Grow a Garden Profit Calculator
Base sale value alone doesn’t tell you which crop is actually worth growing. A slow-growing crop worth 500 Sheckles can lose to a fast-regrowing crop worth 80 Sheckles once you factor in grow time and how many harvests a single seed gives you. This tool ranks crops by real Sheckles-per-hour, so you can plan your plots around actual earning speed, not just sticker value.
💰 Profit Comparison Tool
Add a few crops with their seed cost and grow time. The table ranks them by actual hourly profit, best first.
| Crop | Profit / Harvest | ROI % | Sheckles / Hour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add a crop above to start comparing profit per hour. | ||||
Formula: Profit per Harvest = Crop Value − (Seed Cost ÷ Harvests per Seed). Sheckles/Hour = Profit per Harvest × (60 ÷ Grow Time). Multi-harvest crops amortize their seed cost across every harvest, which is why they often out-earn a higher one-time base value.
Why Sheckles-Per-Hour Beats Raw Value
Most new players rank crops by base sale value alone, and that’s exactly how a garden ends up full of slow, expensive plants that barely earn anything over a play session. A crop’s real worth depends on three things together: how much it sells for, how long it occupies the plot, and how many times a single seed lets you harvest before it’s spent.
Two crops with the same base value can have completely different hourly returns. A single-harvest crop that takes 90 minutes to mature effectively “locks up” that plot slot for the full duration for one payout. A multi-harvest crop that regrows every 20 minutes keeps paying out repeatedly from the same seed cost, which usually wins on Sheckles-per-hour even at a lower price tag.
Reading the Formula
- Profit per Harvest — the crop’s sale value minus its share of the seed cost, once that cost is spread across every harvest the seed produces.
- ROI % — how much you earned relative to what that single harvest actually cost you, as a percentage.
- Sheckles / Hour — profit per harvest converted into an hourly rate based on grow time, which is the number that actually matters for planning a session.
Tips for Maximizing Farm Profit
- Prioritize multi-harvest crops for active grinding. Repeated payouts from one seed cost keep your Sheckles-per-hour climbing without repurchasing seeds.
- Reserve slow, high-value crops for AFK periods. A long grow time matters less if you’re not actively waiting on it — plant these before logging off.
- Recheck your numbers after mutation stacking. This tool compares base crop values; once mutations land, jump into the main Plant Value Calculator for the real number.
- Compare before committing seed budget. Add your shortlist of 3–4 candidate crops here before buying a full batch of seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sheckles per hour actually measure?
It measures how much a crop earns relative to the time it occupies a plot, not just its raw sale value. A high-value crop with a long grow time can lose to a cheaper, faster-regrowing crop once you account for hours spent waiting.
Why does a multi-harvest crop often outperform a one-time crop?
Multi-harvest crops spread their seed cost across every harvest instead of paying it once, lowering the effective cost per harvest and raising both ROI and Sheckles-per-hour — even at a lower raw sale value.
Does this calculator account for mutations?
The base value here reflects an unmutated plant at standard weight, so treat these numbers as a baseline comparison between crop types. Use the main Plant Value Calculator for mutation-specific figures.
What is ROI in this context?
ROI is profit per harvest divided by the cost per harvest, shown as a percentage. A 300% ROI means you earned three times what that single harvest cost you.
How many crops should I compare at once?
The table holds up to six crops so rankings stay easy to read. Add the crops you’re actively considering and remove ones you’ve ruled out to keep it focused.