Staple food crops
Potatoes
A food crop to consider for less fertile plots, with growth speed still governed by local conditions.
WHERE & HOW TO FARM
Potatoes
A viable, unroofed growing zone on lower-fertility soil near the colony’s food storage.
Before you go
- A zone on terrain that meets the crop’s fertility requirement.
- Potatoes selected as the zone crop.
- A Grow-assigned colonist meeting the plant’s minimum skill requirement.
- A food stockpile or freezer accessible to haulers.
Farming steps
- Inspect the ground and cell information to ensure it is growable; avoid roofs, constructed floors, and infertile terrain.
- Place a growing zone and choose potatoes in its inspect pane.
- Review the crop’s temperature and light needs alongside the local growing period before assigning a large area.
- Enable Grow work for a qualified colonist and keep animals from eating mature plants.
- Allow plants to reach maturity when practical, since immature plants return less harvest than fully grown ones.
- Haul the potatoes to food storage and use them for meals or animal feed as appropriate to the colony’s plans.
- Potatoes can fit a lower-fertility field, but that does not make every poor plot productive; verify minimum fertility in the plant information.
- Use the highest Plants skill colonist for harvesting when convenient, since skill affects harvest yield; other suitable colonists can sow.
Repeat, collect and use
Resow and harvest as long as the local outdoor season and colony needs support the crop. Each planting is a single harvest, and its growth time varies with fertility, temperature, light, and plant rest.
Common mistakes
- Expecting poor soil to reduce the per-plant harvest: fertility affects maturation speed, while maturity and harvest skill influence yield.
- Sowing under a roof or in insufficient light: use an outdoor viable zone or provide appropriate indoor growing conditions.
- Assuming the displayed growth time is a fixed calendar promise: check the crop and environment as conditions change.
When to stop or switch
Switch to a faster or better-suited crop if the season is closing, or stop sowing once food stores are sufficient for the colony’s next needs.
Sources & fact checks
What you can get here
Open a guide to find other locations and see what the item is used for.