Stardew Valley: 14 Best Crops To Grow In The Greenhouse (2023)

When Stardew Valley players first inherit their family farm, they might be puzzled to see a broken-down old building in the northwest area. Upon completing the Pantry bundles in the Community Center, however, this building's purpose becomes clear: It's a greenhouse, with a 12x12 plot of tillable soil.

After the Junimos restore this building, players can use this area to grow any crop in any season. When new players first gain this amazing resource, though, some aren't sure how to use it most effectively. Here's a list of crops that help turn the greenhouse into a money-making machine.

Updated July 31, 2022 by Demaris Oxman: The continued success ofStardew Valleyis a true testament to the staying power of great indie games. Having become the gold standard for farming simulators, players new and old continue to flock to the game for the peace and satisfaction of building a farm from the ground up. The greenhouse is just one feature of this game that players can use to make their farm more profitable than ever before. Considering how important this aspect can be, this guide has been updated to better reflect how the greenhouse fits in with the additions of the 1.5 update, and to offer more information on the items that are best grown in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse Versus Ginger Island Farming

Growing crops in the greenhouse has a lot of similarities with farming on Ginger Island, introduced in the 1.5 update to Stardew Valley. The primary similarity is that both allow all crops to grow in every season. All the crops listed here are also suitable for growing on the Ginger Island farm; however, there are certain crops that players may want to dedicate their island space to. Mixed Seeds will also give different results when planted on Ginger Island rather than in the greenhouse. Check out our guide to Ginger Island farming for more information.

14 Mixed Seeds

These are a cool choice for greenhouse farming, simply because it makes them more interesting. When planted outside, mixed seeds will grow into one of that season's crops. However, in the greenhouse, they may grow into a crop from any season.

Corn, peppers, wheat, eggplant — any of these and more could grow from mixed seeds. It's fun to try out in wintertime, especially early in the game. Plant them and see what grows; maybe use their products in the Seed Maker to save some money on seed purchases next season.

Costs & Profits

Players cannot purchase Mixed Seeds; instead, they are found by cutting weeds, digging, mining, and more. Profits are highly variable, depending on what grows from the seeds. Note that the prices listed below all increase with higher-quality produce.

To further increase profits, players can place products that grow from Mixed Seeds into a Keg or Preserves Jar. In Kegs, vegetables will make Juice and fruits will make Wine; in Preserves Jars, vegetables will make Pickles and Preserves Jars will make Jelly. The sell prices of these artisan goods are calculated by the formulas listed in the table below, and apply to all the other fruits and vegetables on this list as well.

The one exception on this list is Wheat, which, when placed in a Keg, will make Beer instead of Juice. Beer's base sell value is 200g. Both Beer and Wine can be aged in a Cask to increase its quality and therefore its sell price.

13 Qi Fruit

One of Mr. Qi's many challenges to the player, available from his secret room on Ginger Island, is "Qi's Crop," which requires the player to cultivate and ship 500 Qi Fruit by the end of the month. Players will find the necessary seeds, or "Qi Beans," by chopping down trees, digging in artifact spots, and more.

With such a vast amount of produce to grow, many players find they need all the space they can get — especially since many have already dedicated their farming space to seasonal crops. The greenhouse can thus come in extremely handy, providing some extra growing space.

Cost & Profits

Qi Beans cannot be purchased; players must find them as described above or use the Seed Maker. The fruit itself ships for only 1g each; however, completing the challenge will reward the player with 100 Qi Gems.

12 Tea Bush

These little green trees will produce Tea Leaves every day during the last week of Spring, Summer, and Fall — and, if planted in an indoor location such as the greenhouse, Winter. Players can plant them in untilled soil as with a Fruit Tree, or in a garden pot.

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The Tea Bush takes 20 days to mature, and thus will produce leaves for the whole final week if planted at the beginning of a season. Tea Leaves can be placed in a keg to make Green Tea, which gives the player a massive boost to their max energy: +30 for 4 minutes and 12 seconds. They can also be pickled like other vegetables.

Cost & Profits

After witnessing Caroline's 2-heart event in her sunroom, she will send the player a crafting recipe for a Tea Sapling, which can be planted to grow into a Tea Bush:

• 2 Wild Seeds (any)
• 5 Fiber
• 5 Wood

When selling, the Tea Leaves benefit from the Tiller profession, which increases profits by 10%. Green Tea and Pickles both benefit from the Artisan profession, increasing their value by 40%.

11 Pineapple

Since they take fourteen days to mature and seven days to regrow, it's a waste to plant pineapples on the farm during the summer. These tropical fruits do grow year-round on Ginger Island, but for those who prefer to keep their farming in one place, the greenhouse is a great option as well.

A regular pineapple harvest is vital for players trying to complete Caroline's "Island Ingredients" special order from the community bulletin board. She requests 100 of these golden fruits, so the greenhouse is a great space to utilize.

Costs & Profits

Pineapple seeds are purchasable from the Island Trader for 1 Magma Cap. Players may also find them when slaying monsters in the Volcano Dungeon, or inside Golden Coconuts. Pineapples can be turned into Wine or Jelly, or can be sold as produce for the following prices:

10 Blueberries

This summer crop takes a long time to reach its full potential, since it requires thirteen days to mature. Planting them indoors, however, allows the plant to remain standing and keep reproducing even after its usual season ends.

Since these plants produce multiple berries at each harvest, just a few bushes allow the player to collect hundreds of blueberries. Not only can the player turn these into profitable artisan goods, but they can also use them to make Blueberry Tart, a great gift for many villagers.

Costs & Profits

Blueberry Seeds can be bought during the summer for80g at Pierre's, and blueberries sell for:

9 Cranberries

Like blueberries, these fall crops each yield multiple units at harvest, and continue reproducing upon maturity. However, they complete their growth cycle in about half the time that blueberries do, making them an even better option for greenhouse growing.

As with other fruits, players can place their cranberries in preserves jars or kegs to make valuable artisan goods. They’re also a key ingredient in various recipes, such as Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, and Super Meal, all of which provide excellent buffs. Alternatively, gift these home-cooked dishes to neighbors to win them over!

Costs & Profits

Players have two options to buy Cranberry seeds in the fall: at Pierre's for 240g, or 300g at JojaMart. The berries themselves sell for:

8 Corn

Just like in the real world, corn has a lot of versatile uses in Stardew Valley. It's used in several recipes, and can be pressed into oil which is essential for cooking. Growing it outside, though, can get a little tedious since it takes so long to mature.

Even though it grows in both summer and fall outside, greenhouse-grown corn lets the player reap greater rewards after that long wait. Using the final product in an oil maker allows the player to cook tons of helpful recipes.

Costs & Profits

Like most seeds, Corn Seeds are cheaper at Pierre's, costing 150g as opposed to 187g at JojaMart. The mature product sells for:

In addition to making Pickles and Juice as discussed above, players can also place Corn in an Oil Maker to make Oil, a key ingredient in several cooking recipes. Oil sells for 100g, and is not affected by the Artisan profession.

7 Giant Crops

Cauliflower, melons, and pumpkins all have the potential to form giant crops. Any 3x3 square of these crops may, on any day once fully grown, mutate into a giant form. This can be broken apart with an axe to yield 15-21 items.

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Players have to leave their plants alone for a while in order for this to happen. However, regular crops die at the end of their season. Planting these items in the greenhouse allows the player to let them sit indefinitely, offering more chances at a giant crop.

Costs & Profits

Cauliflower and Melon seeds both cost 80g at Pierre's and 100g at JojaMart. Pumpkin seeds are 100g and 125g, respectively. Players can purchase Cauliflower seeds in Spring, Melon in Summer, and Pumpkin in Fall. Each item's produce fetches a different price:

6 Cactus Fruit

Since they've adapted to grow in the scorching air of Calico Desert, cactus fruits don't grow at all on the player's farm, even in summer. However, they flourish in the greenhouse, where they bear fruit every three days after maturing.

Though they're not massively valuable on their own, players can also turn their cactus fruit harvest into jelly with a preserves jar, or brew them into wine with a keg. Additionally, these desert delicacies make top-tier gifts for Pam, Linus and Sam.

Costs & Profits

Cactus Fruit seeds cost 150g at Sandy's store, the Oasis, in Calico Desert. Players can only purchase them after completing the Vault section of the Community Center/JojaMart, which will result in the bus being restored. The fruit itself sells for:

5 Starfruit

These summer seeds, also purchased from Sandy, yield one of the game's most profitable crops. However, they take thirteen days to mature without the use of Speed-Gro. This makes them a great candidate for greenhouse farming, since the player is no longer limited to the summer season.

Once the player reaps the rewards of their harvest, they can sell their starfruit for high prices, or turn them into artisan goods as with cactus fruit. They can also use the Seed Maker to multiply the number of starfruit they grow.

Costs & Profits

Their 400g price tag may seem steep; however, Starfruit seeds are worth the price:

4 Coffee

Speed boosts are invaluable in Stardew Valley, in every aspect of the game. If the player grows coffee in the greenhouse, they'll never have to move at normal speed again.

Coffee produces continually once grown, unlike single-harvest crops like starfruit. This means that in the greenhouse, they never die. Just a few coffee plants can provide a huge surplus of the delicious beverage, since they produce four beans every other day. Additionally, this can help players complete Qi's Culinary Challenge by giving them the ingredients for lots of triple espresso.

Costs & Profits

For reasons unclear, players may find them dropped by Dust Sprites, which roam levels 40-69 in the Mines. The Traveling Cart may also sell them for anywhere between 100g – 1000g. Most players will likely find themselves making coffee in kegs rather than selling the beans, but those strapped for cash can earn a few coins:

Since coffee products are classed as cooked food rather than artisan goods, they do not benefit from the Artisan profession. However, they are worth including here as Triple Espresso is among the most valuable cooked dishes.

3 Ancient Fruit

The player first acquires Ancient Seeds from Gunther, after donating the artifact of the same name. Though they can be planted in any season except winter, they take 28 days to grow. Like coffee, however, ancient fruit becomes immortal in the greenhouse since it's a reproducing crop.

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This crop is surpassed in value only by starfruit and sweet gem berries. Greenhouse-grown ancient fruit provides the player with an infinite source of income, making them one of the best options for this section of the farm.

Costs & Profits

Artisan seeds cannot be purchased; players must either receive them as a reward from Gunther or craft them from the Ancient Seed artifact. To avoid the tedium of hunting down Ancient Seeds, it is highly recommended that players use the Seed Maker.

2 Fruit Trees

Fruit trees typically have a single season in which they produce fruit. Inside the greenhouse, though, they bear fruit year-round. This massively increases their profit margin, since it means they produce four times as much fruit as they would outside.

Any of the fruit trees are essential for a player to have on their farm. As with all other fruits, turning them into wine or jelly increases profit even further, especially with the Artisan profession. Orchard fruits are also high on every villager's gift list.

Costs & Profits

Most fruit tree saplings are available to purchase at Pierre's, and their prices vary as follows:

• Apricot: 2000g
• Cherry: 3400g
• Peach: 6000g
• Orange: 4000g
• Apple: 4000g
• Pomegranate: 6000g

The other two, Mango and Banana can be found on Ginger Island, most reliably by breaking Golden Coconuts. They can also be purchased from the Island Trader for the following prices:

Once the fruit trees mature, their produce sells for the prices below. They can also be placed in Preserves Jars or Kegs to make Jelly or Wine.

1 Sweet Gem Berries

This crop grows agonizingly slowly. If the player doesn't plant the Rare Seed on the first day of Fall, there's no hope of harvesting it, since it takes a full 28 days to mature. Planting it in the greenhouse, however, removes this pressure.

The player can give one Sweet Gem Berry to Old Master Cannoli's statue, allowing them to access a Stardrop. However, these berries are also very profitable if the player replicates them with the Seed Maker. Since they sell for 3,000g at their lowest quality, they're a great way to utilize the greenhouse.

Costs & Profits

Rare Seeds have only one source, and they're quite expensive: players can purchase them for 1000g from the Traveling Cart. Once one or two seeds has been grown to maturity, it is recommended that players use the Seed Maker to obtain more, in order to save a few gold. The fruits, however, are quite valuable, even though they cannot be made into artisan goods.

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