Technology” category of the shop, you will find the planters listed. You will also need to buy a BigBag of seeds, which contains all the crops. 
• You will need a fertilizer spreader, mineral fertilizer (and lime). With fertilizer and lime you increase the revenue from your sold crops. For beginners, artificial fertilizers are the best choice. You find both lime and fertilizer in the BigBag section of the shop. A fertilizer spreader is found in the fertilizing technology category. If your field requires lime, it will be shown in the right corner box if you’re standing on the field and on the map in the menu.
• You need a hoe to get rid of the weeds. Otherwise, you will get less money for your crop when you sell it. You should get rid of the weeds as soon as possible. If they grow too tall, you will need an expensive fertilizer sprayer!
• You need a special harvester to harvest the red beets.
• You need a trailer to transport and sell the harvest. 

Optional:

• You may use a ridge former to prepare the field for beetroot sowing. 

Equipment Selection (recommendation) 

We have chosen the following equipment. Feel free to use other vehicles or equipment. Just mind compatibilities and power requirements as indicated by respective icons at the dealership.

• Tractor: CLAAS Axion 800
• Subsoiler: Kuhn DC 401
• Ridge Former: Grimme GF 400
• Planter: Kverneland Miniair Nova
• Harvester: Dewulf GBC
• Hoe: Einböck CHOPSTAR 5-90 ROW-GUARD
• Fertilizer: BREDAL K105
• Trailer: WELGER DK 115
• Front weight: Tenwinkel PAC-1000

Let’s go to work!

Let's get to work and grow some red beet. Remember that you can only sow beetroots from the beginning of April to the end of June if you play with seasonal growth. 

Step 1: Plowing the field

The field info box will tell you, if you have to plow the field first. After harvesting, you will need to plow the field again to remove the deep roots and get the full yield.   

We use a subsoiler instead of a plow. Of course, you can also use a plow if you like. Lower it into the ground and plow away!

Step 2: Shaping ridges (optional)

Now is the time to prepare the field for the red beets. Connect the ridging machine to your tractor. Similar to the subsoiler, start at one corner of the field and make your tracks. Before the next step, the field should be completely covered with ridges. 

This step is optional and improves your yield. Alternatively, If you are short on money, you can also apply fertilizer twice to generate an application rate of 100 %. 

Step 3: Planting beetroot

Connect your planter to the tractor, position it next to the seeds and fill up the machine. Then drive to the field. Position yourself at a corner of the field, lower and turn on the machine. Now you can sow the red beets one row after another until the entire field is covered. As already mentioned, it does not have to be perfect from the beginning. 

Tip! If you play with fruit destruction, you should use a tractor with maintenance tires for the following steps (as soon as the beetroots start to grow) - otherwise you will destroy many of the plants.

Step 4: Applying fertilizer and lime

To improve the growth of your crops, you need to apply fertilizer. Attach your fertilizer spreader to your tractor, position it next to the BigBag and press the button to refill.

Back on the field, turn on the machine and cover the whole field in fertilizer. It should now be 50 % fertilized. This will be shown in the bottom right corner of the field info screen when you are standing on a field. It’s okay if you miss a few spots. 

Does the field tell you it also needs lime? Then head back to the shop, buy lime and repeat the same procedure. If you have fertilizer left in your spreader, you can unload it at your farm first.

Tip! If you didn’t shape ridges, repeat the process after the next stage of growth to increase the fertilization to 100%. The yield will be even higher.

Step 5: Removing weeds

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Soon the first weeds will grow on the field. Take your hoe to get rid of it before they grow too high. After that, you will need a field sprayer and herbicide - but you want to avoid this for cost reasons. Then wait until the crops are fully grown. 

Tip! You can (carefully) speed up the time it takes for the weeds to grow.

Step 6:  Harvesting red beets

From August onwards, beetroot are ready for harvesting. To harvest the yellow vegetable, you need to connect the harvester to your tractor. Once this is done, you have two options: Either you overload the harvester directly into the trailer or you need vegetable pallets. You can buy these directly in the vehicle or in the shop and load them manually onto the vehicle.

Once you have done this, the real work can begin. Position yourself at a corner of the field and start working. 

Step 7: Selling red beets

Now look for the best selling point on the price chart. Unload the trailer in the marked area. As prices fluctuate throughout the year, you should not necessarily sell immediately and store for the time being. You can see the price change in the respective screen. 

Tip! Beetroots cannot be stored in a silo. If you want to sell them later, you will have to store them in the pallet store. 

Well done!

Congratulations, you have successfully harvested your first crop! Take some time and start the next lesson when you are ready. And don't forget to clean your machines every now and then. Stay tuned, and you'll become a virtual farmer in no time with Farming Simulator Academy!