OSRS Planting Oak Trees Ultimate Guide for Fast Farming XP
In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), planting oak trees is a fantastic way to level up your Farming skill efficiently, especially in the early stages. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) or pay-to-play (P2P) player, this method offers decent experience points (XP) with minimal effort. This guide covers everything you need to know about planting oak trees, from requirements and preparation to step-by-step instructions and tips for maximizing your gains. Let’s dig into how you can grow your Farming level with oak trees!
Oak trees strike a balance between affordability, accessibility, and XP rewards, making them a popular choice for players looking to train Farming without breaking the bank. Here’s why they’re worth your time:
- Decent XP: Planting an oak tree grants 14 XP, and checking its health gives 467.3 XP, totaling 481.3 XP per tree.
- Low Requirements: You only need level 15 Farming to start, which is achievable for beginners.
- Cost-Effective: Oak saplings and protection payments (baskets of tomatoes) are relatively cheap on the Grand Exchange.
- F2P and P2P Friendly: Oak trees can be planted in both game modes, making this method versatile.
Comparing Oak Trees to Other Early Farming Methods
While allotments like potatoes or herbs like guam offer XP, they require more frequent attention and higher costs for seeds. Oak trees, on the other hand, take around 200 minutes to grow, allowing you to plant, pay for protection, and return later for XP. This semi-AFK method suits players with busy schedules.
Requirements and Preparation for Planting Oak Trees
Before you start planting oak trees, you’ll need to meet some basic requirements and gather supplies. Proper preparation ensures a smooth Farming run.
Farming Level and Quests
You need at least level 15 Farming to plant oak trees. If you’re starting from level 1, consider planting allotments (e.g., potatoes or cabbages) or completing quests like Fairy Tale I – Growing Pains for a Farming XP boost.
Essential Items
Here’s what you’ll need for each planting run:
- Oak Saplings: One per tree patch (buy from Grand Exchange or grow from oak acorns).
- Baskets of Tomatoes: One basket per tree as payment to protect the tree.
- Spade: For planting and digging up trees.
- Rake: To clear weeds from patches.
- Coins: Around 200 GP per tree to pay NPCs to remove grown trees.
- Teleportation Methods: For quick travel to tree patches (e.g., Amulet of Glory, teleport runes, or tablets).
Growing Oak Saplings
If you’re making your own saplings to save coins, follow these steps:
- Purchase oak acorns from the Grand Exchange.
- Fill a plant pot with soil using a trowel (buy pots at Farming shops).
- Plant the acorn in the filled pot and water it with a watering can.
- Wait about 5 minutes for the acorn to grow into a sapling.
Tip: Buy pre-grown oak saplings if you want to skip this step, but it’s slightly more expensive.
Where to Plant Oak Trees in OSRS
OSRS has five tree patches (plus one in the Farming Guild at level 65, which we’ll skip for this beginner-friendly guide). Knowing their locations and how to reach them quickly is key to efficient Farming runs.
Tree Patch Locations
| Location | Teleport/Travel Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lumbridge | Lumbridge Teleport or Home Teleport | East of Lumbridge Castle, near the gardener Sarah. |
| Varrock | Varrock Teleport | North of Varrock Palace, near the gardener Treznor. |
| Falador | Falador Teleport or Amulet of Glory (Draynor) | |
| Taverley | Taverley Teleport or Games Necklace (Burthorpe) | North of Taverley, near the gardener Alain. |
| Tree Gnome Stronghold | Spirit Tree or Gnome Glider | Northeast of the Grand Tree, near the gardener Prissy Scilla. |
Fastest Travel Routes
To minimize travel time, use teleports to get close to each patch. For F2P players, Lumbridge and Varrock are easily accessible with basic teleport spells. P2P players can use an Amulet of Glory for Falador (Draynor Village teleport) and Spirit Trees for the Gnome Stronghold. Plan your route to hit all patches efficiently, such as Lumbridge → Varrock → Falador → Taverley → Gnome Stronghold.
Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Oak Trees
Planting oak trees is straightforward, but following a clear process ensures you don’t miss any XP or waste resources. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Clear the Patch
Visit a tree patch and use your rake to remove any weeds. This only needs to be done once unless the patch becomes weedy again (rare).
Step 2: Plant the Sapling
With a spade in your inventory, click the oak sapling and then the cleared patch to plant it.
Step 3: Pay for Protection
Talk to the nearby gardener NPC and pay them one basket of tomatoes to protect your tree. This prevents it from getting diseased and dying.
Step 4: Wait for Growth
Oak trees take approximately 200 minutes (3 hours and 20 minutes) to fully grow. You can log out or do other activities during this time.
Step 5: Check Health and Clear
Return to the patch once the tree is grown. Click to check-health for 467.3 XP. Then, pay the gardener 200 coins to remove the tree, or use your spade to dig it up (slower but free).
Repeating the Process
Plant oak trees in all five patches every 200 minutes for maximum XP. With teleports, a full run takes about 10-15 minutes, making it a low-effort method for steady gains.
Tips to Optimize Your Oak Tree Farming Runs
To get the most out of planting oak trees, incorporate these strategies to save time, money, and effort while boosting your Farming XP.
Use Compost for Extra XP
Before planting, treat the patch with compost (15 XP) or supercompost (26 XP). This slightly increases XP and reduces disease risk (though paying for protection already eliminates this). Compost is cheap and stacks with the standard 481.3 XP per tree.
Combine with Other Crops
While waiting for oak trees to grow, plant faster-growing crops like herbs (e.g., ranarr) or fruit trees (e.g., apple trees) if you’re P2P and have the levels. This maximizes XP per hour. For example, at level 27, you can plant apple trees alongside oaks for 1,272.5 XP each.
Track Growth Time
Use a timer or an in-game tool like the Farming Timer (available via plugins like RuneLite) to know exactly when your trees are ready. This prevents wasted trips to patches.
Save Coins with Efficient Teleports
Invest in teleportation items like Amulets of Glory or Games Necklaces for P2P, or stick to low-cost teleports (e.g., Lumbridge Home Teleport) for F2P. Avoid walking long distances to save time.
Stock Up on Supplies
Buy oak saplings and baskets of tomatoes in bulk from the Grand Exchange to avoid price fluctuations. Store extra tools (spade, rake) with the Tool Leprechaun at each patch for convenience.
Pro Tip: If you’re P2P, unlock the Spirit Tree network by completing Tree Gnome Village and reaching level 83 Farming later for instant access to tree patches.
Planting oak trees in OSRS is a reliable, beginner-friendly way to train Farming with solid XP rewards and low costs. By following this guide, you’ll be raking in Farming levels in no time. Stick to the routine, optimize your runs with teleports and compost, and consider mixing in other crops as you progress. Happy Farming, and may your trees grow strong!