Where to Find Fruit in Fallout 4: A Wastelander’s Guide to Sustenance and Settlement

So, you’re wandering the irradiated wastes of Fallout 4, belly rumbling, and wondering where to snag some sweet, sweet fruit? You’ve come to the right place, fellow survivor! Fruit in Fallout 4 isn’t just a tasty treat; it’s a vital resource for survival, crafting, and settlement building. You can find fruit through harvesting wild plants, purchasing it from vendors, looting it from containers, and growing your own in settlements.

Now, let’s break down exactly where to find these precious commodities, and dive deep into the best practices for utilizing them. This guide will cover all the fruit-bearing plants like mutfruit and melons, as well as tips on cultivating them in your settlements.

Finding Fruit in the Commonwealth: Location, Location, Location!

Finding fruit in Fallout 4 requires a keen eye and a little knowledge. Here’s where you’re most likely to find each type of fruit:

• Mutfruit: This is your bread and butter (or, well, your fruit and radroach steak) when it comes to Fallout 4 agriculture. You can find mutfruit trees at the following locations:

  • Diamond City: A whopping 21 mutfruit trees can be found within the walls.
  • Warwick Homestead: 11 mutfruit trees make this a prime early settlement location.
  • Finch Farm: Eight mutfruit trees are ready for harvest.
  • The Prydwen: You’ll find a smaller collection of four mutfruit trees on board.
  • Greentop Nursery: Several plants, though quantity varies.
  • Graygarden: Several plants, ideal for robot farmers.

• Melons: Melons can be a little trickier to find growing wild, but you can purchase them or grow them yourself.

  • Vendors: Multiple food and general vendors across the Commonwealth sell melons. Check places like Diamond City Market or Goodneighbor.
  • Loot: Occasionally dropped by NPCs, though this isn’t the most reliable method.
  • Settlements: Plant melon plants and assign settlers to farm them for a steady supply.

• Other Fruits and Vegetables: While not strictly “fruit” in the botanical sense, other crops are incredibly valuable.

  • Tatos, Corn, Carrots, and Gourds: Find these throughout the farms and gardens of various settlements. Abernathy Farm is a good starting point.

Pro Tip: Use the Local Leader perk to establish supply lines between your settlements. This will distribute crops grown in one settlement to your other settlements, providing a much-needed food boost and making crafting much easier.

Why Fruit Matters: Benefits Beyond Basic Sustenance

Fruit in Fallout 4 is about more than just staving off hunger. It’s a cornerstone of your survival strategy due to the following:

• Food Source: Obvious, but vital! Fruit provides essential calories and helps alleviate hunger.
• Settlement Growth: Settlers need food to survive and thrive. A healthy crop yield will keep your settlers happy and attract new residents.
• Crafting: Many recipes require specific fruits and vegetables. For example, Vegetable Medley is a reliable source of health and radiation resistance, and requires mutfruit, carrots, corn, and tatos.
• Adhesive Farming: Corn, tatos, mutfruit, and purified water create vegetable starch. Vegetable starch, when scrapped, yields adhesive – an essential component for weapon and armor modifications.
• Trading: Excess crops can be sold to vendors for caps, allowing you to purchase essential supplies and equipment.

Building Your Own Orchard: How to Plant and Grow Fruit

Once you’ve gotten the hang of gathering fruit from existing locations, it’s time to establish your own agricultural empire! Here’s how to plant and grow fruit:

1. Enter Workshop Mode: Press and hold the “V” key (on PC) or the corresponding button on your console controller.
2. Navigate to Resources > Food: This section contains all the plantable crops.
3. Select Your Crop: Choose the fruit or vegetable you want to plant. You’ll need one piece of the crop itself to plant it (e.g., one mutfruit to plant a mutfruit tree).
4. Place the Plant: Find a suitable patch of dirt within your settlement boundaries and place the plant. Make sure there’s enough space around it for it to grow.
5. Assign Settlers: This is crucial. You’ll need to assign settlers to tend to the crops. Without settlers, the crops won’t grow and produce fruit. Select a settler in Workshop Mode and then select the crops you want them to tend. One settler can tend up to six crops.

Important Considerations:

• Water: Settlements need water to thrive. Place water pumps or purifiers to keep your settlers and crops happy.
• Fertilizer: While not explicitly required, fertilizing the soil (through gameplay actions or mods) can improve crop yields.
• Defense: Protect your crops from raiders and wildlife by building walls, turrets, and guard posts. A well-defended settlement is a productive settlement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about finding and using fruit in Fallout 4.

1. What is the best fruit to grow in Fallout 4?

Mutfruit is generally considered the best crop because it provides 1.0 food per plant, whereas other crops only provide 0.5. It’s also relatively valuable for selling and crafting.

2. How often do crops respawn in Fallout 4?

Crops generally respawn every few in-game days (around 24 hours), as long as settlers are assigned to them. Returning periodically to your settlements to harvest is a good practice.

3. Can I plant mutfruit trees anywhere?

You can only plant mutfruit trees within the boundaries of your settlements. Look for patches of dirt where you can place them in workshop mode.

4. Do I need a specific skill to grow fruit?

No, there are no specific skills required to plant or grow fruit. However, the Local Leader perk is essential for establishing supply lines between settlements, which will distribute your crops and resources more efficiently.

5. Do settlers eat the food I grow?

Yes, settlers will consume food from the workshop. Ensure you produce enough food to keep your settlers fed and happy. Consider storing excess food separately to prevent excessive consumption and ensure you have enough for crafting.

6. How do I get more settlers to help farm?

Attract more settlers to your settlement by building recruitment radio beacons. Providing adequate housing, food, water, and defense will also make your settlement more appealing.

7. What can I craft with mutfruit?

Mutfruit is a key ingredient in several recipes, including Vegetable Medley (restores health and provides radiation resistance), Mutfruit Juice, and, most importantly, Vegetable Starch (a source of adhesive when scrapped).

8. Is it better to sell fruit or use it for crafting?

This depends on your needs. If you’re short on caps, selling excess fruit is a good way to earn money. However, if you need adhesive or want to craft healing items, prioritize using the fruit for crafting.

9. Can my crops be destroyed?

Yes, crops can be destroyed by raiders, wildlife, and even accidental explosions. Ensure you have adequate defenses to protect your settlements.

10. How do I know if my settlers are farming the crops?

When you’re in workshop mode, highlight a settler. If they are assigned to crops, the crops they are tending will be highlighted. If they are not assigned, you will need to manually assign them by selecting the settler, then selecting the crop.

11. Where can I find melon seeds in Fallout 4?

Unfortunately, you cannot find melon seeds. You must plant melons.

12. Does fruit spoil in Fallout 4?

No, fruit (and other food items) do not spoil in Fallout 4. You can store them indefinitely without worrying about them going bad.

13. What is the most valuable crop in Fallout 4?

While mutfruit has its advantages, the value of crops depends on specific gameplay conditions (e.g., with some perks, some crops can be more expensive). It is worth more than any other crop in the game.

14. How do I optimize my settlement for farming?

Focus on providing plenty of water, assigning settlers to crops, and defending against threats. Establishing supply lines between settlements will also distribute your crops and resources more efficiently.

15. How long does it take for fruit to grow in Fallout 4?

It usually takes 24 in-game hours for fruit to grow, providing you have settlers assigned to the crops.

Wrapping Up: Become the Commonwealth’s Agricultural Titan

Finding and utilizing fruit effectively in Fallout 4 is essential for survival and settlement growth. By knowing where to find fruit, how to plant and grow it, and how to use it for crafting and trading, you can establish a thriving agricultural empire in the wasteland. Remember the importance of settler assignments, defense, and resource management, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming the Commonwealth’s agricultural titan!

Want to learn more about the intricacies of gameplay and game design? Explore the resources offered by the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. Happy farming, wastelanders!