Stardew Valley Best Crops Every Season: Complete Android Guide
You can spend all day in the mines or fishing at the beach but at the end of the day crops are what pay your bills in Stardew Valley. Plant the wrong thing at the wrong time and you just wasted an entire season. This guide tells you exactly what to plant and when.
Why Crops Matter More Than Anything Else
Crops Are Your Main Source of Income
In your first year farming is the fastest and most reliable way to make money. Mining and fishing are great but they take time to get good at. Crops give you a predictable income every single season as long as you plant the right ones at the right time.
Wrong Crop at Wrong Time Means Wasted Season
Every crop only grows in a specific season. Plant a Summer crop on day 25 of Summer and it will never finish growing before the season ends. You lose the seeds and the money you spent on them. Knowing which crops to plant and when to plant them is the difference between a profitable season and a wasted one.
How the Season System Works
Each Season Is 28 Days Long
Spring Summer Fall and Winter each last exactly 28 days. Most crops take between 4 and 12 days to grow. Some crops grow once and are done. Others keep producing new harvests every few days after the first one. Those repeating crops are almost always the better choice.
Crops Die When the Season Changes
On the first day of a new season any crop from the previous season that is still in the ground dies immediately. There are no exceptions. Plan your planting dates carefully and make sure every crop has enough days to fully grow before the season ends.
How to Check How Many Days a Crop Needs
Every seed packet in the game tells you how many days it takes to grow. When you are at Pierre’s shop hover over the seeds before buying them. You will see the growth time right there. Always check this before spending your money.
Spring Crops: Best Options and Which to Prioritize
Strawberry: The Best Spring Crop Nobody Tells Beginners About
Strawberries are only available at the Egg Festival on Spring 13 every year. They cost 100 gold per seed and they keep producing new strawberries every four days after the first harvest. If you plant them on Spring 13 you can get two or three harvests before the season ends. Buy as many as you can afford at the festival every single year.
Cauliflower: Best Single Harvest Crop in Spring
Cauliflower takes 12 days to grow and sells for 175 gold each. It is the highest value single harvest crop in Spring. Plant it in the first week of Spring so it has enough time to fully grow. A full field of Cauliflower makes very good money for a beginner.
Parsnip: Best Crop for Week One Only
Parsnips grow in only four days and they are the cheapest seeds at Pierre’s shop. They are perfect for your very first week because you need quick money to buy better seeds. After your first week move on to better crops and stop relying on Parsnips.
Coffee Bean: Grows in Spring and Summer Both
Coffee Beans are special because they grow in both Spring and Summer. They produce coffee every two days which sells well and also gives you an energy boost when you drink it. They are harder to find early in the game but worth planting whenever you get them.
Summer Crops: Where the Real Money Is
Blueberry: The Best Crop for Beginners in Summer
Blueberries cost 80 gold per seed and produce three blueberries every four days after the first harvest. They keep giving you berries all Summer long without needing to replant. A full field of Blueberries is one of the easiest ways to make serious money in your first year.
Starfruit: Highest Value Single Crop in Summer
Starfruit sells for 750 gold each which makes it the most valuable basic crop in Summer. The seeds cost 400 gold each though so you need some money saved up before planting them. Starfruit becomes even more valuable when you turn it into wine using a Keg.
Hops: Best Crop for Kegs
Hops grow in one day after the first harvest which makes them the fastest repeating crop in the game. On their own they do not sell for much. But put them in a Keg and they become Pale Ale which sells for much more. If you have Kegs set up Hops are one of the best Summer crops you can plant.
Melon: Solid Mid Range Option
Melons take 12 days to grow and sell for 250 gold each. They are not as exciting as Starfruit or Blueberries but they are reliable and affordable. Good choice if you want something simple that makes decent money.
Fall Crops: Last Chance Before Winter
Cranberry: Best Repeating Crop in Fall
Cranberries produce two cranberries every five days and keep going all season. They cost 240 gold per seed which is affordable and the constant harvests add up to good money by the end of Fall. Always plant Cranberries in Fall.
Pumpkin: Best Single Harvest in Fall
Pumpkins take 13 days to grow and sell for 320 gold each. They are the best single harvest crop in Fall and they are also needed for a Community Center bundle. Plant them in the first week of Fall without fail.
Sweet Gem Berry: Most Expensive Crop in the Game
Sweet Gem Berries sell for 3000 gold each which makes them the most valuable crop in the entire game. The seeds called Rare Seeds are hard to find and expensive but if you get your hands on any plant them in Fall immediately. Even one Sweet Gem Berry makes a huge difference to your income.
Grape: Great for Wine Making
Grapes produce new bunches every three days in Fall and turn into very profitable wine in a Keg. They are also needed for the Fall Crops bundle in the Community Center. A solid choice for any Fall farm.
Winter: Why You Cannot Grow Normal Crops
What Happens to Your Farm in Winter
No normal crops grow in Winter. The ground is frozen and Pierre does not sell regular seeds during this season. If you try to plant anything it simply will not grow.
What to Do Instead of Farming in Winter
Winter is the best time to focus on the mines. You have no crops to water so your mornings are completely free. Spend Winter going as deep into the mines as possible to collect ore for tool upgrades. Also use this time to build relationships with villagers since you have more free time than any other season.
Winter Forage Seeds: Only Option for Winter Farming
Winter Forage Seeds can be crafted using foraged items and they are the only thing you can grow in Winter. They produce random forageable plants that you can sell or use for bundles. They do not make much money but they keep your farming skill leveling up during the slow season.
How to Make Even More Money From Crops
Kegs Turn Crops Into Wine and Juice
A Keg takes any fruit or vegetable and turns it into an artisan good that sells for two to three times more than the raw crop. Strawberry Wine sells for far more than raw Strawberries. Starfruit Wine sells for over 3000 gold per bottle. Building Kegs should be your main goal going into Year 2.
Preserve Jars: Cheaper Alternative to Kegs
Preserve Jars turn crops into pickles and jam. They do not give as big a profit boost as Kegs but they are cheaper to build and still significantly increase what your crops are worth. Good option for early game before you can afford Kegs.
Quick Reference Table: All Seasons at a Glance
| Season | Best Crop | Grows Again | Sells For |
| Spring | Strawberry | Every 4 days | 120g each |
| Spring | Cauliflower | No | 175g each |
| Summer | Blueberry | Every 4 days | 50g x3 |
| Summer | Starfruit | No | 750g each |
| Fall | Cranberry | Every 5 days | 75g x2 |
| Fall | Sweet Gem Berry | No | 3000g each |
| Winter | Winter Forage Seeds | No | Varies |
Pro Tip
Always save at least one of every crop you harvest throughout the year. Pierre sometimes asks for specific crops in requests and the Community Center bundles need one of almost everything. Selling every single crop you grow sounds like good money but it will cost you time later when you have to wait a whole year to grow that crop again just to complete a bundle.
Still have questions about farming or anything else in Stardew Valley? Visit our FAQ page for detailed answers to the most common questions.
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