Lush is the most important variant in Garden Horizons. A Lush plant sells for 3× its base value, making it the cornerstone of every efficient farming strategy. This guide explains exactly how the Lush mechanic works, how long it takes, and how to protect your investment once you get there.
What is Lush?
Every plant in Garden Horizons has a variant level that determines its sell multiplier. The variant progression is:
| Variant | Multiplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🟤 Unripe | 1× | Freshly planted — lowest value |
| 🟡 Ripened | 2× | Mid-stage — worth holding |
| 🟢 Lush | 3× | Full ripeness — primary target |
| ⚪ Silver | TBA | Color variant — higher multiplier |
| 🟡 Gold | TBA | Color variant — premium multiplier |
| 🌈 Rainbow | TBA | Color variant — maximum multiplier |
Lush (3×) is the goal for every farming session. Silver, Gold, and Rainbow are advanced color variants beyond Lush that require additional conditions — most players target Lush first and build from there.
How the Ripening Process Works
Plants ripen over time while you are online and in-game. The ripening clock does not tick while you are offline. This means a plant does not sit in the ground and ripen on its own overnight — you need to be actively playing.
The progression goes: Unripe → Ripened → Lush. The time required depends on the plant species. Faster crops like Carrot reach Lush quickly; premium crops like Beetroot take much longer but reward you with a far higher base price once Lush.
⚠️ Offline = no progress
Ripening Time by Plant
Below are the confirmed ripening time estimates for plants with known data. Times are approximate and may be refined as more player data is collected.
| Plant | Base Price 💰 | Base Weight | Lush Price Est. 💰 | Session Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Carrot | 30 | 0.07 kg | ~90 | Short (15–20 min) |
 Corn | 15 | 0.18 kg | ~45 | Short (15–20 min) |
 Mushroom | 40 | 0.03 kg | ~120 | Short–Medium |
 Strawberry | 32 | 0.02 kg | ~96 | Short–Medium |
 Onion | 300 | 0.13 kg | ~900 | Medium (30–45 min) |
| Apple | 270 | 0.19 kg | ~810 | Medium (30–45 min) |
 Beetroot | 3,750 | 0.09 kg | ~11,250 | Long (45+ min) |
ℹ️ Weight matters too
Using the Favoriting Tool
The Favoriting Tool is one of the most important pieces of gear in Garden Horizons. It allows you to mark specific plants on your plot. Favorited plants:
- Are visually highlighted so you can track them at a glance
- Are protected from accidental mass harvests
- Make it easy to identify which plants are closest to Lush
Buy the Favoriting Tool from Molly as soon as you can afford it. It pays for itself immediately by preventing the frustrating mistake of harvesting a nearly-Lush plant too early.
Protecting Your Investment
Once a plant is close to or at Lush, it is worth protecting carefully:
Favorite it immediately
Watch the weather before harvesting
Avoid harvesting mid-session
Is Lush Always Worth Waiting For?
Short answer: yes. The 3× Lush multiplier is so impactful that for nearly every plant, waiting is the right decision. Consider:
| Plant | Sold at Unripe | Sold at Lush | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrot | 30 💰 | ~90 💰 | +60 💰 (+200%) |
| Onion | 300 💰 | ~900 💰 | +600 💰 (+200%) |
| Beetroot | 3,750 💰 | ~11,250 💰 | +7,500 💰 (+200%) |
The only exception is if you desperately need Shillings mid-session to buy more seeds and cannot wait. Otherwise, always let plants reach Lush before selling.
💡 Lush + Mutation = maximum value