Farming Guide
1-99 Training Path
Farming is the ultimate AFK skill! Train passively with tree runs (5 minutes/day), herb runs for profit (1M+ GP/day), and farming contracts. Level up while doing other activities!
📋 Table of Contents
⭐ Why Farming is the Best Skill
Farming is the lowest effort skill in OSRS. You can gain 350K-550K XP per week for less than 1 hour of work! It's not a slow skill - it's a SUPER AFK skill.
Plant your trees, log out, go to work/school, come back hours later and harvest for massive XP drops. Meanwhile, herb runs provide steady passive income (300K+ GP per run, every 80 minutes).
💡 Pro tip: Don't think of Farming like other skills. You're not grinding - you're just checking in a few times per day!
👨🌾 Farmer's Outfit (2.5% XP Boost)
The Farmer's Outfit is a reward from Tithe Farm minigame that gives 2.5% XP boost when wearing the full set.
Cost: 400 reward points from Tithe Farm
Time to obtain: 4-8 hours depending on farming level
Worth it? Yes! Tithe Farm also gives up to 100K farming XP/hr, so you're leveling while getting the outfit.
Magic Secateurs
Reward from Fairy Tale Part I quest. Increases herb yield by 10% - absolutely essential for herb runs! This is the most important farming item you need.
🚀 Fastest Method: Tree Runs
Levels 1-33: Questing
Skip the early grind with quests! Complete these for quick levels:
| Quest | XP Reward | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Fairy Tale Part I | 3,500 XP | 1 → 20 |
| Forgettable Tale... | 5,000 XP | 20 → 27 |
| Garden of Tranquillity | 5,000 XP | 27 → 30 |
| My Arm's Big Adventure | 5,000 XP | 30 → 33 |
Levels 15-99: Tree Runs
Trees are the fastest XP method. There are 6 tree patches available, allowing massive XP drops twice daily.
| Level | Tree | XP per Tree | Growth Time | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Oak | 481 | 2h 20min | Basket of tomatoes |
| 30 | Willow | 1,482 | 3h 40min | Basket of apples |
| 45 | Maple | 3,448 | 5h 20min | Basket of oranges |
| 60 | Yew | 7,151 | 6h 40min | 10 cactus spines |
| 75 | Magic | 13,914 | 8 hours | 25 coconuts |
💰 At 75+ with magic trees, you can gain up to 170K XP per day from tree runs alone!
Levels 27-99: Fruit Tree Runs
Combine fruit trees with regular trees for massive XP. Fruit trees take 16 hours to grow (once per day).
| Level | Fruit Tree | XP per Tree | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Apple | 1,273 | 9 sweetcorn |
| 51 | Pineapple | 4,792 | 10 watermelons |
| 57 | Papaya | 6,380 | 10 pineapples |
| 68 | Palm | 10,510 | 15 papaya fruits |
| 81 | Dragonfruit | 17,895 | 15 coconuts |
💡 Pineapple and papaya are incredibly cheap! If you're on a budget, stick with these until 99.
Special Trees & Hardwoods
Calquat Tree (Level 72)
12,226 XP per tree, 21.3 hour growth time. Located in Tai Bwo Wannai. Payment: 8 poison ivy berries. Easy 12K+ XP daily!
Hardwood Trees (Level 35+, Fossil Island)
Teak (35): 7,290 XP, 2d 17h growth. Mahogany (55): 15,720 XP, 3d 13h growth. Plant both for huge passive XP!
Redwood Tree (Level 90, Farming Guild)
22,680 XP per tree, 106.7 hour growth (4.5 days). Plant once weekly for massive XP drops!
💰 Budget Method: Fruit Trees
Skip Regular Trees - Focus on Fruit Trees
Regular trees are expensive. Skip them and focus entirely on fruit trees for budget-friendly training.
With papaya trees: 50K XP per day for minimal cost (~4K GP per tree). Combined with hardwood trees twice a week, you get 350K-550K XP per week for less than 1 hour of work.
Budget Fruit Tree Costs
• Apple trees (27-33): Break even
• Banana trees (33-39): Break even
• Pineapple trees (51-57): +1K GP profit
• Papaya trees (57-99): ~4K GP cost per tree
Total weekly cost with papayas + calquat + hardwoods: Very affordable!
🌿 Herb Runs (Moneymaking)
Why Do Herb Runs?
Herb runs are the best consistent moneymaker in OSRS. 300K+ GP per run, every 80 minutes! This funds your expensive tree runs.
Requirements:
- Magic Secateurs (Fairy Tale Part I) - ESSENTIAL for +10% herb yield
- Ultracompost (not supercompost!) - +20% yield over supercompost
- 9 herb patches available (Lumbridge, Falador, Catherby, Ardougne, Hosidius, etc.)
Best Herbs to Plant
Use a herb run calculator to find current best profits, but generally:
- Toadflax: Safest option - cheap seeds, high profit, low risk
- Ranarr: Higher profit but more expensive seeds
- Snapdragon: Highest profit for high-level accounts
💡 Always use ultracompost and magic secateurs - they dramatically increase profit!
Ultracompost vs Supercompost
Many players use supercompost thinking it's just for preventing disease. Wrong! Ultracompost increases herb yield by 20% compared to supercompost. This is HUGE for profit. Always use ultracompost!
🏛️ Farming Guild & Contracts
Unlocking the Farming Guild
Requirements: 45 Farming, 60% Hosidius favour
Location: Kebos Lowlands
Getting there: Skills necklace teleport, Fairy ring C-I-Q, or spirit tree (83 Farming)
3 Tiers: Beginner (45+), Intermediate (65+), Advanced (85+)
Farming Contracts
Farming contracts are like Slayer tasks for Farming. Request a contract from Guildmaster Jane, plant the assigned crop, check health or harvest, return for seed pack rewards.
Average rewards:
- Beginner contract: ~15K GP per seed pack
- Intermediate contract: ~50K GP per seed pack
- Advanced contract: ~100K GP per seed pack
💡 Pro tip: Always keep your guild patches planted with high-level crops. When you get a contract, it might already be done!
Farming Guild Patches
Beginner Tier (45+)
- Allotment patches (2)
- Flower patch
- Bush patch
- Cactus patch
- Herb patch
Higher Tiers (65+, 85+)
- Tree patch (65+)
- Hespori patch (65+)
- Anima patch (65+)
- Fruit tree patch (85+)
- Celastrus tree (85+)
- Redwood tree (90+)
🎮 Tithe Farm Minigame
Overview
Tithe Farm is the only way to train Farming in a non-AFK way. Plant and maintain fast-growing fruits for quick XP. Required to obtain the Farmer's Outfit.
Location: Hosidius, Kourend
How it works: Plant seeds, water repeatedly, harvest before they die (collect 100 fruits per instance)
XP Rates:
- 34 Farming: 20-30K XP/hr
- 54 Farming: 50-60K XP/hr
- 74 Farming: 80-100K XP/hr
Recommended Setup
Inventory:
- Full graceful outfit (or weight-reducing armor)
- 8 watering cans
- Rune pouch with runes for Humidify spell (if Lunar spellbook)
- Spade and seed dibber
- Stamina potions
- 2 free inventory slots for seeds/fruits
💡 Humidify spell from Lunar spellbook makes this MUCH easier!
🆓 F2P Farming Guide
Free-to-play Farming is extremely limited - only allotment patches available:
F2P Training Path
| Levels | Method | XP per Harvest | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Potato allotments | ~50 XP | ~60 mins |
| 5-9 | Onion allotments | ~70 XP | ~60 mins |
| 9-14 | Cabbage allotments | ~90 XP | ~60 mins |
| 14-31 | Tomato allotments | ~120 XP | ~60 mins |
| 31-99 | Sweetcorn allotments | ~160 XP | ~70 mins |
💡 Each allotment harvest takes 60-70 minutes to grow
F2P vs P2P Comparison
F2P Limitations:
- ✗ ONLY allotment patches (no trees, herbs, or fruit trees)
- ✗ Only 4 allotment patches (Falador, Catherby, Ardougne, Port Phasmatys)
- ✗ Max ~640 XP per run (very slow)
- ✗ No Farmer's outfit (no XP boost)
- ✗ No farming guild or contracts
- ✗ Takes 1000+ hours to reach 99!
F2P Options:
- ✓ Sweetcorn at 31+ (best F2P XP)
- ✓ Use compost to improve yields
- ✓ Allotments are free (seeds from monsters)
💡 F2P Farming is EXTREMELY slow. Consider membership for tree runs!
📊 Farming Calculator
Plan your Farming training with our calculator:
Calculate:
- ✓ Trees needed for level goals
- ✓ Expected XP per run
- ✓ Time to reach 99
- ✓ Cost estimates
- ✓ Runs needed tracking
Features:
- ✓ All tree types
- ✓ Fruit tree tracking
- ✓ Herb run profit
- ✓ Method comparisons
- ✓ Custom level ranges
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get 99 Farming?
With daily tree runs: approximately 6-9 months (5-10 minutes per day). It's the ultimate passive skill - you do a quick run once per day and gain massive XP. With fruit trees included: costs less but takes slightly longer. Tithe Farm for active training: ~130 hours at 100K XP/hr.
What's the fastest way to train Farming?
Magic + Palm trees give the most XP per run (~200K+ XP in 5 minutes). Do daily tree runs for passive training - takes only 5-10 minutes per day and you gain hundreds of thousands of XP. Always pay the gardener to protect your trees - losing a tree wastes time and money!
Can I make money with Farming?
Yes! Herb runs are incredibly profitable - 500K-1M+ GP per day with 5-10 minutes of work. Ranarr and Snapdragon herbs are the most profitable. With magic secateurs and ultra compost, you'll average 8-10 herbs per patch. Do 1-3 herb runs per day for consistent passive income!
What are farming contracts?
Farming contracts (from Farming Guild at 45+ Farming) assign you a plant to grow. Complete them for seed packs with valuable seeds. Higher tier contracts (medium at 65, hard at 85) give better rewards. They're excellent for getting free tree seeds and supplementing your training!
Do I need magic secateurs?
YES! Magic secateurs (from Fairytale Part 1) give 10% more herbs and 10% more yield from allotments/hops. They're ESSENTIAL for herb runs and significantly increase profit. Always use them when harvesting herbs. The quest is quick and very much worth it!
Should I pay farmers to protect my crops?
For trees: ALWAYS pay the farmer! Losing a tree wastes both time and money. For herbs: don't pay - use ultracompost instead (5% disease chance). For allotments/flowers: ultracompost is enough. Payment costs vary but are always worth it for expensive trees.
Is the Farmer's outfit worth getting?
Yes! It gives 2.5% XP boost and Tithe Farm also gives good XP (up to 100K XP/hr). Getting the outfit takes 4-8 hours, during which you're also training Farming. It's worth it if you plan to train Farming to high levels.