Guide/Agriculture

Agriculture is the plant-care attribute associated with growing crops in Oxygen Not Included. It governs the ability to work with farmable plants and is tied to the Farming research branch and basic farming structures such as the Farm Tile, Planter Box, and Hydroponic Farm.

Plants have minimum requirements that must be met to continue growing. If a single requirement is not met, the plant becomes stifled and stops growing; if more than one requirement is unmet, it dies and leaves behind a seed. These requirements can include atmosphere, temperature, irrigation, and fertilization, depending on the plant. Most plants require at least 150 g of compatible gas pressure in at least one tile, and the exact tile does not matter as long as one tile meets the minimum. Some plants grow only in specific gases, and Thimble Reed and Waterweed are the only plants that grow in liquids.

Temperature is one of the most important limits on farming, since every plant has its own acceptable range. Farm temperatures are strongly influenced by the surrounding environment, including heat from nearby buildings, materials, and Duplicants themselves. Wheezewort can be used throughout a farm area to help offset heat until more direct cooling is available.

Basic Farming buildings determine whether a plant is wild or domesticated. Plants grown in one of the basic farming items are domesticated and grow 4× faster with 4× shorter harvest intervals than wild plants. Wild plants do not need fertilization or irrigation, although some still consume gas. Domesticated plants may require manual irrigation, manual fertilization, or both, depending on the crop. The Farm Tile allows fertilization and manual irrigation, while the Planter Box also supports manual fertilization and irrigation and is available earlier through Basic Farming. The Hydroponic Farm works like the Farm Tile, but irrigation is supplied through a connected Liquid Pipe, while fertilization still must be done manually each cycle.

Harvest timing also matters. If the harvest errand is not performed, a mature crop will remain hanging for 4 cycles while still consuming resources, then fall to the ground; only after that will the plant begin producing another fruit. There is no machine that performs the harvest errand automatically, and the Auto-Sweeper only collects fruit after it has dropped.

Some crops have placement quirks: Pincha Pepper and Dasha Saltvine must be planted in an upside-down tile. The Flower Pot is not suitable for harvestable plants and accepts only decorative plants, since its purpose is to add Decor. Before the Launch Update, this attribute was called farming.