Table of Contents

• 1. Understanding the Greenhouse
• 2. Why Invest in Greenhouse Farming
• 3. Top Crops for Greenhouse Farming
• 4. Ancient Fruit: The Evergreen Winner
• 5. Starfruit: Seasonal High-Roller
• 6. Other Great Greenhouse Options
• 7. Optimal Greenhouse Layouts
• 8. Using Junimos, Sprinklers, and More
• 9. ROI: Crop Profit Comparison Chart
• 10. Frequently Asked Questions
• 11. Conclusion

1. Understanding the Greenhouse

The greenhouse in Stardew Valley is an indoor farming area that allows you to grow any crop regardless of the season. This makes it one of the most powerful tools in your farming arsenal. Unlocked after completing the Pantry bundles in the Community Center (or via JojaMart), the greenhouse gives you:

• 12x10 crop planting space (120 tiles)
• Ability to grow any crop, year-round
• A designated area for fruit trees (28 tiles)
• Water source for easy refills

This controlled environment means crops never die from seasonal changes, so you can plant high-profit seasonal crops and harvest them continuously—maximizing your income with minimal effort.

2. Why Invest in Greenhouse Farming

Investing in greenhouse farming early in Stardew Valley can completely change your farm’s economy. Here’s why it’s worth the resources:

• Consistent Income: Grow high-profit crops year-round without worrying about seasons.
• Higher ROI: Certain crops like Ancient Fruit and Starfruit give massive returns in a greenhouse setting.
• Automation Friendly: Easily automate harvests with sprinklers and fruit trees.
• Space Efficiency: Every tile can be optimized for continuous productivity.

Simply put, the greenhouse turns your farm into a gold mine with the right planning and crops.

3. Top Crops for Greenhouse Farming

Not all crops are created equal in the greenhouse. Some have high value per harvest but long growth times, while others produce more frequently but with lower margins. Here are the top 5 greenhouse crops ranked by profitability and practicality:

4. Ancient Fruit: The Evergreen Winner

Ancient Fruit is the undisputed king of the greenhouse. While it takes time to get started, once it's rolling, it offers unbeatable returns. Here's why it dominates:

• Initial Growth Time: 28 days
• Regrowth Time: 7 days
• Sell Prices: 550g (normal), 687g (silver), 825g (gold), 1100g (iridium)
• Wine Value (Aged in Casks): Up to 4620g per bottle (Iridium Quality)

How to Get Ancient Seeds

1. Donate the Ancient Seed artifact to the Museum.
2. Gunther will reward you with Ancient Seeds (plantable) and a recipe to craft more using a Seed Maker.
3. Use the Seed Maker on crops like wild berries or Ancient Fruit to potentially get more seeds.

Greenhouse Strategy with Ancient Fruit

• Fill your entire 120-tile crop area with Ancient Fruit.
• Use Iridium Sprinklers to automate watering.
• Every 7 days, harvest your crops and convert them into Ancient Fruit Wine using Kegs.
• Aged Ancient Wine = Massive passive income.

With full Ancient Fruit coverage, you can earn over 300,000g per month just from wine production alone.

5. Starfruit: Seasonal High-Roller

Starfruit is a fan-favorite among mid-to-late game farmers for its incredibly high base value. However, it has some limitations in the greenhouse:

• Growth Time: 13 days
• Does Not Regrow – you must replant every harvest
• Buy From: Oasis in the Calico Desert (400g per seed)
• Sell Prices: 750g (normal), 937g (silver), 1125g (gold), 1500g (iridium)
• Wine Value (Aged): Up to 6,300g per bottle (Iridium Starfruit Wine)

Strategy Tips

• Buy in bulk and store seeds for replanting.
• Use Deluxe Speed-Gro to reduce growth time to ~9 days.
• Convert into wine to get the most profit per tile.
• Automate replanting with Junimo Huts if you're not inside the greenhouse.

Note: While Starfruit wine is more valuable than Ancient Fruit wine, the effort required to replant makes it slightly less efficient over the long run inside the greenhouse.

6. Other Great Greenhouse Options

If you're early in the game or haven't acquired Ancient Fruit yet, these crops are great alternatives:

1. Strawberries

• Regrow every 4 days after initial 8-day growth
• Sell for 120g (normal) to 180g (gold)
• High ROI and easy to obtain early Spring 13-14 from the Egg Festival

2. Coffee Beans

• Obtained from Dust Sprites or Traveling Cart
• Grow time: 10 days, then harvest every 2 days
• Sells for 15g per bean but produces 4 beans per harvest → Process into Coffee for better profit

3. Hops (For Brewing Pale Ale)

• Grow time: 11 days, then daily harvest
• Process into Pale Ale for 300g each (base)
• High profit potential and great if you're focusing on Keg production

4. Blueberries

• Grows in 13 days, then regrows every 4 days
• Yields 3 berries per harvest → Each sells for 50g–75g
• Decent passive yield crop with minimal effort

7. Optimal Greenhouse Layouts

Making the most of your greenhouse requires thoughtful placement of sprinklers, crops, and even fruit trees. Here are two top layouts:

Layout 1: Iridium Sprinkler Grid

This layout uses 6 Iridium Sprinklers (waters 24 tiles each):

• Place 6 sprinklers in a hexagonal layout covering all 120 crop tiles.
• Keep the center path free to move around easily.
• Surround outer edges with 28 Fruit Trees.

[Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree]
[Tree]   [Crop Tiles w/ Sprinklers]   [Tree]
[Tree]                               [Tree]
[Tree]                               [Tree]
[Tree]                               [Tree]
[Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree][Tree]

Layout 2: Hybrid (Fruit Trees + Crops + Beehives)

This layout is for mixed profits and aesthetics:

• Use outer perimeter for Fruit Trees
• Place Beehives in corners if using flowers like Fairy Rose
• Fill center with Ancient Fruit or Starfruit, irrigated with Iridium Sprinklers

Fruit Tree Placement Guide

• Total of 28 trees can fit around the edge.
• They need 3x3 clear area to grow but can be surrounded after maturing.
• Each tree gives fruit every day during its season (or daily in the greenhouse).
• Fruit Tree Example Combo: 7 of each — Apple, Peach, Orange, Apricot

8. Automation Tips: Sprinklers, Junimos, Kegs & More

To maximize greenhouse efficiency and profit, automation is key. Here’s how to streamline your operation:

1. Sprinkler Setup

• Iridium Sprinklers (waters 24 tiles) are the gold standard.
• Place 6 inside the greenhouse to cover all 120 crop tiles.
• Pair with Pressure Nozzles (Ginger Island Upgrade) to expand coverage.

2. Junimos – Do They Work Inside Greenhouse?

No, Junimos do not work inside the greenhouse. You'll need to manually harvest or use crops that auto-harvest (like Fruit Trees) or regrow (like Ancient Fruit).

3. Kegs for Wine & Pale Ale

• Build as many Kegs as possible and place in a shed, barn, or your house basement.
• Each Ancient Fruit Wine takes 7 days to process, Pale Ale takes 2 days.
• Use Casks (in cellar) to age wines and reach Iridium quality.

4. Beehives (Optional)

• Place Beehives around a Fairy Rose in the greenhouse for max-value honey (680g).
• Profitable and aesthetic bonus if you have space!

9. ROI Comparison Chart

Here’s a detailed breakdown of annual returns on investment (ROI) for top crops inside the greenhouse:

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I grow multiple crop types in the greenhouse?

Yes! You can mix and match, but it’s usually more efficient to dedicate the full space to a single high-value crop like Ancient Fruit.

Q2: Do crops grow faster in the greenhouse?

No, growth time is the same. However, crops won’t die between seasons, making regrowers like Ancient Fruit ideal.

Q3: What happens to fruit trees in the greenhouse?

They produce fruit every day of their respective seasons — and in the greenhouse, seasons don’t matter. That means daily fruit year-round!

Q4: Is wine better than jelly?

Yes. Wine sells for 3x the crop’s base value. Jelly only sells for base + 50g.

Q5: Is it worth using Deluxe Speed-Gro in the greenhouse?

Yes — especially for Starfruit, to reduce growth from 13 days to ~9. For Ancient Fruit, it’s not as useful since it only helps on initial planting.

11. Conclusion

If you’re looking for maximum long-term profit with the least effort, Ancient Fruit remains the best crop for your greenhouse in Stardew Valley. Here's a quick summary:

Whatever route you choose, don’t forget to enjoy the process. The greenhouse in Stardew Valley is not just a money-maker — it’s also a space to express your inner farmer, designer, and alchemist.

🌿 Happy Farming! 🌿