How far does water need to be for farmland to stay hydrated?

Water needs to be within 4 blocks horizontally (in any direction) of your farmland. The farmland will look darker when it's hydrated and crops will grow faster.

What happens to farmland if there's no water nearby?

Farmland will dry out and turn back into regular dirt. You need to keep water source blocks near your crops, or they won't hydrate.

Can I make farmland without a hoe?

No, you need a hoe to till dirt or grass into farmland. You can craft hoes from wood, stone, iron, diamond, gold, or netherite materials.

What crops can I plant on farmland?

You can plant wheat, carrots, potatoes, beetroots, nether wart (in soul sand), and other crops. Each has different growth stages and requirements.

Do I need light for crops to grow on farmland?

Yes, most crops need light to grow. Make sure your farm gets sunlight or is lit up with torches or lanterns for crops to progress through their growth stages.

How to Make Farmland in Minecraft

What is Farmland in Minecraft?

Farmland is the tilled soil you use to plant crops in Minecraft. You can’t craft it in a crafting table. Instead, you use a hoe to prepare dirt or grass blocks next to water. Once you turn a block into farmland, you can plant wheat, carrots, potatoes, beetroots, and other crops on it.

How to Make Farmland

Step 1: Find a Good Spot

First, find an area with dirt or grass blocks near water. The water needs to be within 4 blocks horizontally for the farmland to stay hydrated. A simple water channel running through your farm works great.

Step 2: Get a Hoe

You’ll need a hoe to till the soil. Any hoe works: wooden, stone, iron, diamond, golden, or netherite. Wooden hoes are the easiest to make if you’re just starting out.

Step 3: Use the Hoe on the Blocks

Right click (or tap, depending on your platform) on dirt or grass blocks next to your water. The block will turn brown and become farmland. The blocks closest to water will become darker, showing they’re hydrated and ready for planting.

Step 4: Plant Your Crops

Once you have farmland, right click on it with seeds or crop items to plant. You can grow wheat, carrots, potatoes, beetroots, and more.

Hydration and Moisture

Farmland needs water nearby to stay hydrated. If farmland is too far from water, it will dry out and turn back into regular dirt. Keep your water source within 4 blocks of your farmland in any direction. Hydrated farmland looks darker and crops grow faster on it.

Platform Controls

Here’s how to use a hoe on each platform:

Java Edition (PC/Mac): Right click on the block
Pocket Edition (Mobile): Tap on the block
Xbox 360 and Xbox One: Press LT on the controller
PS3 and PS4: Press L2 on the controller
Wii U: Press ZL on the gamepad
Nintendo Switch: Press ZL on the controller
Windows 10 Edition: Right click on the block
Education Edition: Right click on the block

Finding Farmland in Creative Mode

In Creative Mode, you can grab farmland directly from the inventory. In Java Edition 1.13 and newer, it’s under Decoration Blocks (or Natural Blocks in 1.19.3+). In older versions, you might need to search for it.

Minecraft Commands

If you want to give yourself farmland in Java Edition, use these commands:

For version 1.13 and newer:

/give @p farmland 1

For versions 1.8 through 1.12:

/give @p farmland 1 0

Tips for a Better Farm

Plan your water channels before you start tilling. A center channel or a grid pattern works best.
Leave space between your farmland and other structures so you can move around and harvest crops.
Light is important for crops to grow. Make sure your farm gets sunlight or is lit up with torches if it’s underground.
You can hoe large areas quickly once you’ve got the rhythm down.
Different crops have different growth stages. Watch them mature before harvesting.