When to Plant Beetroot in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
Sow July to April. Right now in October you can sow.
Grow Beetroot in your space
Also called beet.
- Planting window
- Sow from August to April, or start in trays from July. Spring and autumn are the peak planting times, and summer sowings need shade and...
- Days to harvest
- 55 days
- Sunlight
- Full sun (6+ hours). Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot climates.
- Water needs
- Consistent moisture is critical. Irregular watering causes woody, cracked roots. Water...
- Spacing
- 10cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.5
- Shop price
- $10.48/kg average
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Beetroot guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Beetroot is one of the easiest root vegetables for Australian home gardeners, tolerant of a wide range of climates and soils. It produces both edible roots and nutritious greens, making it a dual-purpose crop. Nearly pest-free and quick to mature, it is an ideal beginner vegetable that can be grown year-round in most Australian zones.
See what grows now in your own postcode
Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | - | - | S | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 18.5°C (optimal range: 7–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like
In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.
How to Grow Beetroot in Warm Temperate Australia
When to Plant
Sow from August to April, or start in trays from July. Spring and autumn are the peak planting times, and summer sowings need shade and steady water.
- Soil
- Well-drained, loose loam or sandy loam enriched with compost. Avoid heavy clay unless amended. Do NOT add fresh manure. It causes forked, hairy roots.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun (6+ hours). Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot climates.
- Spacing
- 10cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent moisture is critical. Irregular watering causes woody, cracked roots. Water deeply 2-3 times per week. Drip irrigation or soaker hose preferred. Overhead watering in humid zones promotes...
Companion plants: Onion, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Cabbage, Dwarf Beans, Dill
Avoid planting near: Runner Beans, Charlock (wild mustard), Field Mustard
Grow before, grow after
Beetroot belongs with the root crops, the roots and alliums turn of a four turn bed rotation.
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Beetroot
Recommended Varieties
- Detroit Dark Red
- Chioggia (Bulls Eye)
- Cylindra
- Golden
- Boltardy
Key Challenges
- Summer heat causing bolting
- Leaf miners in warm months
- Cercospora in humid autumn
Pro Tips
- Two main windows: September-November and February-April
- Boltardy lives up to its name for spring sowings with less premature bolting
- Cylindra produces uniform cylindrical roots that slice evenly, great for pickling
Harvesting Beetroot
When ready: Roots visible at soil surface, typically 5-8cm diameter. Shoulders push above soil line. Leaves still green and vigorous. Baby beets can be harvested from 4 weeks at 3-4cm diameter.
How to harvest: Gently loosen soil with a garden fork alongside the row, then pull roots. Do not cut roots. Twist off tops leaving 3-5cm of stem to prevent bleeding. Handle carefully to avoid bruising.
Preserving: pressure canning
2 tested pressure-canning recipes for Beetroot: 2 where it is the crop being canned. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.
Worth growing?
A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 46 plants, about $121 worth at today’s Aldi and Woolworths prices, checked today.
That is roughly 12 kg at $10.48 a kilo.
Draw your beetroot bed → No account needed.
Common Beetroot Pests in Warm Temperate Zones
Leaf Spot, risk: MODERATE (score: 52/100)In the pest library for beetroot:
Cutworms, moderate severity Wireworms, moderate severityOrganic prevention (Leaf Miner): Crop rotation. Remove plant debris after harvest. Avoid planting near spinach and silverbeet which share the same leaf miner species.
Where to next
Supermarket Price
Current average retail: $10.48/kg (12-month range: $9.96–$12.80)
Grow your own and save on grocery bills.
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Beetroot
When do you plant beetroot in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): all year
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Apr, Jul to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): all year
Does beetroot grow all year round in Sydney?
No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Jan to Apr, Jul to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
What else is beetroot called?
Beetroot is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it beet. Same plant, same growing advice.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.