How to Get Fertilizer in Ark: A Complete Guide for Survivors

Struggling to keep your crops growing and your dinos happy in Ark: Survival Evolved? You’re probably running into a fertilizer shortage! Fertilizer is absolutely crucial for sustaining your base, whether you’re tending a thriving garden or simply trying to breed creatures. The good news? Getting fertilizer isn’t as difficult as surviving a Rex attack.

We’ll walk you through every method, from the easiest to the most advanced. We’ll cover everything from simple compost bins to the industrial-level Dung Beetles. Forget those wasted hours; you’ll be swimming in fertilizer in no time. We’ll also address common questions and help you optimize your fertilizer production.

Ready to turn that dino poop into plant food gold? Let’s get started, and ensure your survival by understanding how to get fertilizer in Ark.

Understanding the Importance of Fertilizer

Before we dive into the methods, let’s understand why fertilizer is so vital in Ark. It’s not just about pretty flowers; it’s the lifeblood of your base’s sustainability.

Why You Need Fertilizer

• Crop Growth: Fertilizer drastically increases the speed at which your crops grow. This means more food, more resources for crafting, and faster breeding cycles.
• Breeding Dinos: Fertilized eggs hatch faster. Baby dinos also mature quicker with the right food, and fertilizer helps with that.
• Maintaining Structures: Some structures, like crop plots, require fertilizer to function properly.
• Preventing Rot: Fertilizer can be used to preserve food, so it doesn’t spoil as quickly.

Fertilizer Types and Their Effects

There are several types of fertilizer in Ark, each with its own specific use and effectiveness.

• Simple Fertilizer: This is the basic type, crafted in a Mortar and Pestle. It’s used for crop plots and basic breeding.
• Fertilizer: This is a more advanced type, often made in Industrial Grinders. It provides a longer-lasting effect and is preferred for higher-level crop plots and breeding.
• Advanced Fertilizer: This is the top-tier fertilizer, usually crafted in an Industrial Forge. It offers the most efficient and longest-lasting effect.

The type of fertilizer you use can significantly impact your efficiency. The higher the level of the fertilizer, the less you’ll need to use, saving you time and resources.

Methods for Obtaining Fertilizer

Now, let’s get to the good stuff: how to actually get your hands on that precious fertilizer! Here’s a breakdown of the most common and effective methods.

1. Composting with Crop Plots

This is the most basic method and a great starting point for new players. You’ll need:

• Crop Plots: These are the structures where you’ll plant seeds.
• Thatch: Used to build the crop plot, which is the most basic type.
• Feces (Small, Medium, or Large): This is your primary ingredient.
• Water: Watering the crop plot is essential for composting.

How to do it:

1. Build a Crop Plot: Place down a crop plot (you’ll need to unlock the engram).
2. Fill with Ingredients: Place feces in the crop plot. You can use small, medium, or large feces. Large feces gives more fertilizer.
3. Add Water: Fill the water reservoir in the crop plot. This can be done by hand with a Waterskin, Canteen, or by connecting it to a water source like a tap or irrigation system.
4. Wait: The feces will decompose over time, turning into Simple Fertilizer. The more feces you add, the more fertilizer you’ll get.
5. Collect: Once the composting process is complete, collect the fertilizer from the crop plot.

Pros: Easy to set up, requires minimal resources. Great for beginners.

Cons: Slow production rate, can be labor-intensive to refill with feces and water.

2. Using Dung Beetles (beetle Farming)

Dung Beetles are the ultimate fertilizer machines. They automatically convert feces into fertilizer, and they’re relatively easy to tame. (See Also: how to spell fertilizer)

What you need:

• A Dung Beetle: You can find them in caves and other dark locations.
• Feces (Small, Medium, or Large): The beetle consumes feces to produce fertilizer and oil.
• A pen or enclosed space: To keep the beetle safe and contained.

How to do it:

1. Find a Dung Beetle: Search caves, swamps, and forests.
2. Tame the Beetle: Dung Beetles are tamed passively. The best method is to feed them feces. The preferred food is large feces.
3. Build a Pen: Enclose the beetle in a pen, preferably with a ramp or access point for easy feeding.
4. Place Feces: Put feces in the beetle’s inventory. The beetle will automatically consume the feces and produce fertilizer and oil.
5. Collect: Check the beetle’s inventory periodically to collect fertilizer and oil.

Pros: Automated fertilizer production, produces both fertilizer and oil, relatively low maintenance.

Cons: Requires taming a dino, needs a safe and enclosed space, may require a water source.

3. Using the Compost Bin

The Compost Bin is a more advanced version of the crop plot method and can produce more fertilizer more efficiently than the basic crop plots.

What you need:

• Compost Bin: This structure is crafted and placed like a crop plot.
• Feces (Medium or Large): The larger the feces, the more fertilizer produced.
• Thatch: Used as a fuel for the composting process.

How to do it:

1. Build a Compost Bin: Place the Compost Bin in a convenient location.
2. Add Feces and Thatch: Put feces and thatch into the bin.
3. Wait: The bin will slowly convert the ingredients into fertilizer.
4. Collect: Once the composting process is complete, collect the fertilizer from the bin.

Pros: More efficient than crop plots, slightly faster production.

Cons: Requires thatch, which can be time-consuming to gather, and still slower than Dung Beetles.

4. Harvesting From Wild Creatures

While not a direct method of fertilizer production, harvesting feces from wild creatures provides a crucial resource.

What you need: (See Also: how does fertilizer work)

• A creature: Any creature that produces feces (most herbivores and some carnivores).
• A way to collect the feces: Either by allowing the creature to defecate naturally or by attacking the creature and harvesting the feces from its inventory.

How to do it:

1. Find a Creature: Locate a creature that produces feces.
2. Harvest Feces: Let the creature defecate, or kill it and harvest its feces.
3. Use Feces: Use the collected feces in crop plots, Compost Bins, or Dung Beetles.

Pros: Free resource, readily available in the wild.

Cons: Dependent on finding creatures, can be dangerous to harvest from aggressive creatures, and depends on creatures defecating, which is not always reliable.

5. Industrial Grinder and Industrial Forge

For the most advanced fertilizer production, you can use the Industrial Grinder and Industrial Forge.

What you need:

• Industrial Grinder: This machine grinds resources into other resources.
• Industrial Forge: A furnace that can smelt resources and produce other materials.
• Resources: Various resources are needed for the fertilizer recipe.

How to do it:

1. Craft Fertilizer: Use the Industrial Grinder or Industrial Forge to craft the desired fertilizer type using the appropriate recipe.
2. Gather Ingredients: Collect the required resources.
3. Process: Load the ingredients into the machine and let it run.
4. Collect: Retrieve the fertilizer once the process is complete.

Pros: High production rate, allows for the creation of advanced fertilizer types, more control over the production process.

Cons: Requires advanced technology, a significant investment in resources and time.

Optimizing Your Fertilizer Production

Here are some tips to maximize your fertilizer production efficiency:

• Prioritize Dung Beetles: They offer the most efficient and automated fertilizer production.
• Use Large Feces: They provide the most fertilizer per unit.
• Manage Dino Production: Breed herbivores to ensure a steady supply of feces. Carnivores can be used to make large feces.
• Automate Water: Connect crop plots to an irrigation system for constant watering.
• Strategic Placement: Place crop plots and Dung Beetle pens close to your base for easy access.
• Use Preserving Bins and Refrigerators: Store excess fertilizer and feces to prevent spoilage.
• Utilize S+ Structures: The Structures Plus mod offers improved crop plots and other structures that enhance fertilizer production.

Frequently Asked Questions (faq)

Let’s address some common questions about fertilizer in Ark.

How Do You Get Large Feces in Ark?

Large feces are produced by larger creatures, like Brontosaurus, Giganotosaurus, and Paraceratherium. You can also get large feces by feeding creatures berries. The easiest way to get large feces is to feed your creatures. Alternatively, you can use a Compost Bin and add medium feces to it. (See Also: how does nitrogen in fertilizer runoff affect aquatic ecosystems)

What Is the Best Way to Get Fertilizer in Ark?

The best method is to use Dung Beetles. They automate the process and produce both fertilizer and oil. This allows you to focus on other tasks.

How Long Does It Take for Fertilizer to Spoil in Ark?

Fertilizer spoils over time. The spoiling time depends on the type of fertilizer and the storage conditions. Simple Fertilizer spoils the fastest, while Advanced Fertilizer lasts the longest. Storing fertilizer in a Preserving Bin or Refrigerator significantly extends its lifespan.

Can You Make Fertilizer From Spoiled Meat in Ark?

No, you cannot directly make fertilizer from spoiled meat. However, spoiled meat can be used to tame certain carnivores that will then produce feces which can be turned into fertilizer.

How Many Dung Beetles Do I Need?

The number of Dung Beetles you need depends on your server settings and the amount of fertilizer you require. One or two Dung Beetles can be sufficient for a small base, while a larger base may require more. Experiment to find the optimal number for your needs.

How Do I Tame a Dung Beetle?

Dung Beetles are tamed passively. The easiest way to tame them is to put feces in their inventory. Large feces are the preferred food, and will increase the taming effectiveness.

How Do I Make Simple Fertilizer in Ark?

Simple Fertilizer can be made by placing feces in a Crop Plot and watering it. It can also be made in a Compost Bin.

What Are the Benefits of Using Fertilizer?

Fertilizer increases crop growth speed, helps breed dinos faster, and can be used to preserve food. It’s essential for a thriving base.

Advanced Strategies and Tips

For experienced players, here are some advanced tips to further optimize your fertilizer production:

• Breeding Efficiency: Use cryopods to store fertilized eggs and hatch them when you need them.
• Resource Management: Utilize dedicated dinos for gathering feces, like a Brontosaurus.
• Base Location: Choose a base location near a water source and areas with high concentrations of herbivores.
• Modding: Consider using mods like Structures Plus (S+) to enhance your fertilizer production capabilities. S+ crop plots are designed to be more efficient.
• Experimentation: Test different combinations of fertilizer and crop types to maximize yields.

Verdict

Mastering fertilizer production is a key step towards thriving in Ark: Survival Evolved. By understanding the different methods, from basic crop plots to advanced Dung Beetle farming, you can keep your crops growing, your dinos breeding, and your base flourishing. Remember to prioritize efficiency and adapt your strategy to your specific needs and resources. Good luck, and may your crops always be fertile!

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