v50 Steam/Premium information for editors
  • v50 information can now be added to pages in the main namespace. v0.47 information can still be found in the DF2014 namespace. See here for more details on the new versioning policy.
  • Use this page to report any issues related to the migration.
This notice may be cached—the current version can be found here.

Editing v0.34:Farming

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Warning: You are not logged in.
Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.

You are editing a page for an older version of Dwarf Fortress ("Main" is the current version, not "v0.34"). Please make sure you intend to do this. If you are here by mistake, see the current page instead.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Latest revision Your text
Line 59: Line 59:
 
|}
 
|}
  
Fertilizing a farm plot improves its yield, increasing the stack size of each grown plant by up to 4. To fertilize a farm plot, one needs [[potash]], which is produced by processing [[ash]]. Each plot must be re-fertilized each season, and the fertilizer must be in place at the time the seeds reach maturity.  It does not matter whether the plot is fertilized at the time of planting. {{cite forum|139382/5375231}}
+
Fertilizing a farm plot increases the yield (the number of plants that grow in each planted tile).  The exact improvement is not known. To fertilize a farm plot, one needs [[potash]], which is produced by processing [[ash]]. The plot must be re-fertilized each season, requiring ''floor(plot_size / 4) + 1'' potash.  The table on the right illustrates the efficiency of potash as a function of plot size.  Generally, larger farms use less, approaching a limit of 1/4 bar per square.  The worst sizes are multiples of 4; if one plans to fertilize, it's most efficient to have plots of size ''4n - 1'', where n is the number of potash used.  Suitable sizes are 1x3, 1x7, 3x5, 3x9, 5x7, and 7x9.
 
 
Fertilizing a farm plot requires ''floor(plot_size / 4) + 1'' potash.  The table on the right illustrates the efficiency of potash as a function of plot size.  Generally, larger farms use less, approaching a limit of 1/4 bar per square.  The worst sizes are multiples of 4; if one plans to fertilize, it's most efficient to have plots of size ''4n - 1'', where n is the number of potash used.  Suitable sizes are 1x3, 1x7, 3x5, 3x9, 5x7, and 7x9.
 
  
 
Fertilizer may be applied to a plot by pressing {{k|f}} while viewing the plot.  Only dwarves with the Farming (Fields) labor will apply fertilizer; this grants 30 XP of farming experience for each unit of potash used.  Pressing {{k|s}} toggles seasonal fertilization.  This does nothing until the next [[season]], at which time the plot will be automatically fertilized.  Note that if you do not have a potash stockpile near your farm plots, your legendary farmers may spend all of their time hauling single bars of potash from all the way on the other side of your fortress, rather than growing food.
 
Fertilizer may be applied to a plot by pressing {{k|f}} while viewing the plot.  Only dwarves with the Farming (Fields) labor will apply fertilizer; this grants 30 XP of farming experience for each unit of potash used.  Pressing {{k|s}} toggles seasonal fertilization.  This does nothing until the next [[season]], at which time the plot will be automatically fertilized.  Note that if you do not have a potash stockpile near your farm plots, your legendary farmers may spend all of their time hauling single bars of potash from all the way on the other side of your fortress, rather than growing food.
Line 74: Line 72:
  
 
=== Above Ground Farming ===
 
=== Above Ground Farming ===
Farming of above ground crops is only possible on tiles that lie in a biome supporting their growth. Those are "land" biomes excluding the notoriously cold [[Glacier]] and [[Tundra]], but also all [[Mountain]] [[biome]]s. [[Ocean]] biomes are also excluded, since they are not "land". The biomes where above ground farming is possible are internally referred to as NOT_FREEZING, but that label is somewhat misleading, since it's a [[Biome token|shorthand]] for a group of specific biomes and doesn't imply anything about the actual temperature - mountains and oceans are generally infertile, no matter what temperature range the embark screen lists, and a [[Taiga]] with "freezing" temperatures allows farming above ground plants.
+
*Above ground crops farming is impossible on tiles that are part of [[Mountain]] [[biome]]s (or any other "freezing" biome such as [[Glacier]] or [[Tundra]]), regardless of how much mud or soil is present.
  
 
Above ground farming is basically the same as underground farming, with the simplifying distinction that above ground plots typically do not require preparatory work. However, there are some complications.
 
Above ground farming is basically the same as underground farming, with the simplifying distinction that above ground plots typically do not require preparatory work. However, there are some complications.
Line 84: Line 82:
 
Some crops require a particular temperature range to grow; so although it may be possible to plant them in any season, to obtain optimal usage of farm plots it may be necessary to coordinate planting with seasonal temperature variations.{{verify}}
 
Some crops require a particular temperature range to grow; so although it may be possible to plant them in any season, to obtain optimal usage of farm plots it may be necessary to coordinate planting with seasonal temperature variations.{{verify}}
  
Note that when creating an above ground plot, the interface may incorrectly display "No mud/soil for farm", even though mud is present. {{bug|249}} The message can be ignored.
+
''Note: when creating an above ground plot, the may incorrectly display "No mud/soil for farm", even though mud is present. The message can be ignored.''
  
 
== Farm plots in action ==
 
== Farm plots in action ==
  
Once a farm plot has been built and crops have been selected for the current season, dwarves with the [[growing]] labor enabled will begin planting the selected seeds.  One seed is used per tile.  The higher a Dwarf's grower skill in planting, the more plants will be harvested from each seed planted. The farming labor is fairly low in priority, so if you want a full-time farmer, it is best to disable all other labors.
+
Once a farm plot has been built and crops have been selected for the current season, dwarves with the [[growing]] labor enabled will begin planting the selected seeds.  One seed is used per tile.  The higher a Dwarf's grower skill in planting, the more plants will be harvested from each seed planted. The farming labor is fairly low in priority, so if you want a full time farmer, it is best to disable all other labors.
  
 
Plants take time to grow, depending on their type. Once a plant is fully grown, a dwarf will harvest it. By default, any dwarf will do this. Harvesting plants is not affected by any skill, although it provides a small amount of grower experience. So it's a good idea to set only your planters to harvest, not anyone. To do that, set option "Only Farmers Harvest" {{k|o}}{{k|h}}. This is useful only to train your planter faster; once they're skilled enough, everyone can be allowed to harvest again so the haulers can take care of half the farming work.
 
Plants take time to grow, depending on their type. Once a plant is fully grown, a dwarf will harvest it. By default, any dwarf will do this. Harvesting plants is not affected by any skill, although it provides a small amount of grower experience. So it's a good idea to set only your planters to harvest, not anyone. To do that, set option "Only Farmers Harvest" {{k|o}}{{k|h}}. This is useful only to train your planter faster; once they're skilled enough, everyone can be allowed to harvest again so the haulers can take care of half the farming work.
 
<div style="float:right">
 
{| style="border-spacing: 0"
 
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|`|0:1}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
 
|-
 
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
 
|-
 
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
 
|-
 
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
 
|-
 
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
 
|}
 
</div>
 
In the farm plot shown on the right, {{Tile|≈|6:0}} indicates tiles awaiting planting, {{Tile|═|6:0}} indicates tiles that have been planted and are now growing, and {{Tile|τ|6:1}} indicates [[longland grass]] plants that are ready for harvesting.
 
  
 
Plants that remain in the field for too long will wither. These plants will eventually [[rot]] away. There's no use for withered plants. Farmers plant up to the last day of the growing season; if, when the seasons change, the previous crop can not grow anymore, all immature plants will be destroyed yielding neither seed nor plant. Therefore, it's recommended not to grow crops on the last season they're able to (for example, pig tails in autumn), to prevent losing seeds.
 
Plants that remain in the field for too long will wither. These plants will eventually [[rot]] away. There's no use for withered plants. Farmers plant up to the last day of the growing season; if, when the seasons change, the previous crop can not grow anymore, all immature plants will be destroyed yielding neither seed nor plant. Therefore, it's recommended not to grow crops on the last season they're able to (for example, pig tails in autumn), to prevent losing seeds.
Line 124: Line 107:
  
 
===Managing Seeds===
 
===Managing Seeds===
[[Seed]]s are what are used to grow [[crop]]s. You may begin the game with a certain number of seeds, [[trade]] for them, or [[plant gathering|gather]] them. In addition to this, eating, [[mill|milling]] and [[brewing]] plants often yield a seed (assuming your fortress hasn't hit the seed cap for that plant). [[Cooking]] plants does not yield seeds, and cooking seeds makes them unusable for planting, so you may want to watch out and make sure you don't convert the last of your plants into +wild strawberry roast+ without the ability to make more.
+
[[Seed]]s are what are used to grow [[crop]]s. You may begin the game with a certain number of seeds, [[trade]] for them, or [[plant gathering|gather]] them. In addition to this, eating, [[mill|milling]] and [[brewing]] plants often yield a seed (assuming your fortress hasn't hit the seed cap for that plant). [[Cooking]] plants does not yield seeds, and cooking seeds makes them unusable for planting, so you may want to watch out and make sure you don't convert the last of your plants into +sweet pod roast+ without the ability to make more.
  
You can create a custom [[stockpile]] near your [[farm]] which will only accept [[seed]]s. This will consolidate your seeds into one place, instead of having them littered all through the [[dining room]]. Seeds are stored in [[bag]]s (up to 100 seeds per bag), and seed bags can be stored in barrels. It is recommended not to use barrels on seeds stockpiles, however, since the hauling habits of the current version lead to barrels getting carted around to collect each and every loose seed, interrupting the planting work.
+
You can create a custom [[stockpile]] near your [[farm]] which will only accept [[seed]]s. This will consolidate your seeds into one place, instead of having them littered all through the [[dining room]]. Seeds are stored in [[bag]]s (up to 100 seeds per bag), and seed bags can be stored in barrels.
  
 
Each plant has a seed cap set at 200. [[Brewing]], [[mill]]ing, and [[food|eating]] raw plants will not generate additional seeds once the cap is reached, although your [[trader]] may still barter for additional seed bags and thus exceed this limit. Once the count of seeds falls below 200, new seeds will again be generated.
 
Each plant has a seed cap set at 200. [[Brewing]], [[mill]]ing, and [[food|eating]] raw plants will not generate additional seeds once the cap is reached, although your [[trader]] may still barter for additional seed bags and thus exceed this limit. Once the count of seeds falls below 200, new seeds will again be generated.
  
Seeds may be toggled for [[cooking]] on the Kitchen tab of the [[stocks]] menu. Disabling seed cooking will keep your seeds safe from starving dwarves. Although the item properties label them as EDIBLE_RAW, [[quarry bush|rock nuts]], like all other seeds, are ''not'' consumed as-is.
+
Most seeds may be toggled for [[cooking]] on the Kitchen tab of the [[stocks]] menu.  The exception, [[quarry bush|rock nuts]], may be eaten raw. Disabling seed cooking will keep most of your seeds safe from starving dwarves; unfortunately there is no way to prevent your dwarves from consuming rock nuts short of [[forbid]]ding them all.
  
 
===Managing Crops===
 
===Managing Crops===
When your [[crop]]s are ripe, your dwarves will [[farming|harvest]] them from the [[farm plot]]s. This will yield one or more [[stack]]s of [[plant]]s, which will be [[hauling|hauled]] to the appropriate [[stockpile]]. It is generally a good idea to have sufficient [[barrel]]s to hold the food, as [[food]] is subject to [[wear|withering]] and the predation of [[vermin]]. [[Metal]] barrels are especially effective against vermin.
+
When ripe, your dwarves will [[farming|harvest]] your [[crop]]s from the [[farm plot]]s. This will yield one or more [[stack]]s of [[plant]]s, which will be [[hauling|hauled]] to the appropriate [[stockpile]]. It is generally a good idea to have sufficient [[barrel]]s to hold the food, as [[food]] is subject to [[wear|withering]] and the predation of [[vermin]]. [[Metal]] barrels are especially effective against vermin.
  
 
You can create a custom stockpile that will only accept [[plant]]s, to avoid having it all mixed up with your [[meat]] and [[drink]]s. It would be a good idea to have this stockpile near your [[still]], [[farmer's workshop]], [[kitchen]], etc. You may also choose to make more specialized stockpiles, for instance if your [[mill|windmill]] is located far away from your farms, you might have small nearby stockpiles dedicated solely to millable plants and [[flour]] so as to save on hauling.
 
You can create a custom stockpile that will only accept [[plant]]s, to avoid having it all mixed up with your [[meat]] and [[drink]]s. It would be a good idea to have this stockpile near your [[still]], [[farmer's workshop]], [[kitchen]], etc. You may also choose to make more specialized stockpiles, for instance if your [[mill|windmill]] is located far away from your farms, you might have small nearby stockpiles dedicated solely to millable plants and [[flour]] so as to save on hauling.

Please note that all contributions to Dwarf Fortress Wiki are considered to be released under the GFDL & MIT (see Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Copyrights for details). If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource. Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

To protect the wiki against automated edit spam, we kindly ask you to solve the following CAPTCHA:

Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)

Templates used on this page: