Unlocking New Seeds and Blueprints

Shop looked random until I realized nothing unlocks from story progress alone. DIY club reputation is the only gate. I rushed main quests once; inventory stayed frozen until I grinded orders.

Main route: hub Phase II onward.

How rep works

Complete orders from Mail / notice board / NPC requests.
Tab → Shop — locked items show a lock + required rep level.
Garden Tower — talk to Joy or Holly for current tier and points to next.
Shop refreshes instantly on level-up — check it every time.

DIY club orders — mail and notice board requests

Official FAQ: New seeds need better standing among apartment residents (same gate as my DIY club rep). Base game has ~40 plant species; none are progress-locked, but shop access is. Companion planting matters — e.g. basil near tomatoes for pest protection. Recipes need mixed ingredients, so monoculture hurts.

Plant encyclopedia — species list and growing notes

Pests and weeds guide — companion planting and fork use

Fast rep (early)

Grow a buffer of crops you already have — do not chase orders needing seeds you cannot plant.
Joy first — simple, repeatable requests. Holly later when you craft more.
On level-up: buy new seeds before decor.
Do not ignore Garden category — planter blueprints = more plots = faster orders.

Official FAQ: Real-world gardening knowledge gives an edge. Difficulty varies by plant needs, not by hidden unlock tiers.

Shop tiers (my playthrough)

Exact stock can shift by patch; tier structure held for me:

All shop categories on the tablet — seeds, garden, kitchen

Rep level	Seeds	Tools & blueprints	Kitchen
1	Carrot, Lettuce	Basic planter	—
2	Green Beans, Chamomile	Wooden planter, watering can upgrade	Basic stove
3	Sunflower, Strawberry	Garden Shears, stone planter	Oven
4	Blueberry, Lavender	Iron planter, sprinkler blueprint	Refrigerator
5+	Rare hybrids	Advanced tools, auto-planter	Full kitchen suite

Strawberry at level 3 — high value, many recipes. I buy seeds first, dedicate ~2 plots.

Buy priority on each level-up

New seeds — order capacity + income
Planter blueprints — more simultaneous crops

Garden workshop — craft planters from biomass

Tools — only if they save real time (Shears = one-click harvest)

Skills screen — tool and gardening perks

Kitchen upgrades — later unless an order forces it

Low on cash at level 3? Strawberry seeds + stone planter before Shears.

Mistakes I see

Ignoring Garden blueprints — seeds alone cap your throughput.
Hoarding coins while rep stays low — better items never appear.
Selling everything — next order wants the crop you just dumped.

Keep one of each unlocked crop in inventory or fridge.

Inventory and fridge — keep a buffer for orders

Kitchen upgrades worth it?

Oven (level 3) — baked goods premium; Bubbles asks for them.
Refrigerator (level 4) — nice for bulk, not urgent until you mass-cook.

My level 1–4 grind route

1–2: Joy orders only. Carrot + Lettuce every plot. At 2: Green Beans + Chamomile immediately.
2–3: Mix beans/chamomile, keep some carrots for orders. Wooden planter blueprint.
3: Sunflower + Strawberry first, then Shears, then stone planter (+2 plots).
3–4: Strawberry orders for best rep/time. Oven, start baking.
4+: Blueberry, Lavender, work toward sprinkler.

Roughly six in-game days to level 4 on my clock — your mileage may vary.

Hub: full early route. Official FAQ source: Steam — Cooking & Economy / Gardening threads.