Petit Planet Beginners Guide: How to Start

Petit Planet is a mobile gardening game where you grow a virtual garden on a small floating island. This guide explains the core mechanics, how to unlock new plants, and how to avoid common beginner mistakes so you can build a thriving garden quickly.

Formula

The calculator estimates how much experience (XP) and coins you earn from a play session. The formula is:

XP = (play time in minutes × 2) + (current level × 5)
Coins = (play time in minutes × 1.5) + (current level × 3)

Where:

• Play time – minutes you actively water, harvest, and decorate.
• Current level – your player level (1–50).
• XP – experience points toward leveling up.
• Coins – in-game currency for buying seeds and decorations.

Worked Example

Using the default values: play time = 10 minutes, level = 1.

XP = (10 × 2) + (1 × 5) = 20 + 5 = 25 XP

Coins = (10 × 1.5) + (1 × 3) = 15 + 3 = 18 coins

So a 10-minute session at level 1 gives you 25 XP and 18 coins. The calculator rounds to the nearest whole number.

What Is Petit Planet?

Petit Planet is a casual mobile game (available on iOS and Android) where you cultivate a small, floating island garden. You start with a few basic seeds, water them, harvest flowers and fruits, and gradually unlock new species. The game is free-to-play with optional in-app purchases, but you can progress without spending money if you are patient.

The core loop is simple: plant seeds, wait for them to grow, water them when they need it, harvest the results, and use the coins and XP to expand your island and buy new decorations. The game is designed to be played in short bursts, making it popular for commuters or anyone wanting a relaxing break.

How Petit Planet Works

Your island has a limited number of plots. Each plot can hold one plant. To start:

1. Tap an empty plot and choose a seed from your inventory.
2. Water the seed immediately – new seeds need water to sprout.
3. Check back periodically. Plants show a water droplet icon when they need watering.
4. When the plant is fully grown, tap it to harvest. You get coins and sometimes seeds.
5. Use coins to buy more seeds or decorations, and XP to level up.

Leveling up unlocks new plant species and sometimes expands your island with extra plots. You can also earn gems (premium currency) by completing achievements or watching ads – gems can buy rare seeds or speed up growth.

How to Choose What to Plant

Each plant has a growth time and a selling price. Early on, you want a balance between quick crops (for steady coins) and longer crops (for higher XP per harvest). A good strategy:

• Plant fast-growing flowers (like daisies) while you are actively playing.
• Plant medium crops (like tomatoes) before you take a break.
• Plant slow, high-value trees (like apple trees) overnight.

You can also check the in-game catalog to see which plants give the best coins per hour. Generally, longer growth times give more coins per harvest, but not always proportionally – so compare before committing.

Common Beginner Mistakes

New players often make these errors:

• Forgetting to water – plants that stay dry too long wither and die. You lose the seed and get nothing.
• Harvesting too early – some plants have multiple harvest stages. Wait until the harvest icon appears, not just when the plant looks big.
• Spending coins on decorations too soon – decorations are cosmetic and do not speed up growth. Save coins for seeds and plot expansions.
• Ignoring achievements – achievements grant gems and coins. Check the trophy icon regularly.

If you do lose a plant, it is not a big deal – just replant. The game is forgiving; there is no penalty for a withered plant beyond losing that seed.

Petit Planet vs. Similar Games

Petit Planet is often compared to other mobile gardening games like Township, FarmVille, or Hay Day. The main differences:

• Scale – Petit Planet is much smaller; you manage one island, not a whole farm.
• Time commitment – Sessions are shorter; most actions take seconds.
• Visual style – Petit Planet has a whimsical, hand-drawn look, while others are more realistic or cartoonish.
• Social features – Petit Planet has limited multiplayer; you can visit friends’ islands, but there is no trading.

If you want a deeper farming sim with more mechanics, Hay Day or Township might suit you. If you want a quick, relaxing escape, Petit Planet is ideal.

Costs and In-App Purchases

The game is free to download. In-app purchases include:

• Gems – can be bought with real money or earned free by watching ads or completing achievements.
• Coin packs – sometimes offered as a bundle.
• Special seeds – occasionally sold for gems.

You can play without spending anything. The main bottleneck is waiting for plants to grow, but that is part of the game’s charm. If you are impatient, you can spend gems to speed up growth, but it is rarely necessary.

Safety and Privacy

Petit Planet is a low-risk game. It does not require an account to play, though you can link to Facebook or Game Center for cloud saves. The game shows ads, and some ads may track your activity – you can disable personalized ads in your device settings. There is no chat feature, so it is safe for children, though in-app purchases are possible, so parental controls are recommended if a child is playing.

Alternatives to Petit Planet

If you enjoy Petit Planet but want more variety, try:

• Tsuki’s Odyssey – a relaxing adventure with gardening elements.
• Cat Garden – grow plants to attract cats.
• Plant Tycoon – breed and cross-pollinate plants.
• Viridi – a calm snail terrarium garden.

Each has a different focus, but all share the same low-pressure, nurturing gameplay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get more plots in Petit Planet?

You unlock additional plots as you level up. Check the level-up rewards – every few levels you get a new plot or an expansion. You can also buy a plot expansion with gems if available.

What happens if I don’t water my plants?

Plants will start to wilt after a few hours. If you water them before they die, they recover. If they stay dry for too long (usually a day), they wither and disappear, and you lose the seed and any progress.

Can I play Petit Planet offline?

Yes, you can play offline, but you cannot watch ads for gems or visit friends’ islands. Your game progress is saved locally, and it syncs when you reconnect.

How do I get gems without paying?

You earn gems by completing achievements, leveling up (sometimes), and watching rewarded ads. The ad option appears occasionally in the shop or when you need a boost.

Is there a time limit for harvesting?

No, fully grown plants stay until you harvest them. They do not rot or disappear. You can leave them as long as you want.

Can I move or delete plants?

You cannot move a growing plant, but you can delete it (tap and hold, then select delete). You get no refund for the seed. Fully grown plants can be harvested, and then the plot is free.

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in t | Play time (min) | min | 10 | 0
in l | Current level | - | 1 | 1 | 50
out xp | XP earned | XP | t * 2 + l * 5 | 0
out coins | Coins earned | coins | t * 1.5 + l * 3 | 0