Stupid fruit trees...wish I'd known!

[Magpie]

In years 1 and 2 when my resources are really stretched, I'm prompted to spend a good chunk of my limited cash on fruit trees so I'll have a full set for year 2 and beyond as a long-term investment, increasing quality, yada yada. Okay, I'll be smart and responsible. Halfway through spring, as I grind my teeth facing the purchase of my last two saplings for fall, I suddenly realize that increased fruit quality won't translate to potential artisan products, the crop yields and sales are small, and in fact the sacrifices I'm making in early game won't really come to fruition (grr) in a meaningful way in the years to come. It dawns on me that the (minor at best) benefits of fruit trees would come from year-round crops in the greenhouse which of course I don't have yet.

True, bundles need to be completed, but I might have made at least one different decision had I realized this (avoiding spoilers) and I could have put 25,400g toward other goals. I just hope this helps some other newbie.

[purplepentapi]

If you turn your fruit into wine (in kegs) and then age that to irridium quaality in the cellar then you can get good profit from fruit trees.

[Nakos]

I try to make sure I get an Apple Sappling into the ground by mid summer, but that's the only one I really push hard on. That one can be used for the Artisinal bundle and is necessary for the Fodder bundle.

Beyond that, I tend to focus on more immediately productive things.

The Enchanter bundle needs a Pomegranate, but I don't usually have the 6k to spare that early, so unless I see one on the Witch's cart, I put that off until the second fall when cash is more available.

Emily has a quest for an Apricot and Cherries can be used in the Artisinal bundle too, so those are usually the next two I focus on.

Peaches and Oranges can wait.

[Abalister]

Originally posted by Nakos:

I try to make sure I get an Apple Sappling into the ground by mid summer, but that's the only one I really push hard on. That one can be used for the Artisinal bundle and is necessary for the Fodder bundle.

Beyond that, I tend to focus on more immediately productive things.

The Enchanter bundle needs a Pomegranate, but I don't usually have the 6k to spare that early, so unless I see one on the Witch's cart, I put that off until the second fall when cash is more available.

Emily has a quest for an Apricot and Cherries can be used in the Artisinal bundle too, so those are usually the next two I focus on.

Peaches and Oranges can wait.

The bat cave provides all 6 fruits within the first weeks of opening the cave. No need to spend all this money on seeds in early game. :D

[Nakos]

Originally posted by Abalister:

The bat cave provides all 6 fruits within the first weeks of opening the cave. No need to spend all this money on seeds in early game. :D

Hmm, I suppose. I usually go with the Mushrooms.

[Magpie]

The fruit cave is what I had in mind when I said I might have made a different decision if I'd realized this about fruit trees.

[coxgobbler]

fruit treese are worthless even in the green house. bat cave for the bundle and invest elseware.
pretty much only use fruit trees for gifting. keg/cask is great but by the point you have a large enough production of them you should already be filling them with starfruit/ancient fruit.

[Coffeefox]

Dont rely on fruit bats for bundle completion. I get LOTS of spice berries, Black berries, and Salmon berries (joy) but I've only gotten oranges once in almost a year. And oranges arent in any bundle unless you want to use them for the artisan.

[Mrrshan68]

Yeah fruit bats are super random due to forage berries being a legit thing they can drop.
Fruit trees in general need a buff, for how damn expensive they are and how much room they take up its just nonsensical to plant them atm unless its to look nice or complete bundles.

I mean sure not everything has to be perfectly balanced but fruit trees are so far behind literally ANYTHING else.
Even wild trees with a tapper will easily outstrip fruit trees and they can grow closer together!

[☯ Icy ᚱᛖᛞ ᛊᛟᛞᚨ▲]

If you want to make a nice amount of money fast at the start of the game fish only for the first season and leave crops and other stuff until Summer and Autumn.

[Blizz Fizz]

Originally posted by Mrrshan68:

Yeah fruit bats are super random due to forage berries being a legit thing they can drop.
Fruit trees in general need a buff, for how damn expensive they are and how much room they take up its just nonsensical to plant them atm unless its to look nice or complete bundles.

I mean sure not everything has to be perfectly balanced but fruit trees are so far behind literally ANYTHING else.
Even wild trees with a tapper will easily outstrip fruit trees and they can grow closer together!

I have a 50 apple tree orchard (along with 2-4 each of the other trees) it's super easy to run past them row after row, knocking down and collecting 150 apples in no time flat every 3 days.

They cost no time or money once they're in the ground and they'll produce forever. And each year the fruit they produce becomes more valuable. Fruit trees are not for a quick buck, but a long term investment.

[Mrrshan68]

Originally posted by Blizz Fizz:

I have a 50 apple tree orchard (along with 2-4 each of the other trees) it's super easy to run past them row after row, knocking down and collecting 150 apples in no time flat every 3 days.

They cost no time or money once they're in the ground and they'll produce forever. And each year the fruit they produce becomes more valuable. Fruit trees are not for a quick buck, but a long term investment.

So?
You basically just proved my point, you planted an orchard for decoration and thats cool but it doesnt change the fact that if you did literally anything else with that land your return would be much higher.

Fruit trees are not an investment they are a money sink, 4,000 gold for a tree that makes 25g per day.
Compare this to say buying crabpots from willy for 1500 gold that return an average of about 45g a day.

[Blizz Fizz]

Originally posted by Mrrshan68:

Originally posted by Blizz Fizz:

I have a 50 apple tree orchard (along with 2-4 each of the other trees) it's super easy to run past them row after row, knocking down and collecting 150 apples in no time flat every 3 days.

They cost no time or money once they're in the ground and they'll produce forever. And each year the fruit they produce becomes more valuable. Fruit trees are not for a quick buck, but a long term investment.

So?
You basically just proved my point, you planted an orchard for decoration and thats cool but it doesnt change the fact that if you did literally anything else with that land your return would be much higher.

Fruit trees are not an investment they are a money sink, 4,000 gold for a tree that makes 25g per day.
Compare this to say buying crabpots from willy for 1500 gold that return an average of about 45g a day.

Decoration? Really now.
25g per day if you're counting all 4 seasons, which I'm sure isn't how you figure the return on any other crops that are seasonal, and you're also ignoring the increase in quality each year. They pay themselves off by the second year, after which comes completely maintenance-free, very quick and easy to collect, permanent, steady profit.

I don't see how there's enough time in the day to utilize 100% of the available land for crops to begin with, so that's a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. And as they say, time is money...

Again. Long-term investment.

[Magpie]

@Blizz Fizz are you processing your apples, or just selling them outright?

[Duplo]

Googling "best crops to plant" would have been your friend if you wanted to maximize profits early on friendo. Since you're already moving into year 2, strawberries, blueberries, hops (turn it into pale ale), cranberries, and ancient fruits (once you find ancient seeds, warning, takes 28 days to grow) are the top money makers. Then eventually turn it all into wine when you have kegs.

[Magpie]

@Duplo I did read about best crops to plant. I also read urgent posts about making sure you get your trees planted in time. I think even the game warns you to do that. Thanks for your suggestions. My ancient fruit plant has 5 more days until it bears fruit. :) The thing about crops is that most of the stuff I grow, I need to save. I'd love to have a cash-happy field of expensive and useless somethings. ;)