Description
A melon stem is the small plant block that appears when you plant melon seeds and then tend the crop until it grows. It is the growing stalk that produces melon blocks on adjacent farmland spaces and it plays a central role in efficient farming systems. Melon stems are thin and they do not block movement but they are essential for producing one of the most efficient renewable food sources in the game. The stem grows through several stages and requires light and water to reach maturity. When a stem is fully grown it will produce melon blocks on nearby suitable soil tiles which the player can harvest to get multiple melon slices per block. Because stems are small and compact you can place many of them in a tight pattern to create high yield farms that supply food for survival and for trading. They are also useful in automated farms where pistons and observers detect melon growth and harvest the fruit automatically. Stems will break if trampled by mobs or if the soil is not properly maintained so careful layout and protection can improve yields. Players who like efficient farming will invest time in arranging water streams, lighting and protective fencing to keep stems growing and safe. Melon stems are renewable and easy to replace so they are a reliable long term option for food and for crafting ingredients. The stem is not harvestable for the melon itself but it is the workhorse that supports fruit production and it is often used in visible farm designs because it shows the state of a crop and allows a player to plan harvesting runs.
What is Melon Stem?
A melon stem is a crop plant block that produces melon fruit when it reaches full growth. It is a farming plant that occupies a single tile and shows growth stages as it matures. Players plant seeds to grow stems which then spread fruit to adjacent blocks. The stem itself is not a food item but it is vital because the melon itself will only appear once a stem is mature and there is an open adjacent tile for the fruit to grow. Managing stems is the core of melon farming and stems are ideal for compact farm design and for automation in survival play.
Where to find Melon Stem
Melon stems do not appear as natural terrain they appear when you plant melon seeds on tilled farmland. You can find melon seeds in village chests from certain trades and by breaking melon blocks in the wild. Villages sometimes have melon patches in their farms and jungle edges can have melon growth in generated structures. For reliable access most players create a dedicated farm near their base and then expand it as needed so that the stems are always close at hand and under watch.
How to get Melon Stem
Get melon stems by planting melon seeds on tilled farmland adjacent to water to ensure hydration. The seed will grow into a stem through several stages with light helping speed growth. You can accelerate growth with bone meal if the game rules allow it and that helps set up a fast initial crop. Place stems in rows with empty blocks next to them for melon fruit to appear and protect the farm from trampling by mobs and from being flooded by careless water placement.
Release Information
First introduced: Melon stem was added with farming updates to provide renewable food production
Give Command
/give @p minecraft:melon_stem 64
How to use Melon Stem
Use melon stems in compact farms to generate many melon blocks in a small space. Configure rows of stems with water irrigation and use automated harvesting with observers and pistons to break melon fruit and then collect it with hoppers. Keep stems fenced or raised to prevent mob trampling and use light sources to keep growth steady at night. Replace damaged stems by replanting seeds and rotate farm areas to keep a continual harvest. For small kitchens stash melon stems near a planting area so you can restart the crop after a long trip.
Recipes for Melon Stem
This item cannot be crafted.