Quick Answer
The water and power shutoffs each land on any day inside 0-2 months, unannounced. Eat perishables first while fridges work; fill every container on day one (after the shutoff: sinks/toilets ~20 units, bathtubs 100, dispensers 250 — tainted, boil first). Long game: radish matures in 30 days, cabbage 60, carrot 90, garlic 240, short cycles first — and build rain collector barrels (Carpentry 5, 600 units each) before the taps die; plumbed to a sink, that water is drinkable unboiled. Watch crops for mildew, aphids, pest flies, and slugs; keep weight in 75.1-84.9 so fitness XP flows.
Table of Contents
Crop planning by field
Use the 55-crop table by comparing season and growth first, then water, yield, and disease. Every row gives the decision and the recorded number that settles it — values are Build 42.19, so double-check timing on your build.
| Field decision | Do exactly this | The number that decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Season fit | Match the crop's growth days to your calendar before planting anything: radish 30 days, cabbage 60, carrot 90, garlic 240 | A garlic seed is a 240-day commitment — plant it only at a base you'll still hold eight months from now |
| Water supply | Count units before the taps die — the shutoff lands unannounced inside the first two months, and a rain collector barrel needs Carpentry 5 and holds 600 | Cabbage and strawberry need 80 water; the 30-water grains need barely a third of that — the container math decides your field size |
| Yield target | Plant to the yield column, not to field size: radish yields 4-9 per plant, carrot 3-6, tomato 4-5 | A small bed of the right crop out-feeds a full field of the wrong one — target an amount, then stop planting |
| Disease check | Learn the loop on radish first — it fails cheap in 30 days — and read the bad-months column before expanding the plot | The same disease missed on a 30-day crop costs a month; on 240-day garlic it costs eight |
Growth records: what each seed commits you to
The captured growth records give four anchor crops spanning the whole cycle range. Read the commitment column before you plant — a garlic field is a decision about where you'll be eight months from now.
| Crop | Recorded growth | What that commitment means |
|---|---|---|
| Radish | 30 days | The fast-turnaround crop: plant early, eat inside the month, and learn the farming loop (water targets, weeds, disease checks) on a crop that fails cheap |
| Cabbage | 60 days | The two-month middle ground — a serious food investment but still inside the season a stable base can plan around |
| Carrot | 90 days | A quarter-year commitment. Plant it once the base has a reliable water plan and a defended perimeter, not before |
| Garlic | 240 days | The longest recorded cycle: eight months from seed to harvest. Only worth a field slot in a settled, multi-season plan |
The four crop problems, and what to watch for
The captured care rules name four crop problems — mildew, aphids, pest flies, and slugs or snails — alongside water targets, weeds, and fertilizer. Disease risk scales with water state, weeds, cursed status, and your sandbox settings, so treat every growth day as not fixed until you've seen it in your world rules.
| Problem | Where it comes from | Do this when you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Mildew | A disease condition in the captured rules — check the crop's status, not just its growth bar | Treat or clear the affected plants before the problem spreads through a planted row |
| Aphids | Pest category — appears as a crop state you can inspect | Handle the affected plants and recheck neighboring rows the next day |
| Pest flies | Pest category — same inspection routine | Isolate rather than ignore: one flagged plant is information about the whole plot |
| Slugs and snails | Pest category in the care rules | Clear them on sight and keep the plot's water and weed state where the rules expect it |
| Weeds and water drift | The baseline care state the rules measure everything else against | Keep water at the recorded targets and weeds cleared — both feed directly into disease risk |
Water: from tap to rain barrel
The default sandbox shuts the water off on any day inside the first two months, unannounced. Work this table in order — it runs from cheapest security to permanent supply.
| Stage | Do exactly this | Why / the numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Day one | Fill every bottle, pot, and bucket from the tap, and store them at your shelter | Clean stored water never needs boiling — the cheapest security in the game |
| After the shutoff | Sweep kitchens and bathrooms: sinks and toilets hold ~20 units each, bathtubs 100, water dispensers 250 | All of it is tainted — boil it on a campfire, BBQ, or antique stove before drinking, but it's fine for crops and washing |
| Week two project | Build rain collector barrels — Carpentry level 5, 600 units each — under open sky, and build two, not one | Barrels only fill while it rains. The water is tainted for drinking, fine for crops; plumb a barrel into a sink and that sink's water is safe to drink without boiling |
| The permanent fix | Scout the nearest well (farm properties usually have one) and the nearest lake or river, and note the walk | Wells and open water never shut off — both tainted, boiling stays mandatory |
| Parallel track | Keep the power-free preservation chain ready: eat perishables first, then can and cook what the fridge can no longer hold | Fridges and freezers stop holding when the power dies (its own 0-2 month roll); a generator needs fuel and Electrical skill — a week-two project, not a day-one plan |
Eat in the right order
Food order is a timing decision, not a taste decision. Three rules cover it.
Fresh food first. Everything perishable in your loot is on a countdown set by the power shutoff — its own 0-2 month roll with no warning. Eat the fresh and frozen food while the fridge still runs, and treat the canned staples as the emergency floor you don't touch until the fresh stock is gone. The preservation chain (fridge, freezer, generator, cooking) buys weeks; a can of beans buys certainty.
Watch the calorie pool while you eat. Weight moves on an accumulated pool that caps at 3,700 and bottoms at -2,200: your weight rises while the pool sits above roughly 1,000 + 40 per point over 80, and falls below (weight - 70) x 30. Outside the normal 75.1-84.9 band, fitness XP stops past level 6 — so 'eat everything' is as wrong as 'eat nothing'. Protein between 50 and 300 multiplies strength XP by 1.5, worth managing once the pantry allows choices.
Grow what you can't loot forever. A 55-crop planner is a lot of options, but the anchor records are enough to start: radish inside 30 days teaches the whole farming loop, cabbage at 60 days becomes a real food base, and the long-cycle crops wait until the base itself is settled. Sow inside the recorded windows, keep the water at target, clear the weeds, and check for the four problems — mildew, aphids, pest flies, slugs — every day you water.
Farming database
55 crop records captured from the PZFans Build 42.19 farming table. Days, water, months, yield, and pest notes are reference data and need current Build 42.21 verification.
| Crop | Days | Hours/stage | Harvest stage | Water lvl | Water needed | Sow months | Best | Risk | Bad months | Base yield | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | 108 | 432 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Scythe harvest |
| Bell Pepper | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Apr, May, Jun | May | Jun | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | 2-4 | - |
| Broccoli | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Mar, Jun | Jul | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | - |
| Cabbage | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 80 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Mar, May | Jul | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | Cold-hardy |
| Carrot | 90 | 432 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Feb, Jun | Jul | Jan, Oct, Nov, Dec | 3-6 | - |
| Cauliflower | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | - |
| Corn | 90 | 432 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Cucumber | 90 | 432 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Flax | 108 | 432 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Scythe harvest |
| Garlic | 240 | 1152 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Jul, Aug, Sep | Aug | Sep | Jun | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Slug-proof, Repels aphids |
| Green Peas | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 80 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | Slug-proof |
| Hemp | 240 | 960 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 2-4 | - |
| Hops | 240 | 960 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 3-4 | - |
| Kale | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Mar, Jul | Aug | Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | Cold-hardy |
| Lettuce | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 80 | Feb, Mar, Apr, Jul, Aug, Sep | Mar, Jul | Sep | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | - |
| Onion | 90 | 432 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Feb, Mar | Feb | Mar | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | Slug-proof, Repels aphids, Repels flies |
| Potato | 90 | 432 | 5 | 60 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 3-4 | Slug-proof |
| Pumpkin | 90 | 432 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Radish | 30 | 144 | 5 | 40 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Mar, Jul | Aug | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-9 | Slug-proof |
| Rye | 108 | 432 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Scythe harvest |
| Soybeans | 90 | 432 | 5 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Spinach | 60 | 292 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Mar, Jun | Jul | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 2-4 | - |
| Strawberry | 90 | 360 | 6 | 80 | 80 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Sugar Beet | 60 | 292 | 5 | 40 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Mar, Jun | Jul | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-9 | - |
| Sunflower | 90 | 432 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Sweet Potato | 90 | 432 | 5 | 60 | 70 | May, Jun, Jul | Jun | Jul | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 3-4 | - |
| Tobacco | 180 | 866 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | Mar | Jul | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Tomato | 90 | 360 | 6 | 70 | 80 | Apr, May, Jun | May | Jun | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | 4-5 | Slug-proof |
| Turnip | 60 | 292 | 5 | 60 | 70 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct | Jun, Sep | Jul, Oct | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 3-4 | - |
| Watermelon | 90 | 432 | 5 | 70 | 80 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Wheat | 108 | 432 | 6 | 30 | 70 | Aug, Sep, Oct | Sep | Oct | Jun, Jul | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Scythe harvest |
| Zucchini | 90 | 432 | 5 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb | 2-4 | - |
| Basil | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Mar | Apr | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Repels flies |
| Black Sage | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Apr, May | Jul, Aug | Dec, Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov | 4-6 | - |
| Broadleaf Plantain | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Apr | Jun, Jul | Dec, Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov | 4-6 | - |
| Chamomile | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | - | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Chives | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Apr | Jun, Jul | Dec, Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov | 4-6 | Slug-proof, Repels aphids |
| Cilantro | 60 | 484 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Slug-proof |
| Comfrey | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Mar, Apr | Jun, Jul | Dec, Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov | 4-6 | - |
| Common Mallow | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | Mar, Apr | Jun, Jul | Dec, Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov | 4-6 | - |
| Habanero | 60 | 487 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Apr, May, Jun | May | Jun | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | 2-4 | - |
| Jalapeno | 60 | 487 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Apr, May, Jun | May | Jun | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | 2-4 | - |
| Lavender | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Leek | 150 | 1203 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | - | - | Dec, Jan, Oct, Nov | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Slug-proof, Repels aphids |
| Lemongrass | 60 | 484 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | - | - | Dec, Jan, Oct, Nov | 2-4 | Slug-proof, Repels aphids |
| Marigold | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Repels aphids, Repels flies |
| Mint | 60 | 484 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | - | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Oregano | 60 | 484 | 3 | 60 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Slug-proof |
| Parsley | 60 | 484 | 3 | 70 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Slug-proof |
| Poppy | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Rose | 60 | 484 | 3 | 80 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May | Apr | May | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | - |
| Rosemary | 180 | 1444 | 3 | 30 | 70 | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | - | - | Dec, Jan, Oct, Nov | 2-4 | Slug-proof, Repels aphids, Repels flies |
| Sage | 90 | 721 | 3 | 30 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4-6 | Repels flies |
| Thyme | 60 | 484 | 3 | 30 | 70 | Feb, Mar, Apr | Mar | Apr | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan | 4-6 | Repels aphids |
| Wild Garlic | 240 | 1152 | 5 | 30 | 70 | Jul, Aug, Sep | Aug | Sep | Jun | 2-4 | Cold-hardy, Slug-proof, Repels aphids |
Reference data
PZFans adds a concrete farming record: 55 crops with season, growth, water, yield, and disease fields. The care rules and disease notes are labelled Build 42.19 — community reference values, not current-build test results.
| Crop or rule | Captured value | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| Radish | 30-day growth record | A short-cycle crop reference |
| Cabbage | 60-day growth record | A medium-cycle food crop |
| Carrot | 90-day growth record | A longer crop window |
| Garlic | 240-day growth record | Long-cycle crops are a separate planning case |
| 55-crop planner | Season, growth, water, yield, and disease fields | Filter crops before investing in a farm |
| Care rules | Sow window, Farming Speed 1.0, water, weeds, and fertilizer fields | Check the current world rules before trusting timing |
| Disease records | Mildew, aphids, pest flies, and slugs or snails are separate problems | Match the symptom to the cure before changing the whole farm |
| Disease boundary | Water, weeds, cursed status, and sandbox settings can affect crop risk | There is no single fixed disease rate |
| Water transition | Power and water planning is a separate system | Move from early sinks to stored or renewable water |
FAQ
How long do crops take to grow in Project Zomboid?
The captured growth records: radish 30 days, cabbage 60, carrot 90, and garlic 240 — a range that spans a month to eight months. Start with radish to learn the loop cheap, and leave the long-cycle crops for a settled base. The records are Build 42.19 values and disease risk scales with your sandbox settings, so verify in your own world.
Is rainwater safe to drink?
Not straight from the barrel — rainwater is tainted and must be boiled. The exception: plumb the rain collector into a sink (the barrel needs Carpentry level 5 and holds 600 units) and that sink's water is safe to drink without boiling. Either way it's fine for watering crops and washing.
When does the water shut off?
In the default Apocalypse sandbox, any day inside 0-2 months, with no warning broadcast — which is why filling every container on day one is the rule. After the shutoff, sinks and toilets still hold about 20 units each, bathtubs 100, and water dispensers 250, but all of it is tainted.
Why are my crops getting sick?
The care rules name four problems — mildew, aphids, pest flies, and slugs or snails — and disease risk is affected by water state, weeds, cursed status, and your sandbox settings. Keep water at the recorded targets and weeds cleared, inspect the crop's status (not just its growth bar) daily, and treat or clear affected plants before they spread through the row.
What food should I eat first?
Everything perishable, while the fridge still runs — the power shutoff is its own 0-2 month roll, and fresh food is a countdown after it. Bank the canned staples as the emergency floor. If weight management matters to your build, remember the calorie pool: eating everything stacks the pool (cap 3,700) and pushes weight past the 84.9 line where fitness XP locks.