How to Make a Scarecrow in OSRS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

How to Make a Scarecrow in OSRS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners


Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a rich farming system that lets players grow crops, earn experience, and complete tasks. One essential farming item is the scarecrow, a simple yet effective tool for protecting your sweetcorn crops from disease. If you’re wondering how to make a scarecrow in OSRS, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. Whether you’re a new player or an Ironman tackling the Falador Medium or Morytania Easy Diaries, crafting and placing a scarecrow is a must-know skill. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about making a scarecrow, including materials, requirements, and tips for success!

The scarecrow isn’t just a decorative item in OSRS—it’s a practical tool that serves a specific purpose in the Farming skill. Understanding its role can help you decide when and why to craft one.

Protecting Your Sweetcorn Crops

In OSRS, sweetcorn is a valuable allotment crop unlocked at level 20 Farming. It’s prone to disease, which can wipe out your harvest if left unprotected. A scarecrow, when placed in a flower patch near your allotments, prevents birds from infecting your sweetcorn, ensuring a healthy yield. This makes it a game-changer for farmers looking to maximize profits or experience.

Completing Diary Tasks

Beyond its farming utility, the scarecrow is tied to two achievement diaries: the Falador Medium Diary and the Morytania Easy Diary. Crafting and placing a scarecrow checks off these tasks, offering rewards like experience lamps and access to shortcuts. For Ironmen, this is especially relevant, as the Morytania task requires a higher Farming level (47) to grow watermelons.

Requirements for Crafting a Scarecrow

Before you can make a scarecrow, you’ll need to meet some basic requirements and gather specific items. Here’s what you need to get started.

Farming Level Requirement

To craft a scarecrow, you need at least level 23 Farming. This is achievable for most players with some basic crop-growing, like planting potatoes or onions. However, if you’re an Ironman, the requirement jumps to level 47 Farming because you’ll need to grow your own watermelons—one of the key materials.

Materials Needed

You’ll need three items to create a scarecrow in OSRS. Here’s the list:

  • Empty Sack: Obtainable from farming shops (e.g., Vanessa’s Farming Shop in Catherby) or by emptying a sack of potatoes.
  • Bronze Spear: Dropped by goblins, crafted via Barbarian Smithing (level 5 Smithing), or bought from other players.
  • Watermelon: Grown at level 47 Farming, purchased from the Grand Exchange, or obtained as a drop from certain monsters like moss giants.

Note: Poisoned bronze spears (e.g., bronze spear (p)) don’t work—stick to the regular version.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Scarecrow

Now that you have the requirements sorted, let’s break down the process of crafting a scarecrow in OSRS. Follow these steps carefully to avoid mistakes.

Step 1: Fill the Empty Sack with Hay

Start by finding a hay bale or haystack. Common locations include near Lumbridge’s windmill, Draynor Village, or the Ranging Guild. Use your empty sack on the hay bale or haystack to create a hay sack. This represents the scarecrow’s body.

Step 2: Add the Bronze Spear

Next, use your bronze spear on the hay sack. This attaches the spear as the scarecrow’s pole, creating a hay sack (spear). Be sure to use a regular bronze spear—attempting to use a higher-tier or poisoned spear will trigger a message: “Waste this spear on a scarecrow? I think not – maybe I should find a bronze spear instead.”

Step 3: Attach the Watermelon

Finally, use a watermelon on the hay sack (spear) to complete the scarecrow. The watermelon acts as the head, giving your scarecrow its final form. You’ll earn 25 Farming experience for crafting it, and the scarecrow will appear in your inventory, ready to be placed.

Step 4: Place the Scarecrow in a Flower Patch

Head to a farming patch with a flower patch nearby (e.g., Falador, Catherby, or Morytania). Use the scarecrow on the flower patch to plant it. Once placed, it will protect any sweetcorn growing in adjacent allotment patches from disease. Pro Tip: Weeds may grow around the scarecrow over time, but they don’t affect its functionality.

Tips and Tricks for Scarecrow Crafting

Crafting and using a scarecrow is straightforward, but a few tips can make the process smoother and more efficient, especially for specific account types.

Farming Experience Boost

Each scarecrow you craft grants 25 Farming XP. While this isn’t a massive amount, it’s a nice bonus if you’re working toward level milestones like 47 for watermelons or higher for tree runs. Consider crafting multiple scarecrows if you’re close to a level-up.

Ironman Considerations

For Ironmen, obtaining a watermelon is the bottleneck due to the level 47 Farming requirement. To speed this up:

  • Grow watermelons in allotment patches (3 seeds per patch, 8 growth stages, 80 minutes total).
  • Use compost or supercompost to boost yield and reduce disease risk (since you can’t use a scarecrow to protect watermelons).
  • Farm watermelon seeds from birdhouse runs or monster drops (e.g., ogres or moss giants).

Removing and Storing Scarecrows

To remove a scarecrow from a flower patch, use a spade on it—this returns it to your inventory for reuse. Avoid the “Clear” option, as it destroys the scarecrow. You can also store up to 5 scarecrows with a Tool Leprechaun at any farming patch, saving inventory space.

Scarecrow Locations andDiary Tasks

Placing a scarecrow isn’t just about farming—it’s also a key step in completing diary tasks. Here’s where and how to use it for maximum benefit.

Falador Medium Diary

For the Falador Medium Diary, place a scarecrow in the flower patch north of Port Sarim (near the allotment patches). This completes the “Stoic Sweetcorn Guardian” task, rewarding you with a Falador Shield 2 and 7,500 XP in any skill above level 40.

Morytania Easy Diary

In Morytania, plant a scarecrow in the flower patch near Canifis. This fulfills an easy diary task, granting a Morytania Legs 1 and 2,500 XP in any skill above level 30. Ironmen will need level 47 Farming to grow watermelons, making this task trickier than its “easy” label suggests.

Best Farming Patch Locations

Here’s a quick table of ideal locations to place your scarecrow:

Location Flower Patch Allotments Nearby Diary Task
Falador North of Port Sarim Yes Falador Medium
Morytania West of Canifis Yes Morytania Easy
Catherby North of Allotments Yes No
Ardougne West of Allotments Yes No

Conclusion: Mastering the Scarecrow in OSRS

Crafting a scarecrow in OSRS is a simple yet rewarding task that enhances your Farming gameplay and unlocks diary rewards. With just an empty sack, a bronze spear, and a watermelon, you can protect your sweetcorn and progress in the game. Whether you’re a casual farmer or an Ironman grinding toward level 47, this guide has you covered. So, grab your materials, head to a flower patch, and start building your scarecrow today—your sweetcorn (and diary progress) will thank you!

Have questions or tips of your own? Drop them below and let’s keep the Farming conversation growing!