Crop Growth in Rune Factory Frontier

In many of the more recent Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games, Crop Growth has a basic required time but various factors including Sunlight and Water as well as farm aids in the form of products such as Formulae A,B and C as well as Greenifier can affect this.

In Tree of Tranquility, one can grow Crops out of season but their growth will slow immensely. In Island of Happiness, Sunlight and Water Requirements determine not only the length of time for maturity but actually may cause a Crop to wither or vanish in its own proper season.

In the Rune Factory universe, one can purchase farm aids in the form of Formulae A, B and C, each of which will speed the growth of crops by a specified number of days. Formula C is the most potent of the three. Greenifier when used on Crops will increase their Level...


Runey Distribution and Crop Growth

An entire bookcase in the Rune Archives Library is devoted to books about Runes and Runeys.
Runes are fundamental to your character in terms of the RP they provide as well as having the power in specific instances to unlock new options. As in other Rune Factory games, there are situations where you must grow and maintain a specific type of Crop in a tillable plot(s) in order to experience an Event. In Rune Factory Frontier, the first instance of this is the 3 x 3 plot in front of the Tower of Rest where you must grow Moondrop Flowers in order to experience a proper Introduction to Iris. Whenever a stipulation of this sort exists, you must allow the Crop to remain on the field even when it is fully matured. It is the power contained in the Rune that is generated that ‘unlocks’ any new option in the game.
Runeys, however, are as vital in Rune Factory Frontier as Runes and indeed, will determine your success or failure in farming.
The first consideration with respect to the presence of Runeys in any District is Balance. There is a natural ‘food chain’ where Runeys are concerned, as one Element dominates another. Without an equal number of each type of Runey, you may find that one type of Runey will consume others, exhausting the supply completely. When this occurs, the District will become a ‘dead’ area.
You can use your own Homestead as a breeding District for Runeys. By stocking your Homestead with a large number of each type of Runey in perfect Balance, you will achieve a state known as ‘Prosperity’.
When your Homestead is in a state of Prosperity, crop growth will be accelerated. This can be extremely useful in terms of slow-growing Crops, allowing you to obtain more multiple harvests in any season. For example, in the Summer Season, if you have achieved a state of Prosperity, you may be able to obtain more than two harvests from your Pineapple Crop.
If your Homestead is in a state of inbalance with respect to your Runey Population, you actually may discover that your Crops will wither and die or will take far longer to mature than they should. Ignore the Runey Distribution in Rune Factory Frontier at your own peril.
The number of days by which Crop growth is accelerated when your Homestead achieves Prosperity may vary from Crop to Crop. 45 or 50 Runeys of each type definitely will have a dramatic effect, however.
For example, I planted a plot of Onions on 30 Spring. The official description of Onion Seeds is as follows:
Onion Seed: Summer crop. Harvest in 8 days. One of the easier crops to grow.
On the morning of 5 Summer, having used no farm aids whatsoever, I was able to harvest the entire Crop.
I have kept my field in perfect balance for the most part and beyond that, since the end of Spring, had a large population of each type, fluctuating between 48 and 51 of each variety.
Another detail with respect to the Runeys themselves should be noted. Even when in balance, if they are in small numbers, such as 10 to 20 of each variety in any particular area, the icons are small and the 'feet' or bottom of each Runey icon type is flat, as though forced to the ground. When there are large quantities of each type in any district, the Runey icons are large and the 'feet' or bottom of each appears to fly or float upward... This is a general description, of course, as each Runey type is different. In the case of the Water Runeys, their 'arms' are raise high when in high numbers. When in small numbers, the Water Runeys' 'arms' hang down. As for the Rock Runeys, when in high numbers, their 'feet' are lifted high, as though leaping into the air. When in small numbers, they have a flat platform instead, as though their feet are glued to the ground. The Tree Runeys when in large quantities appear to be leaping or on tiptoe as well, light as feathers. When in small numbers, their feet are flat on the ground. Finally, where the Grass Runeys are concerned, in large quantities, their 'feet' are turned up as though floating. In small quantities, their 'feet' are small and pointed towards the ground. Note that these descriptions pertain to the Runey icons displayed on the bottom of the Runey Distribution Map when you access any District. Their faces change as well.
It is clear that Runey Distribution can accelerate Crop growth, making it possible to harvest Crops on your field before the official 'required' number of days has passed. This is important information especially where slow-growing crops are concerned .
It is not only in a positive fashion that Runey Distribution can affect your Crops, however. Players who fin that their Crops do not grow or actually wither or vanish in their Field must take notice of the Runey Distribution Map. If the Field is in a state of serious inbalance, it can result in the death of all Crops.
As Farming is at the centre of any Harvest Moon/Rune Factory game, it is vital to understand the principles that determine success or failure in any specific game. In Rune Factory Frontier, it is Runey Distribution that governs Crops.

Initially, I had not realised that there is another factor that determines the time it takes for a Crop to mature, although I should have recognised it. The number of Runeys in your field as well as their state in terms of balance can cause your Crops to mature more quickly. Books in the Rune Archives contain information about this, and although I always advise players to use every resource the game has to offer, I had not paid sufficient attention to the books myself at the start!

For example, I planted a plot of Onions on 30 Spring. The official description of Onion Seeds is as follows:

Onion Seed: Summer crop. Harvest in 8 days. One of the easier crops to grow.

On the morning of 5 Summer, having used no farm aids whatsoever, I was able to harvest the entire Crop.

I have kept my field in perfect balance for the most part and beyond that, since the end of Spring, had a large population of each type, fluctuating between 48 and 51 of each variety.

I noticed another detail with respect to the Runeys themselves. Even when in balance, if they are in small numbers, such as 10 to 20 of each variety in any particular area, the icons are small and the 'feet' or bottom of each Runey icon type is flat, as though forced to the ground. When there are large quantities of each type in any district, the Runey icons are large and the 'feet' or bottom of each appears to fly or float upward... This is a general description, of course, as each Runey type is different. In the case of the Water Runeys, their 'arms' are raise high when in high numbers. When in small numbers, the Water Runeys' 'arms' hang down. As for the Rock Runeys, when in high numbers, their 'feet' are lifted high, as though leaping into the air. When in small numbers, they have a flat platform instead, as though their feet are glued to the ground. The Tree Runeys when in large quantities appear to be leaping or on tiptoe as well, light as feathers. When in small numbers, their feet are flat on the ground. Finally, where the Grass Runeys are concerned, in large quantities, their 'feet' are turned up as though floating. In small quantities, their 'feet' are small and pointed towards the ground. Note that these descriptions pertain to the Runey icons displayed on the bottom of the Runey Distribution Map when you access any District. Their faces change as well, but I am not going to bother to describe THAT in detail! I will add a photogragh showing the changes when time permits.

Runey Distribution can accelerate Crop growth, making it possible to harvest Crops on your field before the official 'required' number of days has passed. This is important information especially where slow-growing crops are concerned as it will make it possible to plant Crops such as Pineapples or Pumpkins later in the season and allow you to obtain more than one harvest from a slow-growing Crop.

Inbalance in Runey Distribution moreover can have very negative effects on farming. I have received a number of emails from players who wonder why their Crops fail to grow or actually wither or vanish from their Field. The reason is an inbalance in Runey Distribution.

Here is a video tutorial on Runeys: