The Sundried Mutation in Grow a Garden is one of the most profitable mutations in the entire game, offering an impressive 85x sell multiplier. However, this rare mutation only appears during the Heatwave event, a limited-time, random weather event where beams of sunlight strike your plants. With the right tools, setup, and strategy, players can significantly increase their chances of obtaining this mutation and maximizing their income.
This guide covers how the Sundried Mutation works, when it appears, and how to prepare your farm to get the most out of the Heatwave event.
What is Sundried Mutation?
The Sundried Mutation is a temporary, event-only plant mutation that causes affected fruits to appear pale, scorched, or slightly orange—particularly on white-base crops like Cauliflower. The biggest advantage of this mutation is its 85x value multiplier, making even low-value fruits immensely profitable when mutated.
Key Details:
Mutation Name: Sundried
Event Trigger: Heatwave
Visual Cue: Beams of bright yellow light fall from the sky onto random plants
Effect: Mutated fruits take on a sun-burnt appearance and sell for 85x their normal value
This makes the Sundried Mutation a high-reward opportunity for both casual and advanced players looking to boost their economy.
How to Get Sundried Mutation
Since the mutation only appears during the Heatwave Event, players must prepare beforehand and act quickly when it begins. Here’s how to maximize your chances:
1. Wait for the Heatwave Event
The Heatwave is a random weather event with no fixed schedule
During the event, you’ll see yellow beams of sunlight fall from the sky onto your farm
These beams are what trigger the Sundried Mutation when they hit fruit
While you can’t control when the event appears, you can prepare your farm to respond effectively when it does.
2. Use the Tanning Mirror Gear
The Tanning Mirror is a tool item available from the Gear Shop, and it’s designed specifically to enhance mutation chances during the Heatwave.
Function: Redirects sunlight up to 10 times to random fruits on your plot
Best Placement: Near rare crops or high-density multi-harvest plants
Max Effect: Can trigger up to 4 Sundried mutations per Heatwave event
Equipping this tool is the most efficient way to convert more fruits into Sundried versions. It works automatically while placed in your plot.
3. Plant Multi-Harvest Crops
To increase your mutation chances, plant multi-harvest crops—plants that grow multiple fruits at once. More fruits = more opportunities for sunlight beams and Tanning Mirror redirects.
Recommended multi-harvest crops from the Summer Update:
Loquat
Feijoa
Prickly Pear
Avocado
These plants not only offer multiple fruits but also benefit greatly from mutation boosts due to their mid-to-high base value.
4. Clear Fruits Before the Event Starts
Timing is everything. Make sure your plants are fruit-free just before a Heatwave begins.
Use the Harvest Tool to manually clear all fruits right before the event
This ensures new fruits spawn during the event and become eligible for mutation
Avoid having full-grown fruit already on the plant before the light hits—it won’t mutate unless freshly spawned
This strategy significantly increases the chance that new fruits will get struck by sunlight beams or redirected by the Tanning Mirror.
Best Fruits to Use During Heatwave
Not all fruits are created equal when it comes to the Sundried Mutation. These fruits stand out due to their yield, size, or base value:
Loquat – Medium-sized tree with high fruit count and solid value
Feijoa – Similar to Loquat, with slightly higher sell price per fruit
Prickly Pear – Unique cactus fruit with a visually striking appearance and high payout when mutated
Avocado – Grows slowly, but with multiple fruits and good base price, especially profitable under 85x multiplier
Using the Tanning Mirror on these fruits can lead to returns of hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of Sheckles per harvest.
Final Thoughts
The Sundried Mutation in Grow a Garden is a limited-time opportunity that can dramatically boost your profits, especially when combined with the Tanning Mirror tool and the right crop selection. By focusing on multi-harvest fruits, clearing your plants before the event, and using redirect tools wisely, you can take full advantage of every Heatwave.
With an 85x multiplier, even average fruits can become incredibly valuable. Don’t leave your farm unprepared—equip your gear, grow your best crops, and stay alert for the bright yellow beams of summer.