Spring Crop Dominance: Cash In on Stardew Valley's Most Profitable First Season Plants (2025 Guide)
Spring Crop Profitability Calculator
Find the most profitable crops for your Stardew Valley farm (Updated for 1.6.9)
Spring Crop Profitability Rankings
Rank | Crop | Seed Cost | Growth Days | Harvests | Sell Price | Total Profit | Profit/Day | Notes |
---|
Strategic Recommendations
Spring Planting Timeline
Strawberry Strategy
Strawberries are only available at the Egg Festival (Spring 13). Consider:
- Year 1: Plant some for immediate returns, save the rest for Year 2
- Year 2+: Plant on day 1 for maximum harvests (5-6 total)
- With Deluxe Speed-Gro, you can get an additional harvest
Processing Value
Processing increases crop value:
- Preserves Jar: ×2 + 50g (faster processing)
- Keg (Vegetables): ×2.25 value
- Keg (Fruits): ×3 value
- Artisan Profession: +40% to processed goods
Stardew Valley Spring Crop Calculator • Based on game version 1.6.9 • Updated for 2025
Spring Crop Dominance: Cash In on Stardew Valley’s Most Profitable First Season Plants (2025 Guide)
Let’s cut straight to the chase: Strawberries are the most profitable spring crop in Stardew Valley with 11.67g per day, followed by Rhubarb (9.2g/day), Potatoes (8.3g/day), and Cauliflower (7.9g/day). But there’s a major catch – you can’t get strawberries until the Egg Festival on Spring 13, and rhubarb requires Desert access. Jump to our Day-by-Day Spring Planting Strategy for an immediate action plan that will maximize your profits no matter when you start playing.
Spring sets the financial foundation for your entire farm year. The crops you choose and when you plant them can mean the difference between struggling through summer or expanding aggressively. This guide breaks down every spring crop in Stardew Valley through patch 1.6.9, with proven strategies for both new farmers and veterans looking to optimize their operations.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing crop rotations, profit calculations, and growth optimizations across multiple farm saves. Whether you’re just starting your first farm or planning your fifth year’s spring strategy, you’ll find actionable advice that fits your exact situation.
First Year Spring Strategy: Day 1 to Season End
Your approach to spring crops should evolve as the season progresses. Let’s break down the optimal strategy based on where you are in the season, with specific approaches for new farms versus established operations.
Early Spring (Days 1-12): Starting From Scratch
The first twelve days of spring present unique challenges for new farmers. You’re balancing limited energy, basic tools, minimal starting funds (500g), and the need to quickly establish income.
Day 1 Priority: Parsnips
On your very first day, after clearing just enough land:
- Plant all 15 parsnip seeds you received from Mayor Lewis
- Clear additional space for more crops if energy permits
- Purchase additional parsnip seeds if you have money left after essential tool upgrades
Parsnips aren’t the most profitable crop, but they provide crucial advantages for beginners:
- 4-day growth cycle (harvest on day 5)
- Low initial investment (20g per seed)
- Quick return to reinvest in more profitable crops
// Day 1-4 Parsnip ROI Calculator
const parsnipSeedCost = 20;
const parsnipBaseValue = 35; // Without quality bonuses
const parsnipGrowthDays = 4;
const dailyProfit = (parsnipBaseValue - parsnipSeedCost) / parsnipGrowthDays;
console.log(`Daily profit from parsnips: ${dailyProfit}g`); // 3.75g per day
Days 5-12 Strategy: Upgrade to Potatoes and Cauliflower
After harvesting your parsnips on day 5, you’ll have approximately 525g (initial 15 parsnips × 35g = 525g) plus your remaining starting money. Now you face a strategic choice:
Crop | Seed Cost | Days to Grow | Sell Value | Profit | Gold/Day | Special Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potato | 50g | 6 | 80g | 30g | 5g | 25% chance for extra potato (+20g value) |
Kale | 70g | 6 | 110g | 40g | 6.67g | No special properties |
Cauliflower | 80g | 12 | 175g | 95g | 7.92g | Can form giant crops for bonus yield |
Recommended Day 5-12 Mix:
- 50% potatoes (faster turnaround, guaranteed harvest before Egg Festival)
- 25% cauliflower (higher profit but won’t mature until after Egg Festival)
- 25% kale (good balance of growth time and profit)
This balanced approach ensures you have:
- Consistent income flow from potatoes
- Higher profit potential from cauliflower
- Diverse crops for Community Center bundles
- Crops maturing at different times to spread out your harvesting workload
Pro Tip: On days 5-12, focus mining efforts on reaching mine level 40 to gather resources for sprinklers. This dramatically reduces the energy cost of watering and allows you to plant more crops after the Egg Festival.

- Base sell value: 120g per strawberry
- Regrowth time: 4 days (allows for potentially two harvests if planted immediately)
- Profit calculation: 20g profit on first harvest, then 120g profit per additional harvest
This creates a strategic question with two valid approaches:
Option 1: Plant Immediately
- Initial harvest on day 21
- Second harvest on day 25
- Total profit per seed: 20g + 120g = 140g
- Profit per day: approximately 8.75g/day
Option 2: Save for Next Year
- Store seeds until Year 2, Day 1
- Plant all strawberries on Year 2, Spring 1
- Potential for 6 harvests throughout the season
- Total profit per seed: 20g + (5 × 120g) = 620g
- Effective profit per day: approximately 22.14g/day
The optimal decision depends on your current financial situation and goals:
- If you need immediate funds: Plant a portion (30-50%) of strawberries now to fund summer crops and save the rest for next year
- If you’re financially stable: Save all strawberries for next year to maximize long-term profits
- If you have access to the Greenhouse: Save strawberries to plant in the greenhouse for year-round production
Critical Decision Point: How many strawberry seeds should you purchase? Buy as many as possible while leaving at least 1,000-1,500g for summer crop seeds. Each strawberry seed is essentially a long-term investment with guaranteed returns.
 or digging artifact spots in late winter/early spring
- Growth time: 3 days (fastest in the game)
- Selling price: 35g
- Profit per crop: 35g (seed cost is effectively free)
- Profit per day: 11.67g
Unique Properties:
- Seeds cannot be purchased with gold
- Fastest-growing crop in the game
- Can fit 9 harvests in a single spring
- No seed cost (if you have maple seeds)
Strategic Applications:
Carrots serve several valuable purposes:
- Early-game profit when cash is limited
- Quick growth for immediate returns
- Excellent energy source when eaten (30 energy)
- Required ingredient for several recipes
Acquisition Strategy:
- Collect Maple Seeds from Maple Trees in winter/early spring
- Visit the Raccoon Family Store to trade for Carrot Seeds
- Alternatively, dig artifact spots between Winter 21 and Spring 20 for a chance at Carrot Seeds
Resource Optimization: Since Carrots require alternative resources (Maple Seeds) rather than gold, they can be grown alongside your main gold-purchased crops for maximum land utilization.
/Pierre (Year 2+) | -33% growth time | All crops |
| Hyper Speed-Gro | 1 Radioactive Ore, 1 Solar Essence, 1 Bone Fragment | N/A | -33% growth time + quality chance | Late-game crops |
**Growth Time Reductions:**
| Crop | Normal Growth | Basic | Quality | Deluxe |
|------|---------------|-------|---------|--------|
| Cauliflower | 12 days | 11 days | 9 days | 8 days |
| Rhubarb | 13 days | 12 days | 10 days | 9 days |
| Potato | 6 days | 5 days | 5 days | 4 days |
| Strawberry | 8 days | 7 days | 6 days | 5 days |
| Green Bean | 10 days | 9 days | 8 days | 7 days |
**Harvest Count Impact:**
The true value of Speed-Gro comes from enabling additional harvests within the season:
| Crop | Normal Harvests | With Deluxe Speed-Gro |
|------|-----------------|------------------------|
| Cauliflower | 2 | 3 |
| Rhubarb | 2 | 3 |
| Potato | 4 | 7 |
| Strawberry (Year 2) | 6 | 7-8 |
| Coffee Bean | 9 | 11-12 |
**Breakeven Analysis:**
// Speed-Gro Breakeven Calculator
function calculateSpeedGroROI(cropProfit, normalGrowth, reducedGrowth, speedGroCost) {
const normalHarvests = Math.floor(28 / normalGrowth);
const boostedHarvests = Math.floor(28 / reducedGrowth);
const additionalHarvests = boostedHarvests - normalHarvests;
const additionalProfit = additionalHarvests * cropProfit;
const netProfit = additionalProfit - speedGroCost;
return {
normalHarvests,
boostedHarvests,
additionalHarvests,
additionalProfit,
netProfit,
worthIt: netProfit > 0
};
}
// Example: Deluxe Speed-Gro on Cauliflower
console.log(calculateSpeedGroROI(95, 12, 8, 80));
// Expected: 1 additional harvest, +95g profit, +15g net (worthwhile)
**Strategic Recommendations:**
1. **Long-Growth Priority:** Prioritize Speed-Gro on crops with long growth cycles that just miss harvest breakpoints
2. **Early Application:** Apply Speed-Gro at the start of the season for maximum benefit
3. **Year 2 Strawberries:** Deluxe Speed-Gro on day 1 strawberries provides exceptional returns
4. **Rhubarb Optimization:** Using Deluxe Speed-Gro on rhubarb can enable 3 full harvests versus the standard 2
> **Optimization Secret:** The Agriculturist profession (+10% growth speed) stacks with Speed-Gro effects, potentially enabling even more harvests.
 Start with parsnips and quickly transition to potatoes and cauliflower, (2) Buy strawberry seeds at the Egg Festival-plant some immediately and save the rest for next year, (3) Unlock the desert for rhubarb access as soon as possible, (4) Integrate Speed-Gro and Quality Fertilizer strategically based on crop type and planting date, (5) Process high-value crops into artisan goods for maximum returns.
## Further Resources
- [Stardew Profits Calculator](https://thorinair.github.io/Stardew-Profits/) - Interactive crop profit optimization tool
- [Stardew Valley Wiki Crop Page](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Crops) - Complete crop reference data
- [Spring Farm Layout Templates](https://imgur.com/gallery/vNUoR) - Community-created optimal farm layouts
- [Community Center Bundle Checklist](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Bundles) - Complete bundle requirement reference
- [Stardew Valley 1.6 Update Notes](https://www.stardewvalley.net/stardew-valley-1-6-update-full-changelog/) - Complete changelog of latest major update
Stardew Valley Spring Crop Patch History
| Date | Version | Changes | Impact on Spring Crops |
|------|---------|---------|------------------------|
| Mar 19, 2024 | 1.6.0 | Added Carrot crop | New free spring crop option using Maple Seeds |
| Mar 19, 2024 | 1.6.0 | Added Raccoon Family Store | New seed acquisition method (Carrots) |
| Mar 19, 2024 | 1.6.0 | Added Desert Festival | New event during spring, plan farm work accordingly |
| Apr 15, 2024 | 1.6.4 | Fixed various crop-related bugs | Improved stability for farm operations |
| Nov 5, 2024 | 1.6.9 | Added items to shops | Adventurer's Guild, Marnie, Hat Mouse expansions |
| Nov 5, 2024 | 1.6.9 | Fruit tree growth no longer blocked by grass/seeds | Easier to maintain fruit trees near crop areas |
| Feb 26, 2025 | 1.6.15.1 (Switch) | Fixed random gift glitch | NPC gift preferences properly categorized again |
| Apr 27, 2025 | Current | Latest version available | All information current as of this date |