Vintage Story Wiki
Game Mechanic: Farming
gamemechanicinfo-farming
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Farming
It ain't much but it's honest work!
When you've found several seeds, and found a place to settle down, it's time to start farming. There are several factors that play into farming:
Soil Fertility
Soil comes in four levels of fertility; low, medium, high, and 'terra preta'. Try to avoid planting crops in low fertility soil. They may struggle to mature in a timely manner.
Moisture
Crops need moisture to grow. Planting crops within three blocks of water will help them maintain good moisture levels. However, you can grow crops even on ground with no water nearby by using a watering can, or natural rainfall, which will increase soil moisture.
Planting
Once you've selected your location to farm, till the soil using a hoe, and plant your seeds byrightmouse clicking. You should also think about the temperature and nutrient requirements of the seeds.
Soil Nutrients
The tool tip of the tilled farmland will tell you the status of the three soil nutrients (N, P, and K) for that block. Different plants need different nutrients, and will use them up from the soil as they grow. If the required nutrient is low, they will grow much slower. It is good practice to rotate your crops so that each subsequent planting uses a different nutrient than the one before. Farmland will naturally regenerate nutrients over time when left fallow. There are also several types of fertilizer in the world, which can more quickly replenish nutrients.
Temperature
Below 10°C crop growth is slowed, below 0°C crops don't grow at all. Different crops have different tolerances for extreme temperature - both low and high. If a crop is subjected to excessive heat or cold, it may become frost or heat damaged, which will cause it to only give half the yield when you harvest. In extreme temperatures, crops will start to take cold/heat damage, accumulating damage points. The points will go away if the temperature returns to safer levels, however, if the crop accumulates 48 hours of extreme temperature damage, it will die. Dead crops will give a seed (but no other produce) at harvest, unless they died very young, in which case they may yield nothing at all.
Harvesting
Once mature, harvest crops by hand, or with a scythe.
Pests
Certain animals, such as hares, will attempt to eat your crops. It's wise to protect them with a rough-hewn fence or other obstacle.
It ain't much but it's honest work!
When you've found several seeds, and found a place to settle down, it's time to start farming. There are several factors that play into farming:
Soil Fertility
Soil comes in four levels of fertility; low, medium, high, and 'terra preta'. Try to avoid planting crops in low fertility soil. They may struggle to mature in a timely manner.
Moisture
Crops need moisture to grow. Planting crops within three blocks of water will help them maintain good moisture levels. However, you can grow crops even on ground with no water nearby by using a watering can, or natural rainfall, which will increase soil moisture.
Planting
Once you've selected your location to farm, till the soil using a hoe, and plant your seeds by
Soil Nutrients
The tool tip of the tilled farmland will tell you the status of the three soil nutrients (N, P, and K) for that block. Different plants need different nutrients, and will use them up from the soil as they grow. If the required nutrient is low, they will grow much slower. It is good practice to rotate your crops so that each subsequent planting uses a different nutrient than the one before. Farmland will naturally regenerate nutrients over time when left fallow. There are also several types of fertilizer in the world, which can more quickly replenish nutrients.
Temperature
Below 10°C crop growth is slowed, below 0°C crops don't grow at all. Different crops have different tolerances for extreme temperature - both low and high. If a crop is subjected to excessive heat or cold, it may become frost or heat damaged, which will cause it to only give half the yield when you harvest. In extreme temperatures, crops will start to take cold/heat damage, accumulating damage points. The points will go away if the temperature returns to safer levels, however, if the crop accumulates 48 hours of extreme temperature damage, it will die. Dead crops will give a seed (but no other produce) at harvest, unless they died very young, in which case they may yield nothing at all.
Harvesting
Once mature, harvest crops by hand, or with a scythe.
Pests
Certain animals, such as hares, will attempt to eat your crops. It's wise to protect them with a rough-hewn fence or other obstacle.