How to Grow Plants in Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress, like the games that it inspired, has a serious emphasis on survival. Your band of merry Dwarves need sustenance to survive and thrive, and that means needing food. There are many food types in Dwarf Fortress, but the most sustainable method of getting food is from farming. Here is how to farm in Dwarf Fortress.

How to farm in Dwarf Fortress

The seasons

Firstly, you should understand that there are four seasons in Dwarf Fortress, which means only certain plants will be available. For best results, you’ll want to start farming the crop at the beginning of the season to have it harvested by the end. Some plants may be multi-seasonal.

Also note that you will need at least one person assigned to farming, so go to the labour panel to do that. Try to assign the best Dwarf for the job.

Preparing farmland

To prepare farmland in Dwarf Fortress, you will need to clear a large section of area underground. Before you hit rock, you will have at least one layer of sand or soil. There will be richer deposits of soil deeper underground, but this initial layer will suffice for now. You will need this area for planting. Depending on your generation, certain aspects may differ, but at long as it isn’t rock and is underground, you should be able to plant on it.

Go into the building menu, then into the workshops menu, then into the farming menu. There will be a building option called Farm Plot. Click on this and then drag a rectangle in a clear space. This will become your farmland. You will need soil or mud and access to water.

For the access to water, you can merely build a well on the surface or tap into the bodies of water underground to make elaborate aquifer systems.

As long as you have access to water, not necessarily connected to water, then it will be fine.

Related: How to make a bedroom in Dwarf Fortress

Planting

With the farmland, you can now plant your seeds or spawn. Click on the farmland to open up the menu. The current season will be marked. There will be a select list of available plants under the season’s tab. Select which seed or spawn you wish to plant. An orange text will say if you don’t have seeds of that type. You can trade or forage for more.

Over time, the gardener will harvest the crop and plant new spawn or seeds. The more proficient they are at it, the more they will be able to harvest from the crop and the faster they’ll be. The crop will be taken to the relevant stockpile.

Fertilizer can be made from making ash in a furnace. Ash requires one wood to produce, and can be used to fertilize the plants for a better yield.

Making food

With the crops, you will be able to prepare food. In the same menu you found the Farm Plot in, select the Farmer’s Workshop and the Kitchen. From those facilities, you can process plants and make meals to feed your hungry Dwarves.

You can automate this process through the work orders menu. Otherwise, keep on top of it.

Keep an eye on Gamer Journalist for more gaming and Dwarf Fortress content, such as how to fish.