Rice Shoot

Rice Shoot is a type of seed that grows into Unmilled Rice, which is harvested with a Scythe. It behaves like a normal crop when planted on most farm tiles, but it also has a special rice-paddy rule: if it is planted within 3 tiles of a Farm Pond or a natural water source in any direction, it is considered irrigated and does not need to be watered.

Rice Shoots can be bought at Pierre's General Store starting in year 2, and they may also appear in the Traveling Cart. They can also be obtained from regular and Golden Fishing Treasure Chests in Spring, Artifact Spots in Spring, the Seed Maker, or as monster drops. Grubs in the Mines can drop them, and they can also come from Mutant Grubs in the Skull Cavern's Prehistoric Floors or the Mutant Bug Lair. In Winter, Haunted Skulls can drop them, and in Spring, Wilderness Golems can drop them as well.

A planted Rice Shoot normally takes 8 days to mature if it is watered each day. If it is planted in an irrigated tile, it matures in only 6 days and does not require watering at all. Unlike some other crops, the irrigated tiles do not need to be connected to one another or directly adjacent to the pond or water source; each qualifying tile is checked individually.

This makes Rice Shoot especially useful on farms with water nearby, since the crop can be placed in pockets around ponds, rivers, or other natural water features to take advantage of the shorter growth time. On farms with less water access, it still functions as a standard seasonal crop, but it loses the irrigation bonus and must be watered normally.

• The crop can be found before it is sold in Pierre's shop, since it can appear in Fishing Treasure Chests, Artifact Spots, and monster drops starting in year 1.
• Only nearby Farm Ponds or natural water sources count for irrigation; Wells and Fish Ponds do not.
• The irrigation effect applies in any direction within 3 tiles, making it easier to place than a strict adjacent-only crop.
• It is shown as automatically irrigated in the listed areas on Standard Farm, Riverland Farm, Forest Farm, Hill-top Farm, Wilderness Farm, Four Corners Farm, Beach Farm, and Meadowlands Farm layouts.