Gardening (The Sims 3)

Gardening is a skill in The Sims 3.

The skill is augmented by the Green Thumb, Loves The Outdoors traits, and the Super Green Thumb lifetime reward.

Challenges

 * Master Planter
 * A Master Planter must plant every type of plant that can be planted in the game. Once you have mastered the varieties you will be able to reduce weed growth significantly on future plants.
 * Note: 19 types total, ca. 5.2% per type


 * Botanical Boss
 * Botanical Boss must harvest at least 75 Perfect fruits and vegetables. After so many Perfect harvestables, the plants of Botanical Bosses almost never die from neglect.


 * Master Farmer
 * Master Farmers have harvested at least 650 fruits and vegetables. The plants of Master Farmers remain watered and fertilized longer, meaning their gardens are more efficient.

Plants
Plants include things found around town, store bought produce that can be planted, seeds given from leveling up the gardening skill.

Time Needed to mature (mature plants spawn fruit every day around 5-6 AM)
 * Common (x Days)
 * Uncommon (x Days)
 * Special (x Days)
 * Rare (x Days)

If the harvested produce is sold to Grocery Store, it sells at 10% higher value than via inventory hole.

The sales value are as follows, rounded down:
 * Normal: 100%
 * Nice: 110%
 * Very Nice: 150%
 * Great: 200%
 * Excellent: 250%
 * Outstanding: 300%
 * Perfect: 400%

Fertilizer

 * Fertilizer is used to enhance the produce. The quality of the produce will increase as long as the fertilizer is applied. The list of fertilizer effectiveness-time is below:

The time is increased by 1 day for Great, Excellent, and Outstanding fertilizer, and 2 days for perfect fertilizer.

The fertilizer effectiveness is modified by the multiplier below, with 1.0 being normal and 2.0 being perfect.

0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.

Furthermore, having the Master Farmer challenge completed gives an additional 2 days of fertilized time to any plant.

Helpful Tips

 * Sick of watering your plants?

This helpful 'Schprinkler' waters plants on a 5x5 area. Although it seems like a waste of water having to run your sprinkler 24/7 it is totally worth it. You don't need to go near it to turn it on and off, it's remote like music systems. Even though you are not charged for the water, you can upgrade the Schprinkler and make it Auto-Water your plants between 4am and 7am, which is helpful as it starts an hour before the growth occurs, and ends an hour after.

Sim with Green Thumb personality trait will have "Talk To Plant" interaction with plant which will increase the quality of plant produce. Sim with Super Green Thumb Lifetime Reward will grow plant one level of quality higher than the seed or fruit they planted.
 * Green Thumb personality trait and Super Green Thumb Lifetime Reward will help gardening.


 * Search the neighborhood for better quality seeds to start with.

Opportunities

 * Uncommonly Good
 * Bring 20 Excellent Harvestables to the restaurant to recieve the ability to plant Cheese and Eggs.

Outstandingly Rare
 * Bring 10 Excellent Cheeses to the Restaurant. The chef at the restaurant has upped the ante on your gardening abilities. You've been asked to bring in 10 homegrown Cheeses of Excellent quality. It's no simple task, but it is one that'll land you the ability to plant some meaty new items.
 * Allows you to plant steak and hamburger patties.

The Omnificent Plant
 * Bring 10 Outstanding Steaks to the Restaurant. The chef at the restaurant has one final challenge for you to complete before granting you unlimited gardening power! You've been asked to bring in 10 homegrown Steaks of Outstanding quality. It's a nigh impossible order to fill, but you must find a way if you want the Omni Plant!

Garlic Goodness
 * Extreme Life Insurance
 * [Friend] fears a visit from the grim reaper may come all too soon and would like a little... insurance. Grow a Death Flower and deliver it to [Friend] before it's too late. You'll be paid handsomely for this piece of insurance - a wise choice!
 * The Restaurant is featuring a new all-garlic menu to keep up with the current garlic trend all over town. Unfortunately, everyone's eating so much garlic that the restaurant is running low! Grow 3 Very Nice (or better) bulbs of garlic and deliver them to the restaurant. They'll pay for your produce!

Bad Apples
 * bring 10 bad quality apples to the restaurant for stew


 * Outstanding Tasting Ingredients
 * [Friend] is trying to prepare a special recipe at home, but insists upon fresh homegrown ingredients. Unfortunately, [Friend] doesn't know how to garden! Grow 3 Outstanding fruits or vegetables for [Friend] and deliver them to earn some money!


 * Absolutely Great Produce
 * [Friend] is trying to prepare a special recipe at home, but insists upon fresh homegrown ingredients. Unfortunately, [Friend] doesn't know how to garden! Grow 3 Great fruits or vegetables for [Friend] and deliver them to earn some money!