Short answer: Ancient Fruit earns more per tile in almost every setup. As Artisan Wine in the greenhouse, one tile makes 27,720g in the first year against 22,000g for Starfruit, and 36,960g a year once the plant is grown. Starfruit only wins when you count each harvest fresh and have kegs to spare, or need the money within one season outdoors.
Ancient Fruit regrows every 7 days and needs one seed for life; Starfruit sells for more per fruit but must be replanted (400g a seed) every 13 days. Change the setup below.
Results
Why Ancient Fruit usually wins
- Growth: Ancient Fruit takes 28 days, then gives a fruit every 7 days for as long as it lives (all year in the greenhouse; Spring to Fall outdoors). Starfruit takes 13 days and is done.
- Seeds: Starfruit seeds cost 400g at the Oasis every planting. Ancient Seeds are not sold for gold; you get them from artifacts or a Seed Maker, so their cost is not counted here.
- Machines: one Ancient Fruit plant fills a keg almost all the time (Wine takes about 6.25 days, the plant regrows in 7). The tool shows how many machines each crop needs to keep up.
Assumptions
- Every harvest goes into a free machine when you choose Wine or Jelly; machine products ignore fruit quality.
- Starfruit is replanted on each harvest day. Greenhouse years are 112 days.
- Outdoors, each crop counts until it dies: Starfruit at the end of Summer, Ancient Fruit at the end of Fall.