PlomiWater on time
A crop goes through three states between waterings: resting, thirsty and, if forgotten, wilted.
Watering and wilting
Resting
Right after planting or watering, the crop rests for its stage time. Watering now is refused: the contract replies that it is not thirsty yet.
Thirsty
Once the rest is over, one watering moves it up a stage and starts the next rest. After the third watering the crop is ripe and needs nothing more.
Wilted
A thirsty crop waits 4 rest periods for water. After that it wilts, can no longer be watered and will never ripen. Clear it to free the plot; the wilt is counted on your record but costs nothing else.
"Water all" waters every thirsty crop in one transaction and skips the ones that are resting or wilted.
You can also pull up a growing crop on purpose with Clear. A ripe crop cannot be cleared; harvest it instead.