Summer Crops Guide
Summer is the season with the highest raw profit potential in Stardew Valley. Starfruit wine is the single most profitable artisan good in the game, blueberries provide excellent multi-harvest returns, and hops enable near-daily Pale Ale production. This guide covers every summer crop in extreme detail, including seed sources, growth stages, selling prices at all quality levels, processing values, fertilizer strategies, and optimal planting plans.
Summer Crop Overview
| Crop | Seed Cost | Sell Price | Growth Days | Regrowth | Total Harvests (Day 1) | Seed Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 400g | 750g | 13 | - | 2 (replant) | Oasis |
| Melon | 80g | 250g | 12 | - | 2 (replant) | Pierre |
| Blueberry | 80g | 50g (x3) | 13 | 4 days | 4 | Pierre |
| Red Cabbage | 100g | 260g | 9 | - | 3 (replant) | Pierre (Year 2+) |
| Hops | 60g | 25g | 11 | 1 day | 18 | Pierre |
| Hot Pepper | 40g | 45g | 5 | 3 days | 8 | Pierre |
| Tomato | 50g | 60g | 11 | 4 days | 5 | Pierre |
| Coffee Bean | ~0g | 15g | 10 | 2 days | 10 | Dust Sprites / Traveling Cart |
| Sunflower | 200g | 80g | 8 | - | 3 (replant) | Pierre |
| Poppy | 100g | 140g | 8 | - | 3 (replant) | Pierre |
| Corn | 150g | 50g | 14 | 4 days | 4 | Pierre |
| Radish | 40g | 90g | 6 | - | 4 (replant) | Ginger Island |
| Wheat | 10g | 25g | 4 | - | 7 (replant) | Pierre |
| Summer Squash | 60g | 55g | 6 | - | 4 (replant) | Pierre |
Starfruit
Starfruit is the most profitable crop in Stardew Valley when processed into wine. Each Starfruit Wine sells for 2,250g base, or 3,150g with the Artisan profession. However, seeds cost 400g each and must be purchased from the Oasis in the Calico Desert, which requires repairing the bus stop first.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 400g |
| Normal Sell | 750g |
| Silver Sell | 937g |
| Gold Sell | 1,125g |
| Iridium Sell | 1,500g |
| Growth Time | 13 days |
| Gold per Day | 26.92g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 38 per harvest |
| Wine Value | 2,250g (3,150g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-5 | Developing leaves |
| Medium | Day 6-8 | Larger star-shaped leaves |
| Large | Day 9-11 | Nearly mature, fruit forming |
| Harvestable | Day 13 | Golden starfruit visible |
Best Uses
- Process into Starfruit Wine in kegs (2,250g base, 3,150g with Artisan) — the most profitable artisan good in the game
- Sell raw at iridium quality for 1,500g
- Gift to villagers (several villagers like or love starfruit)
- Save a gold-quality starfruit for the Community Center Quality Crops Bundle
Tips
Plant on Day 1 for a harvest on Day 14, then replant immediately for a second harvest on Day 27. With Deluxe Speed-Gro, the first harvest comes on Day 11 and the second on Day 24, leaving 4 days for a potential third planting that matures on Day 28. To maximize profit, pair starfruit with kegs — a single plot with 2 harvests produces two wines worth 4,500g (6,300g with Artisan), for a net profit of 3,700g (5,500g with Artisan). For year-round production, use the Greenhouse and Ginger Island farm.
Melon
Melon is the best single-harvest summer crop available from Pierre’s General Store. At 250g base sell price and only 80g per seed, melons offer an excellent return on investment. Melon Wine is also highly profitable, making melons a strong choice for players who cannot yet afford Starfruit seeds.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 80g |
| Normal Sell | 250g |
| Silver Sell | 312g |
| Gold Sell | 375g |
| Iridium Sell | 500g |
| Growth Time | 12 days |
| Gold per Day | 14.17g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 25 per harvest |
| Wine Value | 750g (1,050g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green sprout |
| Small | Day 3-5 | Vine beginning to spread |
| Medium | Day 6-8 | Larger vine with leaves |
| Large | Day 9-11 | Nearly mature, round fruit visible |
| Harvestable | Day 12 | Full melon on the vine |
Best Uses
- Process into Melon Wine in kegs (750g base, 1,050g with Artisan)
- Sell raw for solid single-harvest profit
- Use in cooking: Melon Popsicle (+113 energy, +50 health), Fruit Salad
- Eat raw for decent energy restoration (113 energy)
- Save a gold-quality melon for the Community Center Quality Crops Bundle
Tips
Plant on Day 1 for a harvest on Day 12, then replant for a second harvest on Day 24. With Deluxe Speed-Gro, first harvest is Day 10 and second is Day 22, allowing a third planting on Day 22 that matures on Day 28 (just barely). Melon Wine sells for 750g per keg — if you have 50 kegs, two harvests of melons produce 100 wines worth 75,000g (105,000g with Artisan). This makes melons a very strong early-to-mid game winemaking crop before you can afford Starfruit seeds.
Blueberry
Blueberries are the best multi-harvest summer crop. Each harvest produces 3 berries, and the plant regrows every 4 days. Planted on Day 1, a single blueberry plant yields 12 berries over 4 harvests by the end of summer, generating excellent total profit from a single seed purchase.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 80g |
| Normal Sell | 50g per berry (3 per harvest) |
| Silver Sell | 62g per berry |
| Gold Sell | 75g per berry |
| Iridium Sell | 100g per berry |
| Growth Time | 13 days, then regrows every 4 days |
| Total Harvests (Day 1) | 4 (days 13, 17, 21, 25) |
| Total Berries (Day 1) | 12 |
| Farming XP | 8 per harvest |
| Wine Value | 150g per berry (210g with Artisan) |
| Jelly Value | 150g per jar (210g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-5 | Bush beginning to form |
| Bush | Day 6-8 | Leafy blueberry bush |
| Flowering | Day 9-11 | White/pink flowers on bush |
| Harvestable | Day 13 | Blue berries visible, ready to pick |
Blueberry Season Profit Analysis
| Harvests | Total Berries | Total Revenue | Net Profit | Profit/Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 150g | 70g | 5.38g |
| 2 | 6 | 300g | 220g | 10.77g |
| 3 | 9 | 450g | 370g | 14.25g |
| 4 | 12 | 600g | 520g | 18.57g |
Best Uses
- Process into Blueberry Wine or Blueberry Jelly (both sell for 150g base, 210g with Artisan)
- Sell raw for steady income
- Use in cooking: Blueberry Tart, Aged Roe (via feeding to fish)
- Eat raw for small energy restoration (25 energy per berry)
Tips
Blueberry Wine and Blueberry Jelly sell for the same price (150g base), so you can use either kegs or preserves jars. With 4 harvests of 3 berries each, a single plant produces 12 berries. If you process all 12 into wine, that is 1,800g (2,520g with Artisan) from a single 80g seed investment. Plant on Day 1 and use Deluxe Fertilizer for a chance at iridium-quality berries. Note that quality does NOT affect wine or jelly price, so save fertilizer money if you plan to process everything.
Hops
Hops are unique among summer crops because they regrow every single day after the initial 11-day growth period. This makes them the best crop for Pale Ale production in kegs. While the raw sell price is low (25g), Hops are not meant to be sold raw — their value comes entirely from processing.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 60g |
| Normal Sell | 25g |
| Silver Sell | 31g |
| Gold Sell | 37g |
| Iridium Sell | 50g |
| Growth Time | 11 days, then regrows every 1 day |
| Total Harvests (Day 1) | 18 (days 11-28) |
| Farming XP | 6 per harvest |
| Pale Ale Value | 300g (420g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small vine shoot |
| Vine | Day 3-5 | Climbing vine with tendrils |
| Growing | Day 6-8 | Dense green vine |
| Almost Ready | Day 9-10 | Cone-like hop flowers forming |
| Harvestable | Day 11 | Green hop cones ready |
| Regrowth | Daily | Hop cones regrow each day |
Hops Pale Ale Profit Analysis
| Scenario | Harvests | Pale Ale Revenue | Seed Cost | Net Profit | Profit/Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw sell | 18 | 450g | 60g | 390g | 13.93g |
| Pale Ale (no Artisan) | 18 | 5,400g | 60g | 5,340g | 190.71g |
| Pale Ale (Artisan) | 18 | 7,560g | 60g | 7,500g | 267.86g |
Best Uses
- Process into Pale Ale in kegs (300g base, 420g with Artisan) — this is where all the value is
- Never sell raw; always process
- One of the best crops for automated keg setups
Tips
The key to hops profitability is having enough kegs. Since hops produce daily after maturity, you need one keg per hops plant to keep up with production. Each hop takes roughly 1.5-2 days to brew into Pale Ale, so having 2 kegs per hops plant ensures you never fall behind. With 18 harvests and the Artisan profession, a single hops plant generates 7,500g in Pale Ale profit over the season. If you plant 100 hops with 200 kegs, that is 750,000g per summer. This makes hops one of the most profitable crops in the game when you have the infrastructure.
Hot Pepper
Hot Peppers are the fastest-producing multi-harvest summer crop, maturing in just 5 days with a 3-day regrow cycle. They provide early summer income and can be processed into pickles or used in cooking.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 40g |
| Normal Sell | 45g |
| Silver Sell | 56g |
| Gold Sell | 67g |
| Iridium Sell | 90g |
| Growth Time | 5 days, then regrows every 3 days |
| Total Harvests (Day 1) | 8 (days 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26) |
| Farming XP | 6 per harvest |
| Pickle Value | 140g (196g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 2-3 | Pepper plant forming |
| Medium | Day 4 | Small green peppers visible |
| Harvestable | Day 5 | Red hot peppers ready |
| Regrowth | Every 3 days | New peppers grow back |
Best Uses
- Sell raw for early summer income (very fast return on investment)
- Process into Hot Pepper Pickles in preserves jars (140g base, 196g with Artisan)
- Use in cooking: Spicy Eel (+50 max energy, +1 Luck, +1 Speed) — one of the best foods in the game
- The Spicy Eel recipe requires 1 Hot Pepper + 1 Serpent (from Skull Cavern)
Tips
Hot peppers are one of the cheapest crops to plant and provide the fastest return. With 8 harvests, a single plant produces 360g worth of peppers from just a 40g investment (net 320g profit). The real hidden value of hot peppers is the Spicy Eel cooking recipe, which is one of the best foods for Skull Cavern diving. If you plan to mine the Skull Cavern, growing hot peppers ensures a steady supply of Spicy Eel ingredients.
Tomato
Tomatoes are a reliable multi-harvest crop with a 4-day regrow cycle. They are a versatile ingredient in many cooking recipes and provide steady, if unspectacular, income throughout the season.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 50g |
| Normal Sell | 60g |
| Silver Sell | 75g |
| Gold Sell | 90g |
| Iridium Sell | 120g |
| Growth Time | 11 days, then regrows every 4 days |
| Total Harvests (Day 1) | 5 (days 11, 15, 19, 23, 27) |
| Farming XP | 10 per harvest |
| Pickle Value | 170g (238g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-5 | Tomato plant forming |
| Medium | Day 6-8 | Small green tomatoes |
| Almost Ready | Day 9-10 | Red tomatoes forming |
| Harvestable | Day 11 | Red tomatoes ready to pick |
| Regrowth | Every 4 days | New tomatoes grow back |
Best Uses
- Process into Tomato Pickles in preserves jars (170g base, 238g with Artisan)
- Use in cooking: Hashbrowns (+90 energy), Sashimi, Stir Fry, Mega Meal, and many more
- Sell raw for steady income
- Tomatoes are used in a wide variety of cooking recipes, making them useful for completing cooking achievements
Tips
With 5 harvests of 60g each, a single tomato plant produces 300g from a 50g seed, netting 250g profit. While not as profitable as blueberries or hops, tomatoes are cheap and reliable. They are especially good for Year 1 players who want a low-risk multi-harvest crop. Processing into pickles nearly triples the profit to 850g (with Artisan) from 5 harvests.
Red Cabbage
Red Cabbage is a high-value summer crop with a short 9-day growth time. However, seeds are locked behind either reaching Year 2 or completing the “Community Cleanup” special order from Mayor Lewis’s bulletin board. This makes red cabbage one of the most profitable crops per day when available.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 100g |
| Normal Sell | 260g |
| Silver Sell | 325g |
| Gold Sell | 390g |
| Iridium Sell | 520g |
| Growth Time | 9 days |
| Gold per Day | 17.78g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 22 per harvest |
| Pickle Value | 570g (798g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green sprout |
| Small | Day 3-4 | Cabbage head beginning |
| Medium | Day 5-6 | Growing purple-red head |
| Large | Day 7-8 | Nearly mature cabbage |
| Harvestable | Day 9 | Full red cabbage head |
Best Uses
- Sell raw for excellent profit (best gold per day of any Pierre-available crop)
- Process into Red Cabbage Pickles in preserves jars (570g base, 798g with Artisan)
- Use in cooking: Superior Stir Fry (+135 energy), Cabbage Soup
- Required for the Community Center Enchanter’s Bundle (1 Red Cabbage)
Tips
With a 9-day growth time, you can fit 3 harvests in a single summer if planted on Day 1 (harvests on days 9, 18, and 27). Total revenue is 780g from a 300g seed investment, netting 480g profit at 17.14g per day. Red Cabbage Pickles are extremely valuable at 798g with Artisan — 3 pickles from one plot yield 2,394g. If you are in Year 2+, red cabbage is one of the strongest summer crops and competes closely with blueberries for total profit.
Corn
Corn is a cross-season crop that grows in both summer and fall. It has a long 14-day initial growth time but regrows every 4 days, allowing it to continue producing into fall. While not highly profitable on a per-harvest basis, its cross-season nature makes it useful for players who want continuous production without replanting.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 150g |
| Normal Sell | 50g |
| Silver Sell | 62g |
| Gold Sell | 75g |
| Iridium Sell | 100g |
| Growth Time | 14 days, then regrows every 4 days |
| Total Harvests (Summer Day 1) | 4 (days 14, 18, 22, 26) |
| Cross-Season | Continues into Fall |
| Farming XP | 10 per harvest |
| Pickle Value | 150g (210g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-5 | Tall green stalk forming |
| Medium | Day 6-9 | Tall corn stalk |
| Tall | Day 10-12 | Tassels forming at top |
| Almost Ready | Day 13 | Ears of corn visible |
| Harvestable | Day 14 | Full corn ears ready |
| Regrowth | Every 4 days | New ears grow back |
Best Uses
- Allow to continue growing into fall for extra harvests without replanting
- Process into Corn Pickles in preserves jars (150g base, 210g with Artisan)
- Use in cooking: Tortilla, Fish Taco, Farmer’s Lunch, and other recipes
- Corn can also be processed in an Oil Maker to produce Oil (100g)
Tips
Corn’s main advantage is its cross-season longevity. If planted on Summer Day 1, it produces on days 14, 18, 22, and 26 in summer, then continues on Fall days 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, and 26 — that is 11 total harvests from a single planting. However, the profit per day is still low compared to other summer crops. Corn is best used as a supplementary crop or for players who want to minimize replanting effort between seasons.
Coffee Bean
Coffee Beans are a unique crop that cannot be purchased from Pierre or Sandy. They are primarily obtained as a rare drop from Dust Sprites in the Mines (1% chance) or from the Traveling Cart. Once you have a few beans, they are self-sustaining: each harvest has a chance to drop extra coffee beans. Coffee Beans are a cross-season crop that also grows year-round on Ginger Island.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | ~0g (self-propagating after first) |
| Normal Sell | 15g |
| Silver Sell | 18g |
| Gold Sell | 22g |
| Iridium Sell | 30g |
| Growth Time | 10 days (grows into a coffee bush), then produces every 2 days |
| Total Harvests (Day 1) | 10 (days 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) |
| Cross-Season | Grows in spring and summer |
| Farming XP | 3 per harvest |
| Coffee Value | 300g (420g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Planted in tilled soil |
| Sprout | Day 1-3 | Small coffee seedling |
| Bush Growing | Day 4-8 | Coffee bush developing |
| Coffee Bush | Day 10 | Mature bush, ready to produce |
| Producing | Every 2 days | Coffee cherries on bush |
Coffee Profit Analysis
| Method | Revenue (10 harvests) | Seed Cost | Net Profit | Profit/Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw sell | 150g | ~0g | 150g | 5.36g |
| Coffee (no Artisan) | 3,000g | ~0g | 3,000g | 107.14g |
| Coffee (Artisan) | 4,200g | ~0g | 4,200g | 150.00g |
Best Uses
- Process into Coffee in kegs (300g base, 420g with Artisan) — this is the primary value
- Drink Coffee for a +1 Speed buff (very useful for farming, mining, and foraging)
- Triple Shot Espresso provides +2 Speed (made with 3 Coffee)
- Plant on Ginger Island for year-round production
Tips
Never sell raw coffee beans — their entire value lies in processing. Coffee provides a permanent speed buff when consumed, making it useful for day-to-day farming. To start a coffee farm, farm Dust Sprites on Mine levels 40-79 until beans drop, or buy them from the Traveling Cart. Once you have 3-5 plants, they will drop extra beans upon harvest, allowing you to expand exponentially. On Ginger Island’s farm, coffee grows year-round, making it an excellent permanent source of both Coffee (for drinking and selling) and speed buffs.
Sunflower
Sunflowers are primarily grown for Oil production. While they lose money when sold raw (80g sell vs. 200g seed cost), Sunflower Oil sells for 340g (476g with Artisan), making them profitable when processed. Sunflowers are also a flower, meaning they can be placed near bee houses to influence honey production.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 200g |
| Normal Sell | 80g |
| Silver Sell | 100g |
| Gold Sell | 120g |
| Iridium Sell | 160g |
| Growth Time | 8 days |
| Gold per Day | -15.00g (raw, DO NOT sell raw) |
| Farming XP | 16 per harvest |
| Sunflower Oil Value | 340g (476g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-4 | Sunflower stem growing |
| Tall | Day 5-7 | Tall stem with bud |
| Harvestable | Day 8 | Full sunflower in bloom |
Best Uses
- Process into Sunflower Oil in Oil Maker (340g base, 476g with Artisan)
- Place near bee houses for honey production
- Sell raw at iridium quality to break even (160g vs. 200g cost — still a loss)
- Use in cooking: Sunflower Bouquet (gift item)
Tips
Sunflowers should NEVER be sold raw — you will lose money. Always process them into oil. With 3 harvests from replanting, a single plot produces 3 sunflowers = 3 oils = 1,020g (1,428g with Artisan), minus 600g in seeds = 420g net profit (828g with Artisan). That works out to 15.00g per day (29.57g with Artisan). Sunflower Oil is also used in the “Qi’s Cuisine” quest and in cooking. If you have extra oil makers, sunflowers are a solid processing crop.
Poppy
Poppies are a flower crop with a decent sell price. Their primary value comes from producing Poppy Seeds when harvested (though this is the item “Poppy Seeds” used in the Poppy Seed Muffin recipe, not farming seeds). Poppies can also be placed near bee houses.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 100g |
| Normal Sell | 140g |
| Silver Sell | 175g |
| Gold Sell | 210g |
| Iridium Sell | 280g |
| Growth Time | 8 days |
| Gold per Day | 5.00g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 8 per harvest |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1-2 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 3-4 | Stem and leaves forming |
| Budding | Day 5-6 | Flower bud visible |
| Flowering | Day 7 | Red petals opening |
| Harvestable | Day 8 | Full red poppy in bloom |
Best Uses
- Sell for steady profit
- Place near bee houses for honey production
- Poppy produces Poppy Seeds when harvested (used in Poppy Seed Muffin recipe)
- Poppy Seed Muffin is a liked gift for many villagers
Tips
Plant poppies on Day 1 and replant for up to 3 harvests (days 8, 16, 24). Total revenue is 420g from 300g in seeds, netting 120g profit at 4.29g per day. While not the most profitable crop, poppies are a good choice if you want flowers near your bee houses or if you need Poppy Seeds for cooking. They also add visual variety to your farm.
Radish
Radishes are a summer-exclusive crop that can only be grown on Ginger Island. They have a short 6-day growth time and a decent sell price of 90g, making them a good crop for the Ginger Island farm.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 40g |
| Normal Sell | 90g |
| Silver Sell | 112g |
| Gold Sell | 135g |
| Iridium Sell | 180g |
| Growth Time | 6 days |
| Gold per Day | 8.33g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 12 per harvest |
| Location | Ginger Island only |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 2-3 | Radish leaves growing |
| Medium | Day 4-5 | Radish root forming |
| Harvestable | Day 6 | Red radish visible above soil |
Best Uses
- Sell for profit on Ginger Island
- Process into Radish Pickles in preserves jars (230g base, 322g with Artisan)
- Quick turnover crop for Ginger Island farming
Tips
Radishes can be planted up to 4 times in a summer season on Ginger Island (days 1, 7, 13, 19), with a harvest on days 6, 12, 18, and 24. Total revenue is 360g from 160g in seeds, netting 200g profit. On Ginger Island, crops can also be watered by the island farm’s sprinkler system, making radishes a low-effort supplemental crop.
Summer Squash
Summer Squash is a basic summer crop with a short 6-day growth time. It is one of the few crops in the game that loses money when sold raw (55g sell vs. 60g seed cost), so it should always be processed or used in cooking.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 60g |
| Normal Sell | 55g |
| Silver Sell | 68g |
| Gold Sell | 82g |
| Iridium Sell | 110g |
| Growth Time | 6 days |
| Gold per Day | -0.83g (raw, DO NOT sell raw at normal quality) |
| Farming XP | 8 per harvest |
| Pickle Value | 160g (224g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1 | Small green shoot |
| Small | Day 2-3 | Squash plant forming |
| Medium | Day 4-5 | Small squash visible |
| Harvestable | Day 6 | Full yellow squash ready |
Best Uses
- Process into Summer Squash Pickles in preserves jars (160g base, 224g with Artisan)
- Use in cooking: Stir Fry, Summer Squash Soup, and other recipes
- Only sell at gold or iridium quality to break even or profit slightly
Tips
Do not sell summer squash raw at normal or silver quality — you will lose money. Always process into pickles (160g) or use in cooking. With 4 harvests of pickles at 160g each, total revenue is 640g from 240g in seeds, netting 400g profit. Summer Squash is not a top-tier profit crop but can fill empty farm space if you have excess preserves jars and no better crops to plant.
Wheat
Wheat is the cheapest summer crop and grows in just 4 days. While its raw sell price is low, wheat has two important uses: it can be milled into flour for cooking, and it can be brewed into Beer in kegs (200g base, 280g with Artisan). Wheat also serves as hay when placed in a Silo.
Detailed Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seed Cost | 10g |
| Normal Sell | 25g |
| Silver Sell | 31g |
| Gold Sell | 37g |
| Iridium Sell | 50g |
| Growth Time | 4 days |
| Gold per Day | 3.75g (single harvest) |
| Farming XP | 4 per harvest |
| Beer Value | 200g (280g with Artisan) |
Growth Stages
| Stage | Days | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Day 0 | Just planted |
| Sprout | Day 1 | Small green shoots |
| Growing | Day 2 | Wheat stalks rising |
| Almost Ready | Day 3 | Golden heads forming |
| Harvestable | Day 4 | Golden wheat ready |
Best Uses
- Process into Beer in kegs (200g base, 280g with Artisan) — the primary profitable use
- Process into Flour using a Mill (cooking ingredient)
- Use as hay by feeding through a Silo to animals
- Very cheap crop for quick farming XP early in the game
Tips
With a 4-day growth cycle, wheat can be harvested 7 times from a Day 1 planting (days 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28). Raw selling yields only 175g from 70g in seeds (105g profit), but brewing all 7 harvests into Beer produces 1,400g (1,960g with Artisan), netting 1,330g (1,890g with Artisan) profit. If you have many kegs and need a low-maintenance crop, wheat is a solid choice. It is also the cheapest way to gain farming XP in the early game.
Summer Foraging Items
In addition to crops, summer offers several forageable items that can be collected daily from the wild:
| Item | Sell Price | Energy Restored | Health Restored | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grape | 80g | 25 | 8 | Forest, Backwoods |
| Spice Berry | 80g | 25 | 8 | Forest, Backwoods, Mountain |
| Sweet Pea | 50g | 11 | 3 | Forest, Backwoods, Town |
Summer forage items respawn daily and are essential for the Community Center Summer Foraging Bundle (requires one of each). They also provide free energy restoration for farming activities.
Grape
Grapes can also be grown as a fall crop from Pierre’s seeds, but in summer they are only available as forage. They are useful for making Wine (240g per keg) or Jelly (160g per jar). Grapes are also a universal liked gift.
Spice Berry
Spice Berries are found in the same locations as grapes. They can be used in the Survival Burger recipe or sold for a decent 80g. They are a liked gift for most villagers.
Sweet Pea
Sweet Peas are the least valuable summer forage at 50g, but they are still worth picking up. They are a universal liked gift and can be used as a red dye ingredient at the Sewing Machine. Sweet Peas are required for the Summer Foraging Bundle.
Fertilizer Comparison
Choosing the right fertilizer is critical for maximizing summer crop profits. There are two categories: speed fertilizers (reduce growth time) and quality fertilizers (increase crop quality chance).
Speed Fertilizers
| Fertilizer | Growth Bonus | Best For | Cost / Acquisition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed-Gro | 10% faster | Tight replanting schedules | Pierre: 100g (Year 2+) or craft: Oak Resin + Coral |
| Deluxe Speed-Gro | 25% faster | Fitting extra harvests | Pierre: 150g (Year 2+) or Oasis: 80g or craft: Pine Tar + Sodium Petrified Slime |
| Hyper Speed-Gro | 33% faster | Maximum harvest squeeze | Qi’s Walnut Room: 80 Qi Gems or “A Master’s Craft” quest reward |
Speed fertilizers work by reducing the total growth days using a floor function. For example, a 13-day Starfruit with Deluxe Speed-Gro (25% reduction) becomes floor(13 * 0.75) = floor(9.75) = 9 days. This means Starfruit planted on Day 1 with Deluxe Speed-Gro harvests on Day 10 instead of Day 14, allowing 3 harvests instead of 2 (days 10, 20, and 28 with replanting).
Speed-Gro Harvest Impact on Key Crops
| Crop | Normal | Speed-Gro | Deluxe Speed-Gro | Hyper Speed-Gro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit (Day 1) | 2 harvests | 2 harvests | 3 harvests | 3 harvests |
| Melon (Day 1) | 2 harvests | 2 harvests | 3 harvests | 3 harvests |
| Blueberry (Day 1) | 4 harvests | 4 harvests | 5 harvests | 5 harvests |
| Red Cabbage (Day 1) | 3 harvests | 3 harvests | 3 harvests | 4 harvests |
| Hot Pepper (Day 1) | 8 harvests | 8 harvests | 9 harvests | 10 harvests |
Quality Fertilizers
| Fertilizer | Max Quality Chance | Best For | Cost / Acquisition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Fertilizer | Silver guaranteed | Selling raw at decent prices | Pierre: 100g or craft: 2 Sap |
| Quality Fertilizer | Gold minimum | Selling raw at good prices | Pierre: 150g or craft: Sap + any forage item |
| Deluxe Fertilizer | High Iridium chance | Maximum raw sell price | Pierre: 1,000g (Year 2+) or craft: Oak Resin + Iridium Ore + Nautilus Shell |
Tiller Profession and Quality Prices
The Tiller profession (Level 5 farming) increases all crop sell prices by 10%. This stacks with quality multipliers:
| Quality | Multiplier | Starfruit (with Tiller) | Melon (with Tiller) | Blueberry (with Tiller) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 1.10x | 825g | 275g | 55g |
| Silver | 1.375x | 1,031g | 343g | 68g |
| Gold | 1.65x | 1,237g | 412g | 82g |
| Iridium | 2.20x | 1,650g | 550g | 110g |
Important: Quality does NOT affect the price of artisan goods (wine, jelly, pickles, pale ale, coffee, oil). If you plan to process all crops, do not spend money on quality fertilizer — save it for crops you intend to sell raw.
Fertilizer Strategy Summary
| Situation | Recommended Fertilizer |
|---|---|
| Selling Starfruit raw (e.g., no kegs yet) | Deluxe Fertilizer |
| Making Starfruit Wine | Deluxe Speed-Gro (more harvests = more wine) |
| Selling Blueberries raw | Quality Fertilizer (good balance of cost and quality) |
| Making Blueberry Wine/Jelly | Deluxe Speed-Gro (extra harvest = 3 more berries) |
| Growing Hops for Pale Ale | No fertilizer needed (daily regrow, quality irrelevant) |
| Early game, low budget | Speed-Gro or none |
Recommended Summer Planting Schedule
| Day | Action | Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Plant all crops | Starfruit, Melon, Blueberry, Hops, Hot Pepper, Tomato, and all others |
| Day 4 | First Wheat harvest, replant | Wheat |
| Day 5 | First Hot Pepper harvest | Hot Pepper |
| Day 6 | First Summer Squash and Radish harvest, replant | Summer Squash, Radish |
| Day 8 | First Poppy and Sunflower harvest, replant | Poppy, Sunflower |
| Day 8 | First Wheat harvest (2nd cycle), replant | Wheat |
| Day 9 | First Red Cabbage harvest, replant | Red Cabbage |
| Day 11 | First Hops harvest (daily from here) | Hops |
| Day 11 | First Tomato harvest | Tomato |
| Day 12 | First Melon harvest, replant | Melon |
| Day 13 | First Starfruit harvest, replant | Starfruit |
| Day 13 | First Blueberry harvest | Blueberry |
| Day 14 | First Corn harvest | Corn |
| Day 16 | Second Poppy and Sunflower harvest, replant | Poppy, Sunflower |
| Day 18 | Second Red Cabbage harvest, replant | Red Cabbage |
| Day 24 | Second Poppy and Sunflower harvest | Poppy, Sunflower (no time for 4th) |
| Day 24 | Second Melon harvest | Melon |
| Day 25 | Fourth Blueberry harvest | Blueberry |
| Day 26 | Second Starfruit harvest | Starfruit |
| Day 27 | Third Red Cabbage harvest | Red Cabbage |
| Day 28 | Final harvests for all remaining crops | All |
Summer Crop Profit Comparison (Full Season, Day 1 Plant)
Raw Selling Profit
| Crop | Seed Cost | Harvests | Total Revenue | Net Profit | Profit per Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 800g | 2 | 1,500g | 700g | 25.00g |
| Red Cabbage | 300g | 3 | 780g | 480g | 17.14g |
| Blueberry (12 berries) | 80g | 4 | 600g | 520g | 18.57g |
| Melon | 160g | 2 | 500g | 340g | 12.14g |
| Hops (18 harvests) | 60g | 18 | 450g | 390g | 13.93g |
| Hot Pepper (8 harvests) | 40g | 8 | 360g | 320g | 11.43g |
| Tomato (5 harvests) | 50g | 5 | 300g | 250g | 8.93g |
| Radish (Ginger Island, 4 harvests) | 160g | 4 | 360g | 200g | 7.14g |
| Wheat (7 harvests) | 70g | 7 | 175g | 105g | 3.75g |
| Poppy (3 harvests) | 300g | 3 | 420g | 120g | 4.29g |
| Corn (4 harvests) | 150g | 4 | 200g | 50g | 1.79g |
| Coffee Bean (10 harvests) | ~0g | 10 | 150g | 150g | 5.36g |
| Sunflower (3 harvests, raw) | 600g | 3 | 240g | -360g | -12.86g |
| Summer Squash (4 harvests, raw) | 240g | 4 | 220g | -20g | -0.71g |
Processing Profit (with Artisan Profession)
| Crop | Seed Cost | Best Processing | Total Revenue | Net Profit | Profit per Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hops -> Pale Ale | 60g | Keg (420g x 18) | 7,560g | 7,500g | 267.86g |
| Starfruit -> Wine | 800g | Keg (3,150g x 2) | 6,300g | 5,500g | 196.43g |
| Coffee -> Coffee | ~0g | Keg (420g x 10) | 4,200g | 4,200g | 150.00g |
| Blueberry -> Wine | 80g | Keg (210g x 12 berries) | 2,520g | 2,440g | 87.14g |
| Wheat -> Beer | 70g | Keg (280g x 7) | 1,960g | 1,890g | 67.50g |
| Melon -> Wine | 160g | Keg (1,050g x 2) | 2,100g | 1,940g | 69.29g |
| Sunflower -> Oil | 600g | Oil Maker (476g x 3) | 1,428g | 828g | 29.57g |
| Red Cabbage -> Pickles | 300g | Preserves Jar (798g x 3) | 2,394g | 2,094g | 74.79g |
| Tomato -> Pickles | 50g | Preserves Jar (238g x 5) | 1,190g | 1,140g | 40.71g |
| Hot Pepper -> Pickles | 40g | Preserves Jar (196g x 8) | 1,568g | 1,528g | 54.57g |
| Radish -> Pickles | 160g | Preserves Jar (322g x 4) | 1,288g | 1,128g | 40.29g |
| Summer Squash -> Pickles | 240g | Preserves Jar (224g x 4) | 896g | 656g | 23.43g |
| Corn -> Pickles | 150g | Preserves Jar (210g x 4) | 840g | 690g | 24.64g |
Best Summer Strategies
Strategy 1: Starfruit Winemaking (Most Profitable)
The single most profitable strategy in Stardew Valley. Requires bus repair (400g in Community Center bundles or Joja development) and enough capital for seeds.
- Repair the bus by completing the Vault bundles or paying Joja (40,000g).
- On Summer Day 1, travel to the Oasis and buy as many Starfruit seeds as possible (400g each).
- Plant all Starfruit and water daily (or use sprinklers).
- Harvest on Summer Day 14 and place in kegs immediately.
- Replant and harvest again on Summer Day 27.
- Repeat in the Greenhouse and on Ginger Island for year-round production.
- With the Artisan profession, each Starfruit Wine sells for 3,150g.
Expected profit per plot (2 harvests, Artisan): 5,500g
Strategy 2: Hops Pale Ale Factory (Best Sustained Income)
Requires a large number of kegs but produces incredible daily income. Hops regrow every day after the initial 11-day growth period.
- Plant as many Hops as possible on Day 1 (aim for 100+ plants).
- Set up 2 kegs per hops plant (200+ kegs for 100 plants).
- After Day 11, harvest hops daily and immediately place in kegs.
- Each Pale Ale sells for 300g (420g with Artisan).
- 100 hops plants produce 18 Pale Ales each per season = 1,800 Pale Ales.
- With Artisan: 1,800 x 420g = 756,000g per summer.
Expected profit (100 plants, Artisan): 750,000g+
Strategy 3: Blueberry Multi-Harvest (Balanced Approach)
A great middle-ground strategy that requires less infrastructure than Hops but still produces strong returns.
- Plant Blueberries on Day 1 with Deluxe Speed-Gro for a potential 5th harvest.
- Harvest every 4 days starting Day 13.
- Process berries into Wine or Jelly in kegs/preserves jars.
- With 4 harvests of 3 berries each, a single plant yields 12 berries.
- 12 wines at 210g each (Artisan) = 2,520g from an 80g seed.
Expected profit per plot (4 harvests, Artisan wine): 2,440g
Strategy 4: Mixed Planting (Year 1 Friendly)
For players who cannot afford large-scale Starfruit planting or lack keg infrastructure.
- Dedicate 30% of farm to Melons (solid profit, 2 harvests)
- Dedicate 30% to Blueberries (multi-harvest, reliable)
- Dedicate 20% to Hot Peppers (fast income, Spicy Eel ingredients)
- Dedicate 10% to Hops (start building Pale Ale production)
- Dedicate 10% to Tomatoes or Wheat (cooking/beer ingredients)
Strategy 5: Coffee Empire (Late Game)
Once you have Ginger Island unlocked and a steady coffee bean supply.
- Farm Dust Sprites until you get 5-10 coffee beans.
- Plant them and wait for the first harvest.
- Each harvest drops extra beans, allowing exponential expansion.
- On Ginger Island, coffee grows year-round.
- Fill kegs with coffee beans for 420g per coffee (with Artisan).
- Keep some coffee for drinking (speed buff).
Summer Crop Tips for Year 1 vs Year 2+
Year 1 Strategy
| Week | Focus | Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Plant affordable multi-harvest crops | Blueberry, Hot Pepper, Tomato, Hops |
| Week 1 | If bus is repaired, plant Starfruit | Starfruit (as many as affordable) |
| Week 2 | Begin harvesting Hot Peppers | Hot Pepper |
| Week 2 | Start saving for kegs | Build kegs when possible |
| Week 3 | Harvest Melons and first Blueberries | Melon, Blueberry |
| Week 3 | Begin Pale Ale production if kegs are ready | Hops |
| Week 4 | Final harvests, process everything | All crops |
| End of summer | Save gold for fall | Pumpkin and Cranberry seeds |
Year 2+ Strategy
| Week | Focus | Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Maximum Starfruit planting | Starfruit (all available plots) |
| Week 1 | Plant Red Cabbage (now available) | Red Cabbage |
| Week 1 | Blueberries with Deluxe Speed-Gro | Blueberry |
| Week 2 | Hops for Pale Ale factory | Hops + Kegs |
| Week 2 | Coffee on Ginger Island | Coffee Bean |
| Week 3-4 | Harvest and process | All crops into Wine/Pale Ale/Coffee |
| End of summer | Stockpile for winter | Save processed goods for winter income |
Summer Crop FAQ
What Is the Most Profitable Summer Crop?
Starfruit processed into wine with the Artisan profession is the most profitable, at 5,500g net profit per plot per season (2 harvests). Hops processed into Pale Ale with Artisan is a close second at 7,500g per plot but requires significantly more kegs to keep up with daily production.
Are Blueberries Worth Planting?
Yes, absolutely. Blueberries are the best multi-harvest summer crop, producing 12 berries per plant over 4 harvests from a single 80g seed. Processed into wine or jelly with the Artisan profession, a single blueberry plant generates 2,440g in profit per season.
Can Red Cabbage Be Planted in Year 1?
Normally no — Red Cabbage seeds are locked until Year 2. However, completing the “Community Cleanup” special order from Mayor Lewis’s bulletin board (added in the 1.5 update) unlocks Red Cabbage seeds at Pierre’s in Year 1. This special order requires collecting 100 trash items and 100 driftwood, which is doable but time-consuming.
Is It Worth Growing Hops Without Kegs?
No. Hops sell for only 25g raw, which is terrible. The entire value of hops lies in processing into Pale Ale (300g base, 420g with Artisan). Do not grow hops unless you have kegs to process them.
Should I Use Quality Fertilizer or Speed Fertilizer?
It depends on whether you plan to sell raw or process. If selling raw (especially high-value crops like Starfruit), use Quality or Deluxe Fertilizer for higher sell prices. If processing into wine, jelly, pale ale, or pickles, use Speed-Gro or Deluxe Speed-Gro instead, since quality does not affect artisan good prices. More harvests from speed fertilizer means more artisan goods, which is always more profitable.
How Do I Get Coffee Beans?
Coffee Beans cannot be purchased from any standard shop. They are obtained by: (1) Killing Dust Sprites on Mine levels 40-79 (1% drop chance), (2) Buying from the Traveling Cart when available (rare), (3) Harvesting from existing coffee plants (each harvest has a chance to drop extra beans). Once you have a few plants, they become self-sustaining through the extra bean drops.
Is Sunflower Worth Growing?
Only if you process it into Sunflower Oil (340g base, 476g with Artisan). Selling sunflowers raw results in a loss. Sunflower Oil requires an Oil Maker, which is crafted from 50 Slime + 25 Hardwood after reaching Farming Level 8. If you have Oil Makers available, sunflowers are a decent processing crop at 828g net profit per plot with Artisan.
What About Summer Squash?
Summer Squash loses money when sold raw. Only grow it if you plan to process it into pickles (160g base, 224g with Artisan) or use it in cooking. It is not a recommended crop for profit-focused players.
Can I Plant Crops That Continue Into Fall?
Yes. Corn continues to grow through summer into fall without dying. Coffee Beans also grow in both spring and summer (and year-round on Ginger Island). Both crops will keep producing in fall as long as they were planted during their valid season.
How Many Kegs Should I Have for Summer?
For Starfruit wine: 2 kegs per Starfruit plot (one for each of the 2 harvests). For Hops Pale Ale: 2 kegs per Hops plot (since hops produce daily and Pale Ale takes about 1.5-2 days to brew). For Blueberries: 3-4 kegs per plot (one per berry per harvest). The more kegs you have, the more profit you can generate. Building 100+ kegs should be a priority before summer.