Create: Mechanical Botany

This mod expands Create's capabilities by adding two new mechanical devices for automated plant processing. The modification works excellently both standalone and as part of modpacks with other mods.

Mechanical Insolator

This block draws inspiration from Thermal Expansion's Phytogenic Insolator. Plants can be loaded through the top or using a funnel from any side except the bottom.

The Mechanical Insolator consumes a significant amount of stress units — its kinetic load is multiplied by 16. This requires careful consideration when selecting plants for automation on production lines.

For plant processing, the block requires fluid input through the bottom. Most plants need water, some Nether species require lava, while special plants need unique fluids added by Mechanical Botany. Ancient plants found with the Sniffer are too old for regular water and require Liquid Compost. Wither Roses need Molten Liquid Compost, and Chorus Fruit require Void Liquid Compost.

Regular liquid compost is obtained by supplying compost (from the Mechanical Composter) to an Item Drain.

Molten liquid compost is created by mixing liquid compost and lava in a heated basin.

Void liquid compost is obtained by mixing liquid compost and powdered obsidian in a heated basin.

Compatibility with Other Mods

Mechanical Botany includes built-in support for several popular mods:

• Create: Garnished — Aureate Shrub
• Create: Garnished Reworked — Elven Sweet Berries
• Create: Bitterballen — Sunflower Seeds/Sunflower
• Hibernal Herbs — Tarragon

Mechanical Composter

This device converts plants and crops into compost, which can be used like bone meal, pressed into bone meal, or supplied to an Item Drain to create liquid compost.

Almost all recipes in the mechanical composter provide two compost outputs, but only one is guaranteed. The second output has a percentage chance corresponding to the probability of obtaining compost in a regular composter. For example, wheat has a 65% chance in a regular composter, so when processed in the mechanical composter, it has a 65% chance to provide an additional portion of compost.

Recipe Examples for External Use

If you want to add compatibility with other mods or create custom recipes, here are examples from the base mod:

Mechanical Insolator Recipe Example

The first ingredient is the required fluid, the second is the base item (usually seeds or a flower).

{
  "type": "mechanical_botany:insolating",
  "ingredients": [
    {
      "type": "fluid_stack",
      "amount": 1000,
      "fluid": "minecraft:water"
    },
    {
      "item": "minecraft:allium"
    }
  ],
  "processing_time": 50,
  "results": [
    {
      "count": 2,
      "id": "minecraft:allium"
    }
  ]
}

Mechanical Composter Recipe Example

You can specify one item, multiple items, or an item tag for processing into compost. The amount of compost is completely under your control, but it's recommended to follow the base mod's logic: 1 guaranteed portion of compost and a second portion with a percentage chance corresponding to the probability in a regular composter.

{
  "type": "mechanical_botany:composting",
  "ingredients": [
    [
      {
        "item": "minecraft:cake"
      },
      {
        "item": "minecraft:pumpkin_pie"
      }
    ]
  ],
  "processing_time": 50,
  "results": [
    {
      "count": 1,
      "id": "mechanical_botany:compost"
    },
    {
      "count": 1,
      "id": "mechanical_botany:compost"
    }
  ]
}