Gardening

Overview

Gardening is a skill in inZOI that covers growing plants, tending crops, and pruning decorative bonsai trees. It becomes available from the Teenager life stage onward and can be leveled from 1 to 10. Gardening is one of the most versatile skills in the game, providing ingredients for Cooking, sellable goods through the Pocket Market, and a peaceful gameplay loop for players who enjoy tending to their Zoi's home and yard.

Plant categories

Plants in inZOI fall into three distinct categories, each with different purposes and price ranges:

Flowerpots (8-270 Meow)

Decorative indoor plants like heart hoya, aloe, and variegated monstera. They can be watered to stay fresh but don't grow, don't produce anything, and don't interact with the gardening skill. Purely aesthetic.

Flowers and flowerbeds (10-120 Meow)

Outdoor decorations including grass patches, marigolds, rose shrubs, and flower arches. These grow automatically without any player intervention and are visual-only. No watering needed, no harvest possible.

Growing Plants (5-25 Meow)

The only plants that actually interact with the gardening skill. These grow over time, require daily care, and produce harvestable crops. All gardening skill progression comes from working with these plants. Find them in Build Mode under Furniture > Outdoor > Growing Plants.

Growing Crops

Crops are planted in garden plots purchased through Build Mode. Different crops unlock at different Gardening levels:

Seeds and saplings are purchased from the Build Mode catalog. Once planted, crops take approximately 2 or more in-game days to fully mature. During this time, they require daily watering and fertilizing for optimal results.

Growth Mechanics

Each planted crop has three key metrics that determine its health and harvest quality:

Weeds appear around planted crops and reduce overall quality if left unattended. Regularly weeding the garden plot ensures the best harvest quality. Neglecting watering or fertilizing will produce lower-quality crops that sell for less Meow.

Fertilizer

Three tiers of fertilizer are available for purchase:

Higher-quality fertilizer improves crop nutrient intake more effectively. For budget-conscious players, Normal Fertilizer at 3M is sufficient for early crops, while Premium Fertilizer is worth the investment for high-value Level 6 crops.

Growth and daily care

Plants take roughly 2 or more in-game days to reach maturity, depending on the crop type. Shorter day-length settings in the game options mean faster real-time growth. Daily maintenance involves two actions:

• Watering - click the plant and select "Water." Unwatered plants grow slower and produce lower-quality harvests.

• Fertilizing - click the plant and select "Fertilize." Improves quality alongside watering. Both actions together give the best results.

When the plant is fully grown, a visual indicator appears. Click it and select "Harvest" to collect the produce. Each good-quality harvest earns approximately 500 Meow. The produce goes into the Zoi's inventory and can be used for cooking or sold.

Harvested produce

Crops harvested from the garden do not spoil while in the Zoi's inventory. This means you can stockpile ingredients for cooking without time pressure. Produce can also be sold outright for Meow through the Pocket Market on the smartphone.

Bonsai System

Starting at Gardening Level 2, Zois can purchase a Bonsai Pot Stand and begin pruning decorative bonsai trees. Bonsai pruning is a lucrative creative activity, as finished bonsai can be sold on the Pocket Market for significant Meow. Higher Gardening levels unlock more complex and valuable bonsai styles:

Bonsai quality depends on the Zoi's Gardening level and their emotional state during pruning. Higher-quality bonsai sell for substantially more on the Pocket Market. At Gardening Level 10, a perfectly pruned bonsai can be one of the most valuable single items a Zoi can produce.

How to Level Up

The following activities contribute experience toward the Gardening skill:

Cahaya Farming

The Cahaya island (part of the Island Getaway DLC) introduces an expanded farming system. Cahaya uses dirt plots that hold up to 4 crops per plot. Unique seeds are available on the island that cannot be grown in the main cities:

• Banana: A tropical fruit exclusive to Cahaya farming.

• Mango: Another tropical crop available only through Cahaya island seeds.

Cahaya also features a market stall system where Zois can sell their harvested produce directly to customers. A Wider Sales Stall upgrade costs 330 Meow and allows the Zoi to display and sell more items at once.

Farm Helper service

For Zois who don't have time for daily garden maintenance, the Farm Helper service is available through the Pocket Market app on the smartphone. Hiring a Farm Helper provides 4 hours of automated crop care: the helper waters and fertilizes all plants on the property. Useful for busy Zois with full career schedules.

Connection to Cooking

Gardening and Cooking are closely linked skills. Harvested crops can be used directly as ingredients in recipes. For example, Tomatoes harvested from the garden can be used to make Tomato Pasta, and Carrots can go into stews and other dishes. Growing your own ingredients is significantly cheaper than purchasing them through the Pocket Market app, making Gardening an excellent companion skill for any Zoi pursuing the Cooking path.

Plant Lover Ambition

The Plant Lover Ambition rewards Zois who dedicate themselves to gardening:

Completing all three tiers of the Plant Lover Ambition demonstrates mastery of the Gardening skill and provides satisfaction points toward the Zoi's Desired Life goals.

Tips

• Start with Lettuce, Tomato, and Blueberry seeds at 5M each. These are the cheapest way to begin leveling Gardening and they mature relatively quickly.

• Water and fertilize daily. Skipping even one day can reduce crop quality and slow growth.

• Invest in a Bonsai Pot Stand as soon as you hit Level 2. Bonsai sales on the Pocket Market are one of the best income sources in the game for creative players.

• Grow ingredients you use frequently in Cooking recipes. This eliminates the need to buy them and saves Meow over time.

• Remove weeds promptly. They appear between watering sessions and will lower your harvest quality if left unchecked.

• If you have access to Cahaya, take advantage of the unique tropical seeds. Banana and Mango crops are exclusive to the island and can be sold at the market stall for premium prices.

• Start with tomatoes and lettuce at level 0. They're cheap (5-25 Meow each) and provide early skill experience.

• Water and fertilize every day. Skipping a day noticeably reduces harvest quality and Meow value.

• Once you hit level 2, start pruning bonsai alongside your crops. Bonsai sell well and give good skill experience.

• At level 6, the lettuce hydroponic system lets you grow crops indoors, which is helpful for apartments without yard space.

• Pair gardening with cooking. Homegrown ingredients save you the Meow cost of buying them through the Pocket Market.