Stardew Valley Garlic: Complete Spring Crop Guide

Garlic in Stardew Valley is a spring crop that matures in 24 days with a base sell price of 60g per bulb. Plant between Spring days 1-20 for optimal harvest before the season ends, generating 1,800g per fully planted farm (68 tiles) without quality bonuses. This high-early-game-profit crop helps fund essential farm upgrades and provides ingredients for valuable recipes like Lava Eel.

Why Garlic Deserves Your First Spring Planting Slot

When you wake up on Spring 2nd in Pelican Town, your immediate priority should be planting garlic across your cleared land. Unlike slower crops like potatoes (6 days) or strawberries (requires greenhouse), garlic's 24-day maturity hits the sweet spot between early income and season longevity. By harvesting on Spring 25th, you'll have gold for critical upgrades while leaving time for a second planting of faster crops before summer.

Spring Crop	Days to Maturity	Base Price	Profit per Tile (Spring)	Best For
Garlic	24	60g	1,800g	Early-game capital
Peas	10 (regrows 4d)	40g	2,040g	Mid-to-late spring
Kale	6	100g	1,200g	Quick early income
Blue Jazz	7	90g	1,080g	Flower bundles

Optimizing Your Garlic Harvest Timeline

Follow this planting schedule to maximize returns:

Days 1-2: Clear and Prepare

Use your first two days to clear 68 tiles of land (enough for full farm coverage). Purchase 68 quality fertilizer from Pierre's if possible - it increases chances of silver/gold quality produce by 10%.

Day 3: Planting Day

Plant all 68 garlic seeds. Water immediately and apply fertilizer if available. This timing ensures harvest on Day 27, leaving 2 days for a secondary crop before spring ends.

Days 4-26: Maintenance

Water daily unless raining. Skip watering on rainy days to conserve energy for mining or fishing. Check the TV weather forecast each morning to optimize energy use.

Day 27: Harvest and Replant

Harvest all garlic (expect 60-75g per bulb with quality bonuses). Immediately replant with another fast crop like kale for additional spring income.

Strategic Context: When Garlic Shines (and When It Doesn't)

Garlic's value changes dramatically based on your farm progression stage:

Year 1 Essential

During your first year, garlic's early high yield provides crucial capital for essential upgrades. The 4,000g needed for the first coop upgrade becomes achievable through strategic garlic farming combined with foraging.

Year 2+ Specialized Use

After year 1, garlic becomes primarily valuable for:

• Community Center: Spring Crops Bundle (requires 5 garlic)
• Cooking: Lava Eel recipe (garlic + hot pepper) sells for 400g
• Wedding recipe: Super Meal (requires garlic)

Advanced players often skip mass garlic planting after year 1 in favor of higher-value crops like blueberries in summer.

Proven Profit-Boosting Techniques

Implement these verified methods to increase garlic returns:

Fertilizer Strategy

Quality Fertilizer (10% quality boost) generates 20% more profit than Basic Fertilizer (6% boost) despite similar costs. Calculate your break-even point: 68 tiles of garlic requires 68 fertilizer units. At 100g each, that's 6,800g investment for potential 3,600g additional profit from quality bonuses.

Processing Options

While garlic wine exists, it's rarely profitable early game. Focus on direct sales until you have:

• Cask capacity (requires Cellar upgrade)
• Excess garlic beyond bundle/recipe needs
• At least year 2 progression

Weather Contingency Planning

Check the Spring 26-28 forecast before final harvest. If heavy rain is predicted, delay harvesting until Spring 27 to avoid wasting watering energy - the game's weather system guarantees at least 28 clear spring days.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

New players often make these critical errors with garlic:

• Planting too late (after Spring 15) - won't mature before season ends
• Overlooking quality bonuses from sprinklers and fertilizer
• Wasting energy watering during rainy days
• Processing into wine before establishing basic farm infrastructure

Frequently Asked Questions

Does garlic regrow in Stardew Valley after harvesting?

No, garlic does not regrow after harvesting. Each planting produces a single harvest after 24 days of growth. This differs from crops like blueberries or cranberries that continue producing throughout their season.

What's the most profitable way to use garlic in early game?

Selling directly is most profitable early game. While garlic wine exists, the cask required for aging costs 4,500g and takes 7 days to produce wine worth only 240g. Focus on direct sales until you've completed essential farm upgrades.

How many garlic bulbs do I need for the Spring Crops bundle?

The Spring Crops bundle in the Pantry requires exactly 5 garlic bulbs. Since each planting yields one bulb per seed, you only need to plant 5 additional garlic specifically for the bundle after your main crop harvest.

Can I grow garlic in the greenhouse during winter?

Yes, the greenhouse allows year-round garlic planting. With 24-day maturity, you can fit three complete garlic cycles during winter (72 days total), generating consistent winter income without needing to leave the valley.