Highlights
- Stardew Valley has a variety of crops, each with its own pros and cons. Some crops need to be replanted, while others have multiple harvests.
- Sunflowers and poppies are expensive crops, but they can be used as gifts for NPCs and have other uses like making honey and cooking.
- Wheat and summer spangle are versatile crops that can be used for gifting, baking, and selling. Coffee beans are a profitable crop that can be used to make coffee and increase productivity. Radishes and tomatoes are beginner crops that can turn a profit with higher farming levels. Hops are fast-growing crops that are worth the investment. Red cabbage can be turned into juice and has a high selling price.
From the humble radish to the rare golden walnut, Stardew Valley has a wide variety of crops to harvest. Most crops are only available for one season at a time - easy to remember since it's just like the real world - and the abundant summer season brings fresh and fruity crops, ripe for the picking.
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Farmers in Stardew Valley will know that some crops need to be replanted while others can have multiple harvests throughout the season. This doesn't make one crop better than the other, as each crop has its own pros and cons.
Updated January 9, 2024, by Rosie Sedgwick: As fans of ConcernedApe's expansive farming sim eagerly await the 1.6 update, some farmers may be revisiting old farms or starting fresh on Grandpa's farmland, excited to start their new adventure. Summer is a huge season for selling crops, getting Gold, and saving up for tool upgrades, animals, and more! For seasoned Pelican Town citizens needing a refresher or brand-new farmers who don't even know what a shovel is, this article has been updated with a more concise view of the best summer crops.
14 Sunflower
A Lovely Gift For A Lovely Villager
A common misconception is that the flower turns so it's always facing the sun.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 200g (Pierre's), 125g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from Traveling Cart), 200g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 8 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 80g
- Most Profitable As: Honey (Bee House, 260g)
- Loved By: Haley
Players looking to make a quick buck should stay away from sunflowers. Their seeds cost a whopping 200g at Pierre's and only sell for 80g. But harvesting them produces more seeds, so if used properly, they're a wise investment.
While the turn of profit can be negative on these vibrant flowers, they're best used as gifts for the NPCs in-game, as almost all of them will enjoy receiving one. Sunflower seeds can also be used to make oil for cooking purposes.
13 Poppy
Make Some Money With Honey!
In addition to its colorful flower, the Poppy has culinary and medicinal uses.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 100g (Pierre's), 125g (JojaMart), 150g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 100g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 7 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 140g
- Most Profitable As: Honey (Bee House, 380g)
- Loved By: Penny
Like sunflowers, poppy seeds are quite expensive, but their crops make great gifts. Unlike sunflowers, their seeds don't cost more than they sell for, so it's still possible to make a decent profit off them without having to plant more and more.
Unfortunately, poppies are a universally hated gift in Stardew Valley, except for Penny, who loves them. They can, however, be turned into Poppyseed Muffins using the kitchen, which are loved by both Penny and Leah.
12 Wheat
Versatile For Gifting, Baking, & Selling
One of the most widely cultivated grains. Makes a great flour for breads and cakes.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 10g (Pierre's), 12g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 10g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 4 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 25g
- Most Profitable As: Beer (Keg, 200g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Wheat sells for 25g in Stardew Valley at the lowest base price. While it may not be the most prosperous crop in the game, wheat is a useful crop for crafting artisanal items by grounding it into flour.
Wheat flour allows players to cook and bake dozens of tasty treats for their character or the NPCs around the valley. Wheat can also be turned into Beer by placing it in the Keg, which not only maximizes profit, but is a loved gift of both Shane and Pam.
11 Summer Spangle
Best Flowers For Gifting And Honey-Making
A tropical bloom that thrives in the humid summer air. Has a sweet, tangy aroma.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 50g (Pierre's), 62g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 50g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 8 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 90g
- Most Profitable As: Honey (Bee House, 280g)
- Loved By: Caroline
These beautiful flowers don't turn the biggest profit, but their seeds aren't terribly expensive. Almost every character enjoys receiving one as a gift, so they're a great flower to plant in large numbers when players want to impress their favorite NPCs.
Their best use is in planting them next to Bee Houses and making Summer Spangle Honey. The Summer Spangle can also be used in the Sewing Machine to produce the pleated skirt clothing item, and it's also a potentially needed item for the remixed Pantry bundle in the Community Center.
10 Coffee Beans
Drink The Coffee Before It Gets Cold
Plant in spring or summer to grow a coffee plant. Place five beans in a keg to make coffee.
- Where To Buy/Get: Traveling Cart or slaying Dust Sprites
- Cost: 2,500g at Traveling Cart (Special Stock), 100g (lowest possible price in Standard Stock)
- Growth Time: 10 days, then 2 days
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 15g
- Most Profitable As: Coffee (Keg, 150g)
- Loved By: Nobody
The seeds for these caffeine-packed beans cost 2,500g on the traveling cart and are worth 15g each, but each crop typically drops four beans, bringing that up to 45g. The dropped beans can also be planted, and the coffee plants don't need to be replanted, so these beans can get players in the green quickly.
Moreover, coffee is a great consumable item as it increases speed and allows players to be more productive. Pair that with the Triple Shot Espresso recipe, and the effects of the speed boost can last even longer. As a bonus, Coffee is a loved gift of Harvey, and every adult NPC likes it, too!
9 Radish
The Beginner Crop That Always Turns A Profit
A crisp and refreshing root vegetable with hints of pepper when eaten raw.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 40g (Pierre's), 50g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 40g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 6 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 90g
- Most Profitable As: Pickles (Preserves Jar, 230g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Radishes are yummy vegetables that have a profit of 90g. Their seeds are inexpensive, making them a good crop to start the season off with.
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While radishes might not turn the biggest profit at the beginning of the game, once players have a higher farming level and use better fertilizer, the higher quality radishes can bring in cash quickly.
8 Tomato
Multiple Harvests, Multiple Recipes
Rich and slightly tangy, the Tomato has a wide variety of culinary uses.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 50g (Pierre's), 62g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 50g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 11 days, then 4 days
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 60g
- Most Profitable As: Pickles (Preserves Jar, 170g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Tomato seeds cost almost as much as they sell for, so little profit can be made from them at first. But since they don't need to be replanted, players can easily turn a profit on them after some time.
While the reward for selling a tomato will always be at least 60g, players can't harvest tomatoes as much as they can some other summer crops with multiple harvests.
7 Hops
A Speedy Grower That's Worth The Investment
A bitter, tangy flower used to flavor beer.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 60g (Pierre's), 75g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 60g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 11 days, then 1 day
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 25g
- Most Profitable As: Pale Ale (Keg, 300g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Hops may only sell for 25g, but boy do they grow fast! Once hops plants are fully grown, they produce only 25g but can be harvested every single day after they're fully grown, giving them 17 harvests during summer.
The excess harvest is best kept and turned into Pale Ale by placing it inside Kegs, which will get players excellent profits.
6 Red Cabbage
Delicious Cabbage Juice!
Often used in salads and coleslaws. The color can range from purple to blue to green-yellow depending on soil conditions.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store in Year 2, Traveling Cart, Night Market in Year 2
- Cost: 100g (Pierre's), 150g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 100g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 9 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 260g
- Most Profitable As: Juice (Keg, 580g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Red cabbage takes a while to grow but can be harvested three times through the summer for a hefty amount of gold.
Red Cabbages sell for slightly more than melons, going for 260g on the market. They're only slightly better than melons thanks to being able to harvest them more and worth 10g more when selling.
5 Blueberry
A Versatile Berry Good For Wine and Jelly
A popular berry reported to have many health benefits. The blue skin has the highest nutrient concentration.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 80g at Pierre's, 120g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 80g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 13 days, then 4 days
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 50g
- Most Profitable As: Jam or Wine - Wine can be aged to produce maximum profit (Keg, 150g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Blueberries are an extremely profitable berry. Each harvest will produce three blueberries from just one plant, and they each sell for 50g. So players get 150g just from one blueberry plant.
Blueberries also regrow, making them a one-time purchase for summer farmers. They also make for decently priced wine when placed inside a Keg.
4 Hot Pepper
Careful, This Money-Maker's Hot!
Fiery hot with a hint of sweetness.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 40g (Pierre's), 50g (JojaMart), 100g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 40g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 5 days, then 3 days
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 40g
- Most Profitable As: Jam (Preserves Jar, 130g)
- Loved By: Lewis, Shane
Hot Pepper seeds cost as much to buy as their seeds sell, but they grow incredibly fast. Players can harvest hot peppers eight times in the summer season, which is double the amount of harvests of corn, a similar crop with a similar selling price.
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Hot Peppers can be used to make Pepper Poppers when mixed with cheese, which is a great food to increase speed and get more done in a day. Pepper Poppers are also loved by Maru and Shane, making them useful as gifts.
3 Melon
A Farmer's Patience Is Amply Rewarded (With More Melons)
A cool, sweet summer treat.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 80g (Pierre's), 100g (JojaMart), 120g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 80g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 12 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 250g
- Most Profitable As: Wine (Keg, 750g)
- Loved By: Penny
Melons can only be harvested twice in summer, but they sell for a whopping 250g each. With relatively cheap seeds, they're a worthwhile investment for farmers willing to be patient.
Melons also have the possibility to grow into a giant crop which will drop many melons when mined with an axe.
2 Corn
The Season-Savvy Grain That Lasts For Two Seasons
One of the most popular grains. The sweet, fresh cobs are a summer favorite.
- Where To Buy: Pierre's General Store, JojaMart, Traveling Cart, Night Market
- Cost: 150g (Pierre's), 187g (Joja Mart), 225g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart), 150g (Night Market)
- Growth Time: 14 days, then 4 days
- Harvest Type: Multiple harvests
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 50g
- Most Profitable As: Pickles (Preserves Jar, 150g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Corn has great longevity, which means it will last all summer, compared to a lot of other crops that might have to be replanted. Not only does corn not need to be replanted, but the crop lasts from summer until the end of fall.
Corn seeds are more expensive than their profit of 50g, but their elongated life span makes them a worthy crop to invest in. Moreover, they can be used to make cooking oil used in many recipes.
1 Starfruit
A Galactic Money-Maker
An extremely juicy fruit that grows in hot, humid weather. Slightly sweet with a sour undertone.
- Where To Buy: Oasis, Traveling Cart
- Cost: 400g (Oasis), 600g (lowest starting price from the Traveling Cart)
- Growth Time: 13 days
- Harvest Type: Single harvest
- Lowest Base Selling Price: 750g
- Most Profitable As: Wine (Keg, 2,250g)
- Loved By: Nobody
Starfruit is by far the best summer crop. They take the longest to grow out of all the summer crops but are worth, at minimum, 750g each. And that's nothing compared to an iridium starfruit that can sell for 1,500g or more! While they take a long time to grow, they're definitely a crop worth growing.
Plus, they can be used to craft Starfruit Wine inside Kegs, which is the highest-priced wine players can make in the game. A single bottle sells for 2250g, and this can be boosted even further once Casks and the farmhouse basement are unlocked, as wine can be aged to Iridium quality.