"Fertilizer" redirects here. For a list of items that can be used as fertilizer, see Category:Fertilizer.
Wilson with 6 Improved Farms
Farming is the process of growing Food or other resources to aid in survival. In general, it requires a permanent base camp where the crops can be planted and grown. There are several types of farming including Farms, transplanted items such as Berry Bushes, and Ranching.
Farms
Farms are made by creating Basic or Improved Farms which are fertile patches of ground where Vegetables can be grown. Once built, Seeds can be planted in them which will grow into random vegetables, or Crop Seeds for specific crops. Some Vegetables grown from regular Seeds appear more frequently than others (see table, below).
Farms can be used to grow 20 or 30 vegetables before they lose fertility and require additional fertilizing. Crops will only grow during the daytime when the temperature is above 5 degrees; growth stops any other time. When temperature is above 28 degrees crops grow 100% faster; when it's raining crops grow up to 300% (depending on precipitation rate) faster. This means that when it is hot and raining heavily, crops grow up to 400% faster.
|
|
| Basic Farm | Improved Farm |
| 8 Grass, 4 Manure, 4 Logs Growth Time: 40 daylight hours 20 uses before re-fertilizing |
10 Grass, 6 Manure, 4 Stone Growth Time: 20 daylight hours 30 uses before re-fertilizing |
Specific vegetables can be grown in Farms by using Crop Seeds. These seeds are produced by feeding a Bird imprisoned in a Birdcage any vegetable or fruit; except for Mandrakes or Berries. The Bird will drop 1 or 2 Crop Seeds of the selected type, plus an occasional regular Seed (total of 3 possible seeds). Once planted, Crop Seeds will grow into their corresponding crop.
| Item | Name | Chance from Seeds |
|---|---|---|
|
Corn | 31.6% |
|
Carrot | 31.6% |
|
Pumpkin | 10.5% |
|
Eggplant | 10.5% |
|
Pomegranate | 5.25% |
|
Durian | 5.25% |
|
Dragon Fruit | 5.25% |
|
Watermelon 
|
11% |
Fertilizers
Improved Farms; the depleted one is on the right.
Items such as Guano, Manure, Rot, and Rotten Eggs can be used as fertilizers. When placed on the sprout in a Farm, fertilizers will advance its growth. The amount of fertilizer needed to fully grow a newly planted crop depends on the type of Farm and the type of fertilizer.
Guano substitutes 15, Manure substitutes 10, and Rot/Rotten Egg substitutes 2.5 daylight hours. Thus, Basic Farms need 3 Guano, 4 Manure or 16 Rot/Rotten Eggs, and Improved Farms need only 2 Guano, 2 Manure or 8 Rot/Rotten Eggs to fully grow a newly planted crop. Fertilizers do not advance crop growth when it's below 0 degrees in Winter, and using a fire to warm the area will not change this.
Fertilizers are also needed when a Farm loses fertility, which happens after 20 or 30 uses depending on the type of Farm. When a Farm is depleted, it will turn a lighter shade of brown and cannot be used for growing anything until fertilizer is added. Guano will rejuvenate a Farm for 12 additional uses, Manure for 10 and Rot/Rotten Eggs will only provide 2.
Fertilizers are also needed for transplanted plants. Berry Bushes and Grass Tufts that are dug up with a shovel and replanted must be fertilized before they will start to grow again. After a Berry Bush has been harvested 3-5 times or a Grass Tuft 20 times, they will require additional fertilizer. Naturally grown Bushes, Grass, and Saplings never need to be fertilized.
Transplanting
Berry Bushes, Grass Tufts, Saplings, and Spiky Bushes can all be dug up with a shovel and replanted anywhere. Typically, this is done to move them closer to a base camp for easy harvesting. Tufts and Bushes will need to be fertilized after being planted. Replanted Saplings and Spiky Bushes do not need to be fertilized. During winter, with the exception of Spiky Bushes, these plants will grow so slowly, they will seem not to regrow at all.
During Summer in the Reign of Giants DLC, Saplings will dry out due to the heat.
Using Pine Cones, Evergreens can be grown anywhere and will be active in both seasons. They can provide a constant and renewable source of Logs, but caution should be taken with any spawning Treeguards.
Planting these items close together will make them easy to quickly gather, but it leaves them vulnerable to Lightning strikes, which can set the entire patch ablaze. This can be mitigated by planting in groups with gaps or building a Lightning Rod. Having them close together also leaves them vulnerable to a mass Fire, whether from Willow's Insanity, a Red Hound dying, Summer heat, or other reason.
Lureplant Farm
Example of a Lureplant farm on top of Cobblestones
Lureplants do not spawn their Eyeplants on Rocky Turf, Cave Rock Turf, Cobblestones, and Wooden, Carpeted or Checkerboard Flooring. This means that surrounding the Lureplant with these types of turf will make it safe to harvest its Leafy Meat.
The Leafy Meat can be eaten, given to Pigs to befriend them, or given to a caged bird for a fresh Egg. Once harvested, the Lureplant takes two days to spawn another Leafy Meat. To harvest the Leafy Meat without hitting the plant, the player must unequip any weapon and then click on the Lureplant. If the player doesn't farm the Lureplant doe a few days, and then go to the plant and try to take the Meat, It will count as it already spoiled and you don't get anything.
Since Lureplants are inactive in Winter, Leafy Meat will be unavailable for the season.
Slime Farm
A simple Slime Farm with one single mound.
Slurtle Slime is a non-spoiling item used to refuel Lanterns or Miner Hats and cause Earthquakes in caves. It's dropped mainly by Slurtles and Snurtles when they eat Stones, Flint, Gold, etc.
The slime can be farmed by luring the Snurtles or Slurtles with a container on the ground containing a bunch of mineral items. The critters will stick around to eat the rocks and produce slime. Building Walls can keep them in one place.
Ranching
Ranching is the farming of animals such as Butterflies, Pigs, Rabbits, and Beefalo. Generally, ranching can only be done with animals that can respawn. Each type of animal requires its own way of ranching.
Butterfly Farms
Butterfly farms can be produced by catching butterflies in a Bug Net. Once captured, they can be planted as Flowers anywhere. Flowers require no maintenance and can spawn additional Butterflies as soon as they are planted. When the Butterfly population is high enough, they can be killed for their Wings or Butter. Butterflies will spawn in all seasons except for Winter. As with most farms, building a Lightning Rod should be the only necessary defense.
One can plant Butterflies that are caught near Beefalo herds. The Beefalo will attack any Butterflies that spawn from Flowers during their mating season. Any items that the Butterflies drop can be safely collected while wearing a Beefalo Hat.
Other way to farm butterflies is to plant them near Magma and lure the butterflies to it, the butterflies will die due to the fire damage. Be advised that this method is risky when dragonfly is nearby.
Moleworm Farms
Moleworms can be farmed by releasing several placed Moleworms in an enclosed area. Moleworms will be moved out of their Burrows when hit with a Hammer or when their Burrows are dug out with the Shovel. Once placed in an enclosed area, the Moleworms will create new Burrows from which they'll respawn after being killed.
Catcoons
A Catcoon may be farmed for its gifts. This can be done by creating an enclosed wall around a befriended Catcoon. A new space must be created for each Catcoon, as they will attack each other.
Bees and Honey
Bees and Honey can be farmed by building Bee Boxes near a flower field.
A Bee Box will spawn a Bee every 2 minutes, up to a maximum of 4. If any of these Bees are caught or killed, another one will spawn after the 2-minute cooldown. This means that it is an indestructible (unless Deerclops attacks), fire-proof, infinite Bee spawner. The Bees can be caught with a Bug Net and then be either murdered for Stingers and Honey or used to make Bee Mines. If a Bee is caught, all Bees still inside its box will become Killer Bees and attack the player, and homeless Bees outside will often join them.
When Bees successfully visit 6 Flowers, they will return to their box and increase the amount of Honey contained in it by 1, up to a maximum of 6. Honey can then be harvested at the Bee Box, but the Bees inside the box will come out as hostile regular Bees. A Beekeeper Hat is advised to tank the damage, or the player can just run away until the Bees lose interest. Harvesting Honey while all 4 Bees are outside the box will result in no bees attacking. If the player wanders too far away from the Bee Boxes, the game will hibernate the boxes and decrease the speed at which Honey is produced by several times.
Bee Boxes are dormant in Winter: Bees don't leave their homes, and the Honey stays on the boxes until the player gathers it. The game's hibernation system actually assists the player in winter, as Bee Boxes far enough from the player will still produce honey at hibernation rates regardless of the bees' lack of activity.
Pigs
Pigs spawn from Pig Houses. Each house will spawn one Pig at a time. If the Pig dies, another will respawn after 4 days. Pigs sometimes drop Pig Skin when killed, which is required to make additional Pig Houses. Pigs can be convinced to fight and chop trees for the player by giving them meats, and they produce Manure when fed vegetables.
Pigs left outside during a full moon will transform into Werepigs, and become hostile towards everything. Feeding a Pig 4 pieces of Monster Foods (
) will automatically transform it into a Werepig. They drop 2 Meat and 1 Pig Skin when killed. Werepigs will quickly eat any food lying on the ground. Normal Pigs in the area will not target the player attacking a Werepig, making them a good option for farming regular meat.
Bunnymen
Bunnymen are the Cave counterparts of Pigs. They spawn from Rabbit Hutches and function similar to Pigs, but several traits make them more difficult to recruit and use as allies. They're suited for nocturnal protection at which Pigs fail and can be used to farm Spiders. Their Bunny Puffs can be used to make a Fur Roll or more Rabbit Hutches.
Beefalo
Beefalo can be brought to a desired location with the use of a Beefalo Horn and a pen made of Walls. Wearing a Beefalo Hat will protect the player from aggressive Beefalo during mating season.
Spiders
Spiders spawn from Spider Dens, objects that may be spawned by planting Spider Eggs. Spider Eggs can be obtained by killing a Spider Queen or destroying a tier 3 den. The higher the tier of the den, the more Spiders and Spider Warriors spawn from it. Spiders, when killed, will drop either Monster Meat, Silk or Spider Glands.
A simple method to farm spider drops is by placing Traps near the den. Step on the webbing to get the spiders to come out, then lead them to the Traps. Repeat until the den is empty. It is a simple but time-consuming method.
The player may build Pig Houses or Rabbit Hutches around the den to kill stray Spiders, but surviving Pigs will eat Monster Meat on sight (possibly turning into Werepigs) and Bunnymen will attack a player gathering Monster Meat.
Rabbits
(Not to be confused with Bunnymen) A good spot to farm Rabbits would be an area with at least three Rabbit Holes near each other. Place Traps directly on top of the Rabbit Hole, so when the Rabbit comes out, it will instantly be trapped. Rarely, the Rabbit may trigger the Trap without being caught. The best time to check traps is before dusk.
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