Getting started with herb runs in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the most essential routines for any Ironman. Herbs are the backbone of Herblore training and potion-making, and being able to grow them efficiently will save countless hours of grinding. While some players choose to buy OSRS gold to speed up their progress, mastering herb runs offers a self-sufficient and rewarding alternative. Whether you’re just unlocking your first patch or optimizing late-game rotations, this guide walks you through everything you need - from plugins and tools to routes, seeds, and compost management.

1. Understanding Herb Mechanics

Knowing how herb growth works helps maximize yield and minimize loss.

· Growth time: 80 minutes (four 20-minute stages).

· Disease chance: Each stage carries a risk of disease unless protected. Protected patches or diary rewards can prevent this entirely.

· Yield factors:

 o Magic Secateurs (from Fairytale I) give a 10% yield boost.

 o Higher Farming level increases yield.

 o Better compost (always use Ultra Compost) further boosts yield and survival rates.

 o Diary bonuses add extra yield to certain patches (e.g., Falador Medium Diary adds +10% yield).

2. The Herb Patches & How to Access Them

There are currently nine main herb patches you can include in your rotation:

· Falador Patch - No requirements. +10% yield from Falador Medium Diary. Use Explorer’s Ring 3/4 or a Glory teleport to Draynor.

· Catherby Patch - No requirements. Up to +15% yield from Kandarin Diaries. Fastest access: Lunar Catherby Teleport or Camelot Teleport.

· Ardougne Patch - No requirements. Best access via Ardougne Cloak teleports.

· Morytania Patch (Port Phasmatys) - Requires Priest in Peril quest. Best access: Ectophial teleport.

· Kourend Patch (Hosidius) - No requirements. Disease-free with Kourend Easy Diary, +5% yield with Hard Diary. Use House Teleport (Hosidius) or Xeric’s Talisman.

· Troll Stronghold Patch - Requires My Arm’s Big Adventure. Automatically protected. Use Stony Basalt teleport.

· Harmony Island Patch - Requires The Great Brain Robbery + Morytania Elite Diary. Automatically protected.

· Weiss Patch - Requires Making Friends with My Arm. Protected once you light the Eternal Flame. Use Icy Basalt teleport.

· Farming Guild Patch - Requires 65 Farming. +5% yield with Kandarin Hard Diary. Ideal for contracts.

Each patch adds to your total yield per run, so aim to unlock all over time.

3. What to Bring on Your Herb Run

To make your run smooth, always carry the following:

· Teleports: To each patch (runes, tabs, or jewelry).

· Rake, Seed Dibber, Spade: Basic farming tools (can store extras with the Tool Leprechaun). 

· Magic Secateurs: +10% yield bonus. Keep them in inventory - you don’t need to equip them.

· Compost: Use Ultra Compost for best results.

· Seeds: Choose herbs based on:

 o What you need for Herblore (e.g., Ranar for Prayer potions).

 o What’s profitable or trainable at your level.

 o What’s safe to plant (save rare seeds for protected patches).

4. Making Ultra Compost

Ultra Compost is key for maximizing herb yields. Here’s how to make it efficiently:

· Create Super Compost:

 o Fill a compost bin with 15 pineapples (buy from Charter Ships).

 o Close the bin and wait one herb run (~80 minutes).

· Upgrade to Ultra Compost:

 o Mine Volcanic Ash on Fossil Island (southeast of the volcano).

 o Use 2 ash per Super Compost to upgrade it.

· Collect with Buckets or a Bottomless Compost Bucket (from Hespori).

If you have the Farming Guild’s Big Compost Bin, you can process 30 items at once - double the efficiency.

5. Performing a Full Herb Run

A full herb run takes about 5–6 minutes with fast teleports. Example route:
Ardougne → Catherby → Falador → Port Phasmatys → Hosidius → Troll Stronghold → Weiss → Farming Guild.

At each patch:

· Rake (if needed).

· Use Ultra Compost.

· Plant seed with Seed Dibber.

· Harvest grown herbs (spam-click to speed up).

· Use the Tool Leprechaun to note your herbs.

Repeat for all patches, and check your Runelite reminders for when they’re ready again.

Final Tips

· Do herb runs between Slayer tasks or boss trips to stay consistent.

· Save your best seeds (Snapdragon, Toadflax, Torstol) for disease-free patches.

· Always bring your Magic Secateurs and Ultra Compost - those bonuses stack up over time.

Herb runs may seem small, but over weeks they’ll fuel your entire Herblore grind - and on an Ironman, that’s priceless. Even for regular accounts, efficient herb farming can save you millions that would otherwise be spent on supplies or cheap OSRS gold from trading sites. Stay consistent, use the right tools, and you’ll never have to buy a potion again.