How long do crops take to grow in Rust?

In a watered Large Planter, from 1h 19m (Potato) to 2h 53m (Orchid) of plant life at noon light. Nights lower light, so a real cycle takes longer.

Do plants get sun under a roof in Rust?

Less of the day. Of the hours we checked, open sky had sun at 9:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00; under a stone floor 2.5 m above, only at 9:00, 18:00.

Can you grow crops on bare ground in Rust?

Barely. On natural ground with no water, 10 of 14 crops never ripened. Use a planter and keep it watered.

Which crop has the highest yield in Rust?

Potato, with a yield of 5.14 when ripe, the best of every crop and setup we grew. Yield genes raise it further.

Rust Farming & Crops

Put seeds in a planter, keep it watered and pick them when ripe. What grows fastest, what yields most and which genes to breed for.

Fastest crop: 1h 19m; Potato in a watered planter
Most yield: 5.14; Potato when ripe, the most of any crop
Never ripe on bare ground: 10 of 14; Use a watered planter
Genes to breed: YYYYGG; Y gives more yield, G grows faster. Breed out W and X. Genetics calculator

Every crop, fastest first

Crop	Watered planter	+ Fertilizer	Bare ground	Best yield	Water/min	After picking
Potato	1h 19m	1h 52m	3h 4m	5.14	4	withers
Black Berry	1h 21m	1h 46m	never ripe	2.52	4	withers
Yellow Berry	1h 33m	2h 10m	never ripe	2.47	4	withers
Blue Berry	1h 52m	1h 29m	never ripe	2.01	4	withers
Green Berry	1h 52m	1h 46m	never ripe	2.81	4	withers
White Berry	1h 52m	1h 30m	2h 59m	2.34	4	withers
Corn	2h 8m	1h 34m	never ripe	2.28	4	withers
Pumpkin	2h 8m	1h 18m	4h 10m	2.33	5	gone
Wheat	2h 8m	1h 33m	never ripe	2.35	4	withers
Clothfrom Hemp Seed	2h 16m	2h 3m	never ripe	3.75	5	gone
Rose	2h 16m	2h 3m	never ripe	3.69	5	gone
Sunflower	2h 16m	1h 44m	never ripe	3.03	5	gone
Red Berry	2h 18m	1h 46m	2h 59m	2.58	4	withers
Orchid	2h 53m	1h 37m	never ripe	3.8	20	gone

14 crops, the best of each column in bold. Times are plant life at noon light. Nights lower the light, so a real cycle takes longer. You pick each crop once: then it withers or is gone. Open a crop for its clones, ideal conditions and stage times.

Genes

Gene	Effect
YYield	+25% grown yield, +1 clone per 2 genes
GGrowth	+25% growth speed
HHardiness	+0.2 ground quality off a planter, +0.05 temperature quality
WWater	+10% water use

Each plant has 6 gene slots. Clone a plant to copy its genes. Plant clones side by side to cross-breed. The genetics calculator finds the breed for you. Ground quality: natural soil caps at 0.6, a planter gives 0.6, fertilizer adds +0.4 for the max 1.0. Chicken Pie: better genes on seeds you plant (bad genes get 52% less weight) for 10 min.

Sun under a roof

Hour	0	3	6	9	12	15	18	21
Open sky	-	-	-	Sun	Sun	Sun	Sun	-
Under a floor	-	-	-	Sun	-	-	Sun	-

Checked every 3 hours. A stone floor 2.5 m above cut the sun at 12:00 and 15:00. Keep crops open to the sky.

Where to find seeds

Pick wild plants with E.

Farm gear

Planters

Water

Soil and fertilizer

Animals and traps

Animal output rates are set per server, so they are not listed.

Methodology

Tested in game on our own server. Every crop was grown until ripe three ways: bare ground with no water, a watered Large Planter, and a watered and fertilised Large Planter. Sun hours were read on hemp, open sky and under a stone floor.

Cooking & Smelting Food Spoilage Teas Gathering Deployables Electricity Genetics

Rust farming: common questions

How long do crops take to grow in Rust?: In a watered Large Planter, from 1h 19m (Potato) to 2h 53m (Orchid) of plant life at noon light. Nights lower light, so a real cycle takes longer.
Do plants get sun under a roof in Rust?: Less of the day. Of the hours we checked, open sky had sun at 9:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00; under a stone floor 2.5 m above, only at 9:00, 18:00.
Can you grow crops on bare ground in Rust?: Barely. On natural ground with no water, 10 of 14 crops never ripened. Use a planter and keep it watered.
Which crop has the highest yield in Rust?: Potato, with a yield of 5.14 when ripe, the best of every crop and setup we grew. Yield genes raise it further.