Mechanics
Growth Times & Ripening Stages: A Complete Guide to Plant Maturity in Garden Horizons
Understand Unripe, Ripened and Lush stages, online vs offline growth, and optimal sell timing.
Understanding the life cycle of your plants is fundamental to becoming a successful farmer in Garden Horizons. This guide will demystify the three maturity stages — Unripe, Ripened, and Lush — and help you master the art of timing your harvests.
1. The Three Stages of Plant Maturity
- Unripe (1x Value): The first stage after initial growth from seed. Offers the lowest payout but the fastest turnaround time.
- Ripened (2x Value): Its value doubles, making it a more attractive harvest option than Unripe.
- Lush (3x Value): The pinnacle of plant maturity. Requires the longest growth time but promises the biggest single payout.
2. The Critical Role of Online Time
- Initial Growth (Seed to Unripe): This phase can occur offline. Plant your seeds, log off, and when you return, they will have grown to Unripe.
- Ripening (Unripe to Ripened, Ripened to Lush): You must be online for these advanced maturity stages to occur.
3. Understanding Growth Time Multipliers
While each plant has a unique base growth time to reach the Unripe stage, subsequent stages follow a consistent pattern:
- Ripened Stage: Takes approximately 2.4 times the base growth time.
- Lush Stage: Takes approximately 7.2 times the base growth time.
| Plant | Base Growth Time (to Unripe) | Time to Ripened (approx.) | Time to Lush (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrot | 3 minutes | 7.2 minutes | 21.6 minutes |
| Beetroot | 15 minutes | 36 minutes | 108 minutes (1.8 hours) |
4. Strategic Implications for Harvesting
- Active Players / Quick Cash: Harvesting at the Unripe or Ripened stage can yield a higher SPM due to faster turnover.
- AFK Players / Big Payouts: Letting plants reach Lush maximizes each individual harvest and allows for rare weather mutations.
By mastering plant growth and maturity, you can optimize your farm for maximum profit!