Kelp is one of the most versatile renewable resources in Minecraft. It can be used as a fuel source, a food item, and even a building block. Farming kelp is relatively simple but can be scaled up for efficiency or automation depending on your goals. Whether you need dried kelp for food, blocks for fuel, or XP from smelting, knowing how to farm kelp in Minecraft will make your survival or creative experience smoother and more productive. This guide covers every step from basic planting to building fully automated kelp farms.
Where to Find Kelp
Natural Kelp Locations
Kelp naturally generates in ocean biomes, especially in deep oceans. You’ll recognize it as the tall, green plant growing from the ocean floor, swaying in the water. You can gather it by simply swimming into it or using a tool, though any item will do the job.
Harvesting Your First Kelp
To start a kelp farm, you only need one piece. Break the stalk from the bottom or any point to collect several pieces at once. Each plant can grow up to 26 blocks high, so even one stalk can yield a decent amount of kelp for propagation.
Basic Manual Kelp Farm
What You Need
- Water source blocks
- Dirt or sand blocks (kelp can grow on both)
- Light source (like sea lanterns or glowstone, especially for underground builds)
Building the Farm
Start by creating a grid of water blocks at least 3 blocks deep. Place dirt or sand at the bottom, then plant kelp on each block. As kelp grows vertically, you can swim or dive down and break it from the base or middle to harvest it.
Harvesting Tips
- Use a bucket to remove nearby water currents if needed to swim easily.
- Break the kelp from the second or third block to leave a base for regrowth.
- Collect floating kelp pieces before they despawn.
This method is simple and doesn’t require redstone, but it involves manual effort and is best for early game or casual farming.
Semi-Automatic Kelp Farm
How It Works
Semi-automatic farms use pistons or dispensers to break kelp when it grows to a certain height. You’ll still need to replant or reset it manually unless you design it with water streams that handle regrowth automatically.
Required Materials
- Building blocks
- Pistons
- Observers
- Redstone dust
- Water buckets
- Glass (optional, for visibility)
Building Steps
- Create vertical columns with water and kelp planted at the bottom.
- Place an observer facing the kelp block where you want detection to occur (usually the second or third block).
- Behind the observer, place redstone dust leading into a piston.
- The piston will push and break the kelp when it grows in front of the observer.
The broken kelp will float upward in the water stream and can be collected at the surface or guided with water currents to a hopper system.
Fully Automatic Kelp Farm
Why Automate?
Fully automatic kelp farms save time, reduce effort, and can generate large amounts of kelp passively. They are especially useful when combined with furnaces for XP farming or when kelp is your main fuel source.
How It Works
Automatic kelp farms combine observer-piston setups with water streams, hoppers, and storage. When kelp grows, observers trigger pistons to break it, and water flows carry it into a collection system.
What You’ll Need
- Kelp
- Water source blocks
- Pistons and observers
- Redstone dust and repeaters
- Hoppers and chests
- Furnaces or smokers (if auto-smelting)
- Building blocks and glass
Step-by-Step Build
- Create a trench or tank for water, about 35 blocks deep.
- Place sand or dirt at the bottom and plant kelp.
- On the side of the tank, place observers above the kelp where it should be harvested.
- Place pistons next to the observers facing the kelp.
- Connect redstone behind the observers to activate the pistons.
- Use water currents above the kelp to push broken pieces into a collection point.
- At the end of the stream, place hoppers connected to chests or furnaces.
Once active, the farm will run automatically whenever a kelp reaches the observer level, making it efficient and hands-free.
Smelting and Using Kelp
Drying Kelp
Raw kelp can be smelted in furnaces, smokers, or blast furnaces to create dried kelp. Dried kelp is edible and restores hunger when eaten. Smelting kelp also grants experience points, which can be used for XP farming.
Crafting Dried Kelp Blocks
- Combine 9 dried kelp in a crafting table to make 1 dried kelp block.
- Dried kelp blocks are an excellent fuel source, capable of smelting up to 20 items.
This makes kelp one of the most efficient renewable fuels in the game, especially for large-scale operations.
Tips for Efficient Farming
- Use bone meal on underwater kelp to speed up growth for testing or small-scale farms.
- Stack farm modules vertically to maximize space in compact builds.
- Place your kelp farm near your base to keep it within chunk loading range.
- Use daylight sensors or timers to trigger harvesting at regular intervals if you want redstone-based control.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Kelp not growing? Ensure it’s underwater and has a valid block beneath it (sand or dirt).
- Redstone not activating pistons? Check the observer orientation and redstone connection.
- Items not collected? Verify water streams reach hoppers, and hoppers are correctly connected to chests or furnaces.
Best Use Cases for Kelp Farming
XP Farming
Link your automatic kelp farm to furnaces to generate continuous experience points. As kelp is smelted, collect XP by removing items from the furnace manually. This setup works best with XP storage tricks involving hopper loops or locking mechanisms.
Fuel Source
Craft dried kelp blocks and use them to power other furnaces. With a proper farm, you can replace coal entirely and keep your smelters running on a sustainable loop.
Trading and Storage
While villagers don’t trade kelp directly, it can be a helpful resource in base decoration, storage, or food supply. Use dried kelp blocks as compact storage one block holds nine dried kelp and can be reverted back if needed.
Farming kelp in Minecraft is a practical and rewarding activity that benefits players in all game stages. Starting with a simple water tank and growing into complex automated farms, kelp can become a reliable source of fuel, food, and experience. By learning how to build and optimize your kelp farm, you’ll ensure a constant supply of resources with minimal effort. Whether you’re surviving in hardcore mode or building massive infrastructure, kelp farming is a smart addition to your gameplay strategy.