How to Plant Regular Trees in Animal Crossing: A Comprehensive Guide
Planting trees is a fundamental aspect of island life in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s not just about aesthetics; trees are vital for obtaining resources like wood, providing bells, and creating a lively environment. The process is straightforward, but understanding the nuances can help you cultivate a flourishing island. Here’s how to plant regular trees, step by step:
- Purchase Saplings: The first step is to acquire saplings. You can buy these from Nook’s Cranny. They are typically available in single purchases or bundles of five. Be sure to have enough bells to make your purchase.
- Choose a Planting Spot: Carefully select where you want to plant your tree. Trees need space to grow and thrive. Ensure there’s at least one empty block around the chosen planting spot in all directions.
- Open Your Inventory: Navigate to your in-game inventory.
- Select the Sapling: Find the sapling you wish to plant and select it.
- Plant the Tree: A prompt will appear to “Plant Here”. Select this option, and your sapling will be planted instantly, without any digging necessary.
And that’s it! With these simple steps, you can start to populate your island with beautiful, mature trees.
Understanding Tree Growth and Placement
While planting is easy, successfully growing trees requires a bit of understanding about how they interact with their surroundings.
Spacing is Key
Trees need space to grow and will not mature if they are too close to other objects. Ensure that each sapling has an empty block around it.
- Acceptable Adjacent Objects: Flowers and outdoor furniture can be placed next to trees without hindering their growth.
- Unacceptable Adjacent Objects: Trees cannot grow if they are adjacent to other trees, buildings, cliffs, or bodies of water.
The 5×5 Rule
There’s also a density rule to be aware of: You cannot have more than 15 saplings (including both regular trees and hibiscus) in a 5×5 square area. If you exceed this limit, your trees will not grow. Plan your planting locations carefully to avoid this issue.
Dead Spots
Occasionally, you might encounter dead spots on your island where trees simply refuse to grow, even if all other conditions are met. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about these.
Time to Growth
Once planted, trees typically take about three days to fully mature. There’s no way to speed this process up, so patience is key!
Moving and Relocating Trees
Sometimes, you might want to move a tree after it’s grown, and thankfully, this is possible in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
- Eat Fruit: Consume a piece of fruit (any type will do). This will give you a temporary strength boost.
- Use Your Shovel: Equip your shovel and use it on a fruit-bearing tree.
- Pick Up the Tree: The tree will be uprooted and go into your inventory.
- Replant: Choose a new location and plant your tree as you normally would with a sapling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about planting and growing trees in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, to further enhance your knowledge.
1. Do you need to water trees in Animal Crossing?
No, unlike flowers, trees do not need to be watered in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Simply plant them and allow them to grow naturally.
2. Can cut-down trees grow back?
No, cut-down trees do not grow back. Once you remove a tree, it leaves behind a stump.
3. How do I remove a tree stump?
To remove a tree stump, use your shovel on it. This will dig it up, and you’ll receive a piece of wood.
4. How many trees should I aim to have on my island?
For optimal bell and furniture gathering, aim for about 17 regular trees. This ensures that you have enough to maximize the chances of receiving bells and furniture. 10 trees will contain bells, 5 will contain beehives, and 2 will contain furniture.
5. How do I get different fruit trees?
You can get non-native fruits by visiting other islands, talking to villagers, or receiving gifts.
- Kapp’n’s Boat Tours: Sometimes these tours take you to islands with non-native fruits.
- Mystery Islands: Using Nook Miles Tickets can lead you to islands with different fruits.
- Friends’ Islands: Visiting or having friends visit your island is an easy way to gather different fruits.
- Mailbox Gifts: Sometimes villagers will send you non-native fruit.
6. What are the six types of fruit in Animal Crossing?
The six types of fruit are Apples, Cherries, Coconuts, Peaches, Pears, and Oranges. Each island starts with one native fruit.
7. How do money trees work?
Money Trees are a unique type of tree that you can grow by burying bells. After maturing, they will produce a single harvest of bells, and then they revert to being normal trees. They are not renewable in the sense that they will continue to produce money.
8. Can you replant picked flowers?
Yes, picked flowers can be replanted. When dug up, flowers are added to your inventory and can be replanted.
9. Can I move trees even if they are too close to my home?
Yes, you can move mature trees by eating fruit and digging them up, regardless of proximity to buildings or other objects.
10. What is the significance of trees in Animal Crossing?
Trees are crucial for getting crafting materials, bells, and sometimes furniture. They are a fundamental resource in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
11. What happens if I have too many saplings planted too close together?
If you have more than 15 saplings in a 5×5 square area, they will not grow. You need to maintain adequate spacing.
12. Which axe is better in Animal Crossing?
The Golden Axe is more durable than the standard axe. However, it requires a gold nugget to craft, making it harder to acquire.
13. How does eating fruit affect my tree interactions?
Eating fruit gives the player a temporary strength boost that lets them dig up trees and smash rocks with one hit. Each fruit gives the player one strength strike, up to a total of 10.
14. Do rocks regenerate in Animal Crossing?
Yes, broken rocks will regenerate. One rock will respawn on your island each day in a random location.
15. Do flowers need to be watered?
While not necessary for survival, watering flowers can promote growth, encourage breeding, and increase the chances of special hybrids.
Conclusion
Planting and growing trees in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an easy but essential part of the game. With a bit of knowledge about spacing, growth, and the rules for planting, you can cultivate a beautiful and resource-rich island. These FAQs have given you the additional information you need to ensure your planting efforts are successful. So, go forth and start growing your dream island today!