Understanding Crop Profitability
Raw sell price is just one factor. To truly compare crops, you need to calculate gold per day:
Gold/Day = (Sell Price - Seed Cost) ÷ Growth DaysFor regrowable crops (Strawberry, Blueberry, Cranberry), factor in all harvests across the season. For processed goods, include the Keg/Jar processing time. See our Keg vs Jar guide for processing calculations.
🌸 Spring Crops Ranked (28 Days)
| Crop | Sell Price | Seed Cost | Growth | Gold/Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry | 120g | 100g | 8d (regrows 4d) | ~21g/day | Egg Festival only. 5 harvests if planted Day 1 |
| Rhubarb | 220g | 100g | 13d | 9.2g/day | Oasis only. Wine = 660g (94g/day after Keg time) |
| Cauliflower | 175g | 80g | 12d | 7.9g/day | Can become Giant Crop (x2 yield) |
| Coffee Bean | 15g (×4) | 2,500g | 10d (regrows 2d) | ~24g/day | Traveling Cart. Makes Coffee (Speed +1) |
| Potato | 80g | 50g | 6d | 5g/day | 25% extra harvest chance. Good early game. |
| Kale | 110g | 70g | 6d | 6.7g/day | Solid mid-tier choice |
💡 Spring Strategy
Days 1-12: Plant Potatoes or Kale for quick returns.
Day 13: Buy Strawberry seeds at Egg Festival (100g each).
Pro Tip: Save some Strawberries for the Seed Maker to get free seeds for Year 2!
☀️ Summer Crops Ranked (28 Days)
| Crop | Sell Price | Seed Cost | Growth | Gold/Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 750g | 400g | 13d | 26.9g/day | Oasis. Wine = 2,250g (best in game) |
| Blueberry | 50g × 3 | 80g | 13d (regrows 4d) | ~22g/day | 4 harvests. Easy to grow, no Oasis needed. |
| Red Cabbage | 260g | 100g | 9d | 17.8g/day | Year 2+ only. Great profit. |
| Melon | 250g | 80g | 12d | 14.2g/day | Giant Crop possible |
| Hops | 25g | 60g | 11d (regrows 1d) | See notes | Pale Ale = 300g in 1.5 days. Best Keg crop! |
⚠️ Hops Warning
Hops are the highest gold-per-day when Kegged (Pale Ale = 200g/day per Keg), but they require DAILY harvesting and lots of Kegs. One Hops plant produces 17 Hops per Summer = 25.5 days of Keg time needed.
💡 Summer Strategy
Year 1: Blueberries are your best friend. Plant on Day 1 for 4 harvests.
Year 2+: Unlock the Bus (42,500g) → Starfruit from Oasis.
Endgame: Fill your Greenhouse with Starfruit or Ancient Fruit.
🍂 Fall Crops Ranked (28 Days)
| Crop | Sell Price | Seed Cost | Growth | Gold/Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin | 320g | 100g | 13d | 16.9g/day | Giant Crop possible. Top raw seller. |
| Cranberry | 75g × 2 | 240g | 7d (regrows 5d) | ~16.5g/day | 5 harvests. Great for raw selling. |
| Grape | 80g | 60g | 10d (regrows 3d) | ~12g/day | Wine = 240g. Trellis crop. |
| Artichoke | 160g | 30g | 8d | 16.3g/day | Year 2+ only. Underrated! |
| Amaranth | 150g | 70g | 7d | 11.4g/day | Good mid-tier option |
| Sweet Gem Berry | 3,000g | 1,000g | 24d | 83.3g/day | Rare Seed from Traveling Cart. Cannot process. |
💡 Fall Strategy
Giant Crops: Plant Pumpkins in 3x3 grids for a chance at Giant Crops (double yield).
Rare Seeds: Watch the Traveling Cart every Friday & Sunday. Sweet Gem Berry = 3,000g!
Cranberries: 5 harvests per season make them reliable for raw selling.
💼 Profession Impact
Your Level 10 Farming profession choice significantly affects which crops are "best":
🌿 Tiller (+10% Crops)
Applies to raw crops only. Best when selling without processing.
⭐ Artisan (+40% Goods)
Applies to Wine, Juice, Jelly, Pickles. The endgame multiplier.
📊 Verdict: Artisan wins for most players
If you process any crops through Kegs or Jars, Artisan's +40% bonus far outweighs Tiller's +10%. The only exception: if you exclusively sell raw crops without any processing.
🎯 Bottom Line: What Should You Plant?
TL;DR Recommendations
Focus on easy-access crops
Potatoes → Strawberries (Spring) • Blueberries (Summer) • Cranberries (Fall)
Unlock Oasis, build Kegs
Rhubarb (wine) • Red Cabbage • Starfruit • Start your Keg empire
Maximum passive income
Greenhouse full of Ancient Fruit or Starfruit → Kegs → Artisan profession
📚 Related Guides & Tools
Calculate exact crop profits
Starfruit & Melon analysis
Pumpkin & Cranberry math
Which processing is better?
The ultimate endgame crop
Maximize your 116 tiles
Best early game strategies
Bundle requirements & tips
Complete bundle database
Last updated: June 2025 • Verified for Stardew Valley 1.6