Unlocking the Secrets of Ginger Island in Stardew Valley: Optimal Crops for Frogs!

Ginger Island, introduced in Stardew Valley's 1.5 update, offers a plethora of exploration and activities. Particularly noteworthy is a vast expanse of land in the western region of the island, which allows players to indulge in farming to their heart's content.

Upon restoring the farmhouse on this island farm, players can venture into a cave situated in the northeast corner. Inside, they will encounter a mysterious creature in the form of a colossal frog. This enigmatic being communicates through riddles and expresses a desire to witness the cultivation of specific crops on the island once more. In exchange for fulfilling its wish, the player will receive a generous reward. The question remains: what exactly does the frog desire?

With its continuous popularity and the recent announcement of a 1.6 update by the game's developer, Stardew Valley remains a beloved farming sim that attracts players from all corners of the globe. Following the success of the 1.5 update, which introduced the enchanting Ginger Island and its intriguing inhabitants, fans are now eager to uncover the new content that awaits them. Among the unique characters on the island is the Gourmand Frog, a peculiar companion who takes delight in seeing crops flourish once more. As players take on the role of caretaker for the Ginger Island farm, they are tasked with deciphering the frog's mysterious requests and cultivating the specific crops that will help him relive his past glory days.

Accessing The Frog's Cave

Ginger Island West

Upon reaching Ginger Island, players will find that certain areas of the new map are initially inaccessible. These areas can only be unlocked by gathering Golden Walnuts for the local parrots. One such area is Ginger Island West, where the frog can be found. However, upon arrival, players will encounter a slumbering giant turtle blocking the way. To proceed, players need to collect 10 Golden Walnuts for the nearby parrot, who will then wake up the turtle and clear the path.

The Ginger Island Farm

Before the player can reach the Gourmand Frog's cave, there is one final challenge to overcome. To gain access to the frog's dwelling and engage in conversation with him, the player must utilize their collection of Golden Walnuts to restore the farmhouse located in the Island West area. This renovation will require 20 Golden Walnuts and will be instantly completed upon purchase. Numerous predetermined spots across the island hold hidden walnuts; click here to discover effective techniques for locating all of them.

Once the farmhouse has been renovated, players can make their way to the upper right corner of the farm, as depicted in the image above. It is at this location where they will come across a previously undiscovered cave. Upon entering the cave, players will have the opportunity to engage in conversation with Stardew Valley's Gourmand Frog.

The Gourmand Frog's Requests

The Gourmand Frog reminisces about the island's abundance of fresh food and expresses a desire to witness the revival of a particular item. However, he communicates through enigmatic language, lacking knowledge of the names of these items. He presents three distinct requests, and it is up to the player to decipher his descriptions and determine what needs to be cultivated.

The Ginger Island frog has a desire to see three specific items again, in a specific sequence. When first encountering the frog, he will request the player for "the pink thing... the juicy thing." To fulfill his request, the player must plant and cultivate at least one ripe melon.

The next time the player comes, he will request the "long, yellow, waving thing." Golden Wheat matches this description.

Lastly, the frog desires the "zesty ground-fruit that makes the breath stink." The pungent, underground-dwelling Garlic is the perfect choice for this.

Players are unable to complete all quests simultaneously. Instead, after receiving the reward for one quest, they can consult the frog to know the next task. However, they do have the ability to cultivate multiple crops concurrently and can conveniently return to the frog as soon as each quest is finished to be assigned the subsequent objective.

Growing The Crops

The frog will be equally satisfied with the growth of any crop, regardless of its quality. Therefore, there is no necessity to use fertilizer in the soil for this quest. Moreover, since all crops can thrive on Ginger Island throughout the year, there is no need to wait for the right season. However, it is important to note that the player may need to wait until they can purchase the appropriate seeds. To learn more about the acquisition process, continue reading.

Melons

During the summer, you can find melon seeds available for purchase. Pierre's sells them for 80g, while JojaMart offers them at a slightly higher price of 100g. Additionally, if you donate 12 items to the museum, Gunther will reward you with 9 melon seeds.

Once melon seeds are planted, they require a total of 12 days to reach maturity. However, by using Speed-Gro, this growth period can be shortened to 10 days. For an even faster growth rate, players can opt for Deluxe Speed-Gro, which reduces the maturation time to 9 days. Alternatively, Hyper Speed-Gro can be utilized to achieve the shortest growth period of just 8 days. Additionally, players have the opportunity to cultivate a giant crop of melons by planting a minimum of 9 seeds in a 3x3 square.

Wheat

Wheat seeds can be bought during the summer and fall seasons. They are priced at 10g in Pierre's shop and 12g in JojaMart. Unlike other crops, wheat needs to be harvested using a scythe.

It takes approximately 4 days for wheat to reach maturity after planting. Due to its already short growth cycle, the only Speed-Gro that can accelerate its growth is Hyper Speed-Gro, reducing the time to 3 days.

Garlic

In Stardew Valley, players have the opportunity to purchase Garlic seeds during the spring season. However, it is important to note that these seeds are only available starting from Year 2 onwards. Despite this limitation, it is unlikely to pose a significant obstacle for most players, especially considering that reaching Ginger Island in Year 1 is a rare occurrence.

The seeds can be purchased at Pierre's for 40g, but they are not sold at JojaMart. Similar to Wheat, they require 4 days to fully mature and can only be accelerated with Hyper Speed-Gro.

Additionally, players with the Tiller profession will experience a 10% faster growth rate for all crops. This bonus is cumulative with the effects of any fertilizer used by the player, making it advantageous for completing quests in a timely manner.

Collecting Rewards

Instead of immediately harvesting their ripe crops and delivering them to the Gourmand Frog, the player should let the crops continue growing. Once the appropriate crop is fully grown, they should go back to the Gourmand Frog's cave. When asked if they are growing "da thing" outside, the player should respond affirmatively. A cutscene will then ensue, during which the frog and the player appreciate the crop, and the frog reminisces about his youth. Although the frog expresses a desire to eat the crops, he does not actually harvest any of them, allowing the player to collect them later.

After the cutscene, the player and the frog return to the cave. Here, the Gourmand Frog rewards the farmer with 5 Golden Walnuts. By completing all three crop requests, the player can earn a total of 15 Golden Walnuts, which serves as a significant reward for a relatively simple task. These Golden Walnuts can be spent on various upgrades throughout the island.