In Stardew Valley, the Greenhouse is one of the most valuable farming locations you can unlock. It allows you to grow crops year-round, even through the harsh winter months. The ability to grow crops during every season provides an amazing opportunity to maximize your profits and enhance your farming experience. But which crops are the best to grow in the Stardew Valley Greenhouse? In this guide, we will explore the best crops for the Greenhouse, taking into account profitability, versatility, and efficiency.
What is the Stardew Valley Greenhouse?
The Stardew Valley Greenhouse is a large, glass-walled structure located on your farm. It can be unlocked once you complete a specific task—restoring the Greenhouse through the Pantry Bundles or by donating items to the Community Center. After this, you’ll have access to a year-round farming space where you can plant and grow crops regardless of the current season outside.
This means you can grow crops in winter (a time when the outside farm is barren) and create a more consistent income throughout the entire year. The Greenhouse can hold a variety of crops, with 120 spaces available for planting, making it the perfect spot for high-profit crops or for growing seasonal crops you may want to plant year-round.
Why Should You Grow Crops in the Stardew Valley Greenhouse?
- Year-Round Farming: One of the most significant advantages of the Greenhouse is that it allows you to grow crops throughout the year, making it possible to maintain a steady stream of income.
- Increased Profitability: With proper planning, you can grow high-profit crops year-round, maximizing the space and the returns from your farm.
- Customizable Layout: The Greenhouse offers flexibility in how you arrange your crops. You can mix high-profit crops with lower maintenance ones or grow crops that fit specific seasonal needs.
- Fewer Weather Concerns: Since the Greenhouse is indoors, you don’t need to worry about weather events like storms, droughts, or seasonal changes that could damage your crops outside.
Best Crops for Stardew Valley Greenhouse
Now that you know the benefits of using the Greenhouse, let’s dive into the best crops you should consider growing there to optimize your farm’s success.
1. Ancient Fruit
- Profitability: Ancient Fruit is one of the most profitable crops in Stardew Valley, and it thrives in the Greenhouse.
- Growth Time: 28 days (initial growth), but then it continuously produces fruit every 28 days.
- Why It’s Great: Ancient Fruit has an incredibly high profit margin. Once planted in the Greenhouse, it will keep producing fruit every 28 days, making it an excellent long-term investment. The crop can be sold for a high price or turned into wine for even more profit.
If you can get your hands on Ancient Seeds (either through the Traveling Cart, artifact donations, or by growing it in the Greenhouse), this crop will provide a steady and reliable income. Since it continues to yield every month, you’ll have an almost constant cash flow, which is essential for scaling up your farm.
2. Starfruit
- Profitability: Starfruit is another high-profit crop that is perfect for the Stardew Valley Greenhouse.
- Growth Time: 13 days.
- Why It’s Great: The Starfruit is a rare and expensive crop that can be harvested after just 13 days of growth. Though it’s a bit expensive to purchase the seeds from the Oasis shop, the profits you can make by selling Starfruit are well worth the investment. Additionally, Starfruit can be turned into wine for an even higher price.
Growing Starfruit in the Greenhouse lets you continuously harvest it throughout the year, which is ideal for consistent income.
3. Wine (Made from Fruits)
While wine itself is not a crop, it is an excellent product to create from high-value fruits like Ancient Fruit, Starfruit, and even grapes. Wine sells for significantly more than the raw fruits themselves.
- Best Crops for Wine: Ancient Fruit, Starfruit, and even Grapes.
- Why It’s Great: By fermenting fruits in kegs, you can turn them into wine, which significantly boosts their selling price. Wine is one of the best ways to increase your farm’s profits, and having a steady supply of Ancient Fruit or Starfruit makes it even more profitable.
4. Cranberries
- Profitability: Cranberries are an excellent crop for both profit and ease of growth in the Stardew Valley Greenhouse.
- Growth Time: 7 days (and produces every 5 days after the initial growth).
- Why It’s Great: Cranberries are one of the most reliable crops to grow, offering a high return on investment. Once planted, cranberries will continue to produce fruit every 5 days after the initial 7-day growth period, allowing for multiple harvests in a single month. Growing cranberries in the Greenhouse means you can harvest them every season.
If you plant a full greenhouse of cranberries, you can generate a steady income. Plus, cranberries can be turned into cranberry sauce, increasing their value even further.
5. Blueberries
- Profitability: Blueberries are another solid choice for your Greenhouse.
- Growth Time: 13 days, with repeated harvests every 4 days.
- Why It’s Great: Blueberries have a high yield and can be harvested multiple times during their growth cycle. Just like cranberries, blueberries offer several harvests per season, and they can be used to make blueberry preserves, increasing their value.
Once you have a full set of blueberries in your Greenhouse, you’ll be generating plenty of income every month, especially if you use a Preserves Jar to convert them into preserves for higher profit.
6. Grapes
- Profitability: Grapes are a fantastic crop for growing in the Greenhouse and can provide a steady income.
- Growth Time: 10 days, with multiple harvests every 3 days.
- Why It’s Great: Grapes are an excellent crop to use for making wine, which can sell for a much higher price. Growing them in the Greenhouse ensures you have year-round access to them, allowing you to keep producing wine and increasing your farm’s income.
Additionally, grapes can be a valuable gift for certain villagers, making them even more versatile.
7. Kale
- Profitability: Kale is one of the quicker-growing crops you can plant in the Greenhouse, and it provides a reliable, moderate income.
- Growth Time: 6 days.
- Why It’s Great: Kale may not be as high-profit as some other crops, but it’s a solid choice for quick returns. It’s one of the most affordable crops to grow and can be sold at a reasonable price. Additionally, it can be used in recipes, giving it some utility outside of profit.
Though you won’t get the massive returns of crops like Ancient Fruit or Starfruit, Kale is a great filler crop for the Greenhouse and offers a reliable, quick option for generating revenue.
Tips for Growing Crops in the Stardew Valley Greenhouse
- Optimize Your Layout: The Greenhouse has 120 crop spaces. You can plant 60 crops in rows, with each row containing 30 spaces. Plan your crop layout to ensure maximum efficiency.
- Use Iridium Sprinklers: These sprinklers cover a 24-tile area, making them perfect for the Greenhouse. If you can afford them, use these sprinklers to minimize the amount of time you spend watering your crops.
- Focus on High-Profit Crops: While it’s tempting to grow a variety of crops, focus on the most profitable options like Ancient Fruit and Starfruit. These crops offer the best returns for your investment in the Greenhouse.
- Make Wine and Preserves: Converting your fruits into wine or preserves can significantly increase their selling price. Make sure to invest in kegs and preserves jars to get the most profit from your crops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How do I unlock the Stardew Valley Greenhouse?
To unlock the Greenhouse, you need to complete the Pantry Bundles in the Community Center, or alternatively, you can choose to complete the JojaMart route and restore it through the Joja membership.
Q2: Can I grow crops in the Greenhouse during the winter?
Yes! The Greenhouse allows you to grow crops year-round, including during the winter season when no crops can be grown outside.
Q3: How do I get Ancient Seeds?
You can find Ancient Seeds by donating an artifact to the Museum, receiving it as a reward from a bundle, or by purchasing it from the Traveling Cart. You can then plant it in the Greenhouse.
Q4: What’s the most profitable crop for the Greenhouse?
Ancient Fruit is one of the most profitable crops you can grow in the Greenhouse, providing continuous harvests and the potential for high profits, especially if you turn it into wine.
Q5: How many crops can I grow in the Greenhouse?
The Greenhouse has 120 spaces for planting crops. This gives you a large area to plant a variety of crops and maximize your farming efficiency.
Conclusion
The Stardew Valley Greenhouse is a powerful tool for year-round farming and can significantly boost your profits if you choose the right crops. From the high-yielding Ancient Fruit to the valuable Starfruit and versatile cranberries, there are plenty of options to maximize your farm’s output. By focusing on high-profit crops and optimizing your Greenhouse layout, you can make the most out of this valuable farming space.
Whether you’re just starting your farm or are looking to expand your income, the Stardew Valley Greenhouse offers endless possibilities for increasing your wealth and enjoying a thriving farm.