Minecraft - A Complete Guide To Crops

Minecraft farming is a great way to make sure you have plenty of food and resources at your disposal. In this guide, we’ll explain all the different crop types, where to find seeds, and how to plant each type so you can get the most out of your farms.

How farming crops works in Minecraft

To start farming, you’ll need some seeds and dedicated farmland. Most seeds won’t grow in regular dirt, so you’ll need to do some work to it before you can start a farm. It’s best to protect your designated farm plots with a fence to keep out any unwanted mobs.

How to make farm plots

9x9 farmland example with one water block in the center — 9×9 farmland example with one water block in the center

First, craft the hoe tool, which allows you to turn dirt blocks into farmland. You can then place most types of crops in the game in these blocks of land. You’ll also need a water source, but you don’t need a lot to water the crops. One block of water will hydrate a 9×9 section of farmland when you place the water in the center square.

Crop farming tips

Light is also important for most of the crops, but it doesn’t need to be natural light. You can grow crops indoors as long as you place plenty of light sources around the area. An example of indoor farming can be seen in the image below. You’ll also want to put torches around your outside crops to keep them growing at night.

Indoor farming with potato crops using torches as light

To farm faster, use bone meal directly on the plants to accelerate crop growth.

Additionally, some crops will have more specific water and growing requirements, and we’ll discuss those in the sections below.

Each growable crop in Minecraft

In the sections below, we’ll guide you through finding and planting each type of growable crop in Minecraft.

How to grow wheat

Wheat seeds are obtained by breaking normal grass. This is one of the easiest crops to get started with, as the seeds are very abundant. You must plant the seeds on tilled farmland with at least one water block, as mentioned above. These require lighting to grow.

Wheat is used to cook food, breed animals, and even trade with villagers.

How to grow carrots

Carrots don’t have seeds. Instead, you plant carrots directly on tilled farmland. These follow the same rule of a 9×9 section of farmland with one water block, as mentioned above. These require lighting to grow. You can loot carrots from chests and villages.

Carrots are used for various crafting recipes, as well as for breeding pigs, rabbits, and villagers.

How to grow potatoes

Just like carrots, you plant potatoes directly on tilled farmland. These follow the same rule of a 9×9 section of farmland with one water block, as mentioned above. You can loot potatoes from chests and villages.

These are great for fighting off hunger by cooking baked potatoes.

How to grow Beetroot

Planting Beetroot requires seeds. These seeds can be found in villages or chests, and you’ll need to plant them in farm plots just like the carrots, potatoes, and wheat. These seeds follow the same rule of a 9×9 section of farmland with one water block, as mentioned above.

Beetroot is used for crafting red dye and cooking the Beetroot Soup recipe.

How to grow pumpkins

You’ll need seeds to grow pumpkins. These can be easily gained from harvesting pumpkins found in grassy areas, but you can also randomly loot them from chests.

The pumpkin seeds must be planted in farmland to grow, and these follow the light and water requirements of the other crops mentioned so far. The slight difference here is that the pumpkins will grow on a block adjacent to where you planted it, so these crops need slightly more room than others. You can still use the 9×9 farm plots with pumpkins, but some people prefer to organize the pumpkins in double rows, as shown in the image above.

Pumpkins can be used to make pumpkin pie. They can also be carved as jack o’lanterns.

How to grow melons

You’ll need seeds to grow melons, which you can gather from harvesting wild melons found in jungles or savanna villages. Harvesting is the best way to get seeds, but you can also randomly loot them from chests.

Melon seeds must be planted in farmland to grow, and these follow the light and water requirements of pumpkins and other crops mentioned so far. Melons grow in the same formation as the pumpkins mentioned above, meaning they also require at least one adjacent block of space that is open.

Melons can be eaten and also used to craft Glistering Melons.

How to grow sugar cane

Sugar cane naturally grows near bodies of water. Just head to your nearest river, lake, or seaside and break the sugar cane that’s growing to harvest it.

Unlike most crops, sugar cane doesn’t use farmland to grow. Sugar cane stalks can only be planted on sand and dirt blocks, and they must be next to water. To harvest your crops, you want to make sure you only break one block above the stalk in the ground. This avoids any need to replant the sugar cane.

Sugar cane is used for making resources like sugar and paper.

How to grow cocoa beans

Cocoa beans can be harvested from the cocoa pods growing on trees in the jungle biome. Cocoa can only grow on jungle wood, so while you’re in the jungle, you’ll want to also harvest some jungle wood. You don’t need to place it on full jungle trees, though; these pods can grow on jungle logs or planks as well.

Cocoa beans are used for making cookies and brown dye.

How to grow Nether wart

Like the name suggests, Nether wart is found exclusively in the Nether. This crop can be found growing in bastions and near staircases within fortresses. You can grow Nether wart in the Overworld, but it must be planted on soul sand collected from the Nether. These crops don’t need water or a light source to grow.

Nether wart is a very important crop because it is a base ingredient for crafting potions.

How to grow Sweet Berries

Sweet Berries are found and harvested from the Sweet Berry bushes that grow in spruce forests. These berries can be planted on regular dirt blocks, and they don’t require any water source to grow.

Sweet Berries are a food source and can also be used to breed foxes.

How to farm Glow Berries

Glow Berries are found and harvested from the vines growing downward inside lush caves. You can also sometimes get these berries in mineshaft chests.

These berries can be grown by placing them on the underside of a block. You’ll need at least a 2 block gap or more to allow the vines to grow downward.

Glow berries can be used as a food source, but they actually make better use as a decorative light source. Just like Sweet Berries, these Glow Berries can also be used to breed foxes.

How to grow mushrooms

Mushrooms can be harvested in a variety of places. These are dark or low-light areas of the map, which include under trees, in caves, and in mushroom fields.

There are red and brown variants of mushrooms, and you can even find giant mushrooms in the dark forest. Harvesting giant mushrooms gives you the chance of looting regular mushrooms, with the color depending on the type you’re harvesting.

Mushrooms need to be planted in low-light areas. These can be placed on dirt or stone, but make sure to give them several blocks of space to spread. These are a great crop for growing indoors in a dark basement, but you can also grow them in natural or manmade caves.

Additionally, you can use bone meal to grow them faster and for a chance of turning a regular mushroom into a giant mushroom. Growing them on mycelium blocks will allow you to grow them in standard light conditions.

Mushrooms are used in various stew recipes.

How to grow fungus

Fungus is found naturally in the Crimson Forest and Warped Forest biomes of the Nether, and it can sometimes be looted from the chests inside bastions. Once harvested, the Crimson and Warped fungi can be planted the same way as mushrooms. They don’t require a light source and can be grown on various dirt or mycelium blocks.

Bone meal can also turn both Crimson Forest and Warped fungus into huge fungus.

Crimson fungus can be used to breed hoglins and Warped fungus can be used to breed striders.

How to grow bamboo

Bamboo is found in the jungle biome, and you can sometimes loot it from shipwrecks. This crop can be harvested and grown directly on dirt or sand blocks. Water isn’t necessary for these crops, but bamboo needs lots of light and space to grow upward. To harvest your crops, you want to make sure you only break one block above the stalk in the ground. This avoids any need to replant the bamboo.

Bamboo is useful for crafting bamboo blocks and scaffolding, as well as breeding pandas. It can also be placed in a flower pot for decor.

How to grow cacti

Cacti are found in the desert. These don’t need seeds to grow, and they must be planted directly onto sand blocks.

Cacti can be used to make green dye. A cactus can also be placed in a flower pot for decor.

How to grow kelp

Kelp is only found underwater in the ocean. Once you’ve harvested some, this crop can then be planted in natural water sources or manmade tanks. It doesn’t need any light to grow. To harvest your kelp crops, you’ll want to make sure you only break one block above the roots in the ground. This avoids any need to replant the kelp.

Kelp is a good food source when turned into dried kelp, and it can also be used as a great fuel source when turned into kelp blocks.

How to grow Sea Pickles

Sea Pickles are harvested from Sea Pickle colonies on the bottom of warm oceans and around coral reefs. This crop can’t really be farmed in the traditional sense. However, you can get more Sea Pickles by using bone meal on them while they are underwater and planted on living coral blocks.

Sea Pickles are used for a light source, decoration, and making lime dye.

How to grow trees

In addition to the more traditional crops, you can also harvest and grow your own trees. Harvesting Minecraft trees will grant you seeds to plant in various dirt blocks. Each type offers different wood colors for crafting planks and other items.

All trees and their biome locations: