How farming works with crops and vegetables in Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
(Image credit: Nintendo)

If you've been diving into Animal Crossing: New Horizons update 2.0 and you're wondering how to get vegetables and crops in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we're here to help. The latest update lets us really live out our agricultural dreams with the introduction of tomatoes, potatoes, and more. While the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween season gave us a taster with pumpkin starts, we can now transform our islands into our very own little farms and use the crops to serve up some tasty Animal Crossing: New Horizons cooking recipes

So, once you've got your overalls on and your watering can at the ready, take a look through our helpful guide on how Animal Crossing: New Horizons farming works - including how to get vegetables and crops, what to do to help your farm thrive, and other useful tips. 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons farming crops 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With different vegetables and crops to grow, you have to make some on your island to plant some lovely little produce patches. Along with the pumpkins we already have in the game, you can see a full list of the crops you can get and grow in Animal Crossing: New Horizons below:  

  • Tomatoes 
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Sugarcane
  • Wheat

How to get Animal Crossing: New Horizons vegetables and crop starts

Animal Crossing: New Horizons farming

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Our Sloth friend Leif now sells produce starts in addition to the seeds and shrubs he usually sells. Not unlike pumpkin starts, you can buy vegetables and crops individually or in bulks of five. All of the new crop starts sell for 280 Bells individually, and for 1,400 Bells in bulk.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons farming

(Image credit: Nintendo)

You'll be able to purchase crop and vegetable starts from Leif when he visits your island and sets up his stall, but you can also open up his shop on Harv's island to be able to get your hands on more produce daily. The groovy dog now has a place for all of the familiar faces to set up shop, which is great news for those of us who can't wait for a certain vendor to pay a visit. 

If you hop on a plane to Harv's island at the airport, you can then donate 100,000 bells to fund a "botany expert with the greenest thumbs". Bear in mind that you can only open one shop through a donation each day, so go for Leif's first if you want to get to more vegetables and crops. The next day, Leif's store will open and you can purchase your veggies to start up your little farm. Leif will usually have two different varieties of crop starts in stock.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With the arrival Animal Crossing: New Horizons Kapp'n boat tours, you can head to different islands for the price of 1000 Nook miles. While you can only go on a tour once per day, you have the chance of finding an island with some of the new crop starts that you can dig up and take back with you. So when you set sail, be sure to look out for any vegetables or crops that may be growing. 

How to look after your farm in Animal Crossing: New Horizons  

Animal Crossing: New Horizons farming

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With all of the new fence designs you can get your hands on in the update, you really can make a lovely little farming space on your island to plant down your crops. When it comes to helping your farms thrive, though, it's naturally good to water your crops each day. As Leif explains, the new produce starts work in much the same way as pumpkins. They will still grow even if you leave them alone, which is great during busy periods when you don't have much time to hop onto your island and tend to your produce. But, if you want a "big and happy harvest", it's best to try and water them daily so you can have the best harvest possible. If you water your crops every day for three days, you'll grow three crops per plant rather than one, so it's definitely worth it. 


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Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.