In the vibrant world of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, the quality of your crops is the single most important factor for success. Unlike other farming simulators where a crop’s value is determined by its type, in this game, every item has a “star rank,” from a measly half-star to a perfect five stars. The higher the star rank, the more money you can sell it for at your weekly bazaar stall. A five-star turnip might be worth several times more than a one-star turnip, and the same goes for all your produce, from eggs and milk to the flowers you forage. This system adds a layer of depth and strategy that rewards meticulous farming practices and long-term planning. For new players, understanding how to increase crop quality is the key to transitioning from a struggling farmer to a wealthy entrepreneur. This guide will provide a step-by-step breakdown of every method for improving your crop quality, from basic daily routines to advanced, long-term strategies.

1. The Daily Grind: Watering and Fertilizing

The foundation of every high-quality crop is a consistent and disciplined daily routine. Your early game efforts should be focused on these two fundamental practices, as they are the most direct way to boost your crop’s star rank from the moment you plant the seed.

  • Daily Watering: The most basic but crucial step is to water your crops every single day. The game also allows you to water your crops twice a day, which can significantly shorten their growth cycle. While this is great for quick profit, it’s been noted by some players that a slightly longer growth cycle allows for more opportunities to apply fertilizer, which is the key to increasing a crop’s star rank.
  • Fertilizer: This is your number one tool for increasing crop quality. You can buy fertilizer from the bazaar, but the most efficient way to get it is by making it yourself. You can turn weeds into fertilizer at the Red Windmill. Simply throw two weeds into the windmill to get one bag of fertilizer. Applying fertilizer to your crops every day will steadily increase their star rank. The higher the quality of your fertilizer, the faster the star rank will increase.

2. Advanced Strategies: The Blue Windmill and Upgrading Seeds

While daily watering and fertilizing are essential, the real secret to reaching five-star crops lies in a process of continuous improvement and strategic seed production. This is where the Blue Windmill comes in, a key building you unlock later in the game. It is a game-changer for long-term progression.

  • The Power of the Blue Windmill: Once you unlock the Blue Windmill, you can process your crops into new seeds. The magic of this process is that the new seeds will retain the star rank of the crops you used to create them. For example, if you have a patch of crops that have reached three stars, you can take a few of them, process them at the Blue Windmill, and you will get three-star seeds. When you plant these new seeds, they will start their growth cycle at three stars, giving you a massive head start on your way to a five-star harvest.
  • Rinse and Repeat: The process to a perfect five-star crop is a simple but time-consuming cycle:
    1. Plant your current best-quality seeds.
    2. Apply fertilizer to them every day until they are ready for harvest.
    3. Harvest your crops, which will now have a higher star rank.
    4. Take a few of the newly harvested, higher-quality crops and process them at the Blue Windmill to make new seeds.
    5. Plant the new, higher-quality seeds and repeat the process.

This “rinse and repeat” method is the most reliable way to steadily increase the quality of all your crops. It’s a key part of the game’s core progression loop and a rewarding system that makes your long-term efforts feel meaningful.

3. Permanent Upgrades and Other Methods

Beyond your daily farming and the seed-making process, there are a few other ways to boost your crop quality. These are permanent upgrades that will benefit you for the rest of your game.

  • Upgrading Your Field’s Soil: You can pay for an upgrade to your field’s soil quality. This upgrade, which is purchased from a specific character, will permanently improve the soil’s quality, making it easier for every crop you plant to reach a higher star rank. It is a crucial investment for any serious farmer.
  • Winning Festivals: Participating in and winning crop festivals is a great way to improve your crop’s quality. When you win a festival with a specific crop, that crop’s star rank can increase beyond the standard five-star limit, unlocking even more valuable versions of it.

By combining daily routines with long-term strategic investments, you will not only increase your crop quality but also become a master of the game’s complex but rewarding economy. The path to a five-star farm is a testament to your dedication, and it is the key to becoming a legendary farmer in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar.