Sugar beets are one of those crops in Farming Simulator 25 that demand a little extra love, but trust me, the payoff is worth it. From prepping your fields to harvesting them, this guide will walk you through each step with practical tips to keep things light. Think of me as your farming buddy who’s here to help you avoid the rookie mistakes I’ve already made (and laughed about). Let’s get our hands dirty, shall we?
Sugarbeets Complete Guide
In Farming Simulator 25, sugarbeets are a root crop known for their high yield and versatility. They’re a bit more labor-intensive to grow and harvest compared to standard crops like wheat or corn, but they offer great value when sold or used in production. Sugar beets are particularly useful for processing into sugar at the Sugar Mill, storing as animal feed (e.g., for pigs), or selling directly for cash.
Field Prep for Sugarbeets
We’re starting with my trusty test field (you might recognize it from my other guides). Preparing for sugar beets is straightforward, but here are some details to keep in mind:
- Plowing: If you’ve just harvested a crop, plow, cultivate, or use tools like disc harrows or subsoilers to prep the field.
- Using a direct-drill planter? Skip this step entirely!
- Periodic Plowing: If this setting is enabled, every sugar beet harvest requires plowing to maintain yield.
- Soil Composition: Check the map:
- Red Areas = Plowing needed.
- Blue Areas = Lime needed.
- Field Stones: They won’t reduce yield but will damage equipment if not removed.
- Keep a stone picker on hand if your fields love to scatter rocks after plowing.
If you’re interested, I also have a detailed guide about Field Prep in Farming Simulator 25, make sure to check it out!
Planting Sugarbeets
Sugarbeets require a planter, not a regular seeder. Head to the store menu and navigate to Planters. Most planters will work, but sugar beets also have specialized options like the Grimme Root Crop Planter.
Here are a few tips for selecting and using planters:
- Direct-Drill Planters: Models like the Mistral and Kinze allow you to plant without prior cultivation or plowing.
- Fertilizer Compatibility: Some planters apply fertilizer while planting. For example:
- The Mistral can handle solid fertilizer.
- Check the icons in the store menu to ensure compatibility.
Steps to Plant Sugar Beets:
- Purchase seeds and fertilizer from the store.
- Attach the planter to your tractor.
- Load the seeds and fertilizer (if needed). Open the cover using X on PC, approach the pallets, and press R to refill.
- Select sugar beets as your crop using Y (or your platform’s equivalent control).
- Lower the planter (V) and start planting (B).
Sugar beet seeds are efficient, so even a small quantity lasts a long time. Once planted, the field will show the growth state on the Growth Map. If you’re using Seasonal Growth, ensure planting and harvesting align with the crop calendar. Otherwise, you can plant and harvest whenever you like.
Caring for Sugarbeets
Fertilization
Caring for sugarbeets begins with proper fertilization. I also have a comprehensive guide on how to fertilize in Farming Simulator 25, you might want to check it out as well. There are two stages of fertilization required:
- First Layer:
After planting, immediately apply the first layer of fertilizer. Since our planter does not fertilize during planting, we can spread fertilizer right away. You can use:- Solid Fertilizer
- Liquid Fertilizer
- Slurry (Liquid Manure)
- Digestate
- Solid Manure
- Second Layer:
Apply the second layer of fertilizer the following month or game day (depending on your settings). This will change the field to a dark blue state, indicating full fertilization.
Weed Management
Weeds can hinder crop growth, so managing them is crucial:
- Preventing Weeds:
Use a plow to prepare your fields during the plowing stage. Plowing prevents weeds from growing entirely. However, subsoilers or cultivators do not have this benefit. - Removing Weeds:
If weeds do grow:- Use herbicide with a sprayer to kill all weed types.
- Use weeders for smaller weeds. Note that different weeders handle specific growth stages:
- Small weeds: All weeders can remove these.
- Medium weeds: Only specific weeders work.
- Large weeds: Herbicide is required.
To identify the weed size, check the bottom right-hand corner of the field status. If you need more details regarding weed management, here’s my dedicated guide on how to remove weeds in Farming Simulator 25!
Fertilizer and Weed Control Equipment
Visit the store under the “Yield Improvements” category to purchase the necessary tools:
- Sprayers: For applying liquid fertilizer or herbicide.
- Spreaders: For solid fertilizer or lime.
- Slurry Tankers: For applying slurry or digestate.
Field Updates and Workflow
- Fertilizer Application:
- After planting, spread the first layer of fertilizer.
- Advance the game one month/day, then apply the second layer.
- Weed Removal:
- Check the field status for weed growth.
- Spray herbicide or use a weeder as needed.
Spraying herbicide leaves a brown shade on the map, indicating dead weeds. Weeders will simply remove the weed layer, showing no weeds in the field.
Harvesting Sugarbeets
When your sugar beet field shows “Remove Foliage” in the menu, it means they’re ready for harvesting—kind of. This step is unique to crops like sugar beets, as it requires an additional process before you can collect them. Don’t worry; we’ll cover both methods of harvesting, step by step.
Two Ways to Harvest Sugar Beets
- Self-Propelled Harvesters
- The easiest but most expensive method. These machines are ready to roll out of the store.
- Go to the shop menu under Beet Harvesters, and you’ll see some big, shiny machines. The pricier models have built-in headers, while others require you to buy a compatible header separately (just hit the “Combinations” button in the store menu to check).
- Once purchased, unfold the harvester (hit X) and lower the header (V), then start harvesting (B). That’s it—smooth and efficient!
- Bonus: These machines can also harvest red beets if you’ve installed the latest update (1.3).
- Pull-Behind Harvesters
- A more budget-friendly option but involves an extra step.
- You’ll need two machines: a haulm topper and a pull-behind harvester.
- The haulm topper removes the foliage. Lower it (V), turn it on (B), and drive over the field. The sugar beets will stay in the ground but will now be ready for harvesting.
- Next, attach the pull-behind harvester, lower it (V), and turn it on (B) to dig out the sugar beets.
- Tip: If crop destruction is turned on, either equip narrow tires or disable the setting to avoid damaging your crops while topping the foliage.
What To Do With Harvested Sugarbeets?
Once you’ve got your sugar beets, you have several options:
- Sell Them
- Take them to a sell point listed in the menu for sugar beets and sell them for cash.
- Prices vary by location, so check the rates before making a trip.
- Store Them
- Use the Railroad Silo (stores up to 300,000 liters per map).
- Alternatively, dump them on the ground (hit Ctrl + I on PC) and scoop them up later with a front loader or use a specialized piece of equipment designed for sugar beet piles.
- Use Them in Productions
- Process them into sugar at the Sugar Mill or use them as feed for pigs.
Field Maintenance: After harvesting, your field will require plowing, as root crops deplete the soil.
Capacity Management: Keep in mind that pull-behind harvesters have smaller storage (e.g., 6,400 liters), so you may need to unload frequently using bulk trailers.
Wrapping Up
And that’s a wrap on the ultimate sugarbeet farming guide in Farming SImulator 25! You’re now ready to tackle these root crops with confidence. Sure, sugarbeets may be a little more demanding, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards are totally worth it. Whether you’re selling for profit, processing into sugar, or feeding your pigs, this crop can be a real game-changer.
