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.
Activities That Level Up Gardening
The following activities contribute experience toward the Gardening skill:
Activity | Details |
|---|---|
Watering Plants | The primary daily gardening task. Each watering session gives moderate XP. |
Fertilizing | Applying fertilizer to planted crops boosts growth speed and provides XP. |
Harvesting Crops | Picking ripe crops grants Gardening XP and yields produce. |
Pruning Bonsai | Available at Level 2 and above. Shaping bonsai trees provides significant XP. |
Sharing Feelings with Plants | A social-style interaction with plants that gives a small XP bonus and improves mood. |
Weeding | Removing weeds from garden plots prevents quality loss and gives minor XP. |
Farming on Cahaya | Growing crops on the Cahaya island uses the same Gardening skill. |
Growing Crops
Crops are planted in garden plots purchased through Build Mode. Different crops unlock at different Gardening levels:
Gardening Level | Crops Unlocked | Seed Cost |
|---|---|---|
Level 0 (Starting) | Lettuce, Tomato, Blueberry | 5M each |
Level 0 (Trees) | Elm Sapling, Bamboo Sapling, Orange Sapling | 140M to 160M |
Level 2 | Carrot, Corn, Eggplant, Potato, Bell Pepper, Sweet Potato, Premium Tomato | 15M each |
Level 6 | Apple Seedling, Lettuce Hydroponic System | 25M |
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:
Metric | Description |
|---|---|
Moisture | Indicates how well-watered the plant is. Drops over time and must be replenished by watering. |
Nutrient Intake | Represents the plant's fertilization level. Applying fertilizer raises this metric. |
Time Remaining | Shows how long until the crop is ready to harvest. This decreases naturally over time. |
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:
Fertilizer Type | Cost |
|---|---|
Normal Fertilizer | 3M |
Special Fertilizer | 10M |
Premium Fertilizer | 10M |
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.
Harvesting and Selling
When crops mature, a Zoi can harvest them. Good-quality harvests yield approximately 500 Meow per crop. Harvested produce serves two purposes:
Cooking Ingredients: Crops like Tomato, Carrot, Corn, and Potato can be used directly as cooking ingredients. For example, harvested Tomatoes are used in Tomato Pasta recipes.
Selling: Excess produce can be sold through the Pocket Market for Meow.
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:
Gardening Level | Bonsai Styles Unlocked |
|---|---|
Level 2 | Basic bonsai pruning available. |
Level 4 | Perfect Form, Nature's Cradle, Winter Fantasy. |
Level 6 | Layers of Hope, Graceful Breath, Curves of Time. |
Level 8 | Dance of the Wind, Everlasting Love. |
Level 10 | Serene Balance, Direction of Life. |
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.
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.
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:
Ambition Level | Requirements |
|---|---|
Level 1 | Buy houseplants 5 times and water plants 3 times. |
Level 2 | Water plants 10 times and reach Gardening Level 6. |
Level 3 | Arrange bonsai 5 times and reach Gardening Level 10. |
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.