If you've spent any time with Grow A Garden, you know it’s more than just a chill gardening simulator. Sure, it starts off simple: you’re planting carrots, befriending forest critters, and helping the occasional wandering villager. But the deeper you get, the more you realize that every choice you make affects the world around you—and the fate of every NPC who stumbles into your garden.

That’s where decision trees come in.

Over my last two full playthroughs (yes, I’m that into this game), I’ve mapped out 19 key decision trees that can help you rescue every NPC while still keeping your garden thriving. These aren't random branches, either. They’re the difference between turning your plot into a peaceful sanctuary or watching it overrun by Blightvine and regret.

1. Understand the NPC Rescue Loop

Rescuing NPCs in Grow A Garden usually happens in three stages: encounter, assist, and settle. The first big decision tree kicks off when you choose whether to prioritize crops, critters, or NPCs during your early upgrades. Skipping NPC-focused tools (like the Whispering Spade or the Beacon Bell) can delay or lock out certain storylines altogether.

2. Your First Major Fork: The Feral Woods or Dustpath Hollow?

At level 5, the game offers a questline that sends you toward either the Feral Woods or Dustpath Hollow. This is your second major decision tree, and each route contains exclusive NPCs. Unless you're planning multiple runs, choose based on which characters you want to save. Hint: Feral Woods has more merchant NPCs, which help when you want to buy Grow A Garden Items more efficiently.

3. Item Choices Matter

One of the trickiest decision trees comes from how you handle rare item crafting. Do you use that Moonbark Resin to craft an NPC rescue item or to upgrade your watering can? This kind of micro-decision happens constantly, especially with limited resources. Players who shop strategically at the grow a garden item shop can work around this by buying what they need instead of sacrificing mission-critical ingredients.

4–19. [Spoiler-Free Summary of the Rest]

Without spoiling too much, here are a few branches to watch for:

• Who you assign to each outpost – Assign the wrong NPC, and you could lose access to important quests or daily bonuses.

• Critter alliances – Choosing to befriend Mallowbears over Thornfoxes affects how certain NPCs interact with your garden.

• Seasonal crop choices – These aren’t just for aesthetics. Some NPCs require specific harvests to trigger their rescue paths.

• Endgame flora – The final decision tree impacts the survival of all remaining NPCs, and it’s tied to how you’ve handled pollution and invasive species throughout the game.

Tips from Experience

• Keep multiple save files. Some decision trees only show consequences hours later.

• Always check the grow a garden item shop after major events. New stock often includes unique tools that make tough decisions easier.

• When in doubt, slow down and explore. Rushing often leads to missed interactions.

One Last Thing…