Screenshot 1 of 5. Promo graphic showing sugar cane and cactus growing taller on sand blocks in Universal Bone Meal.
What Universal Bone Meal works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.4, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Universal Bone Meal is a Java mod for Fabric and NeoForge that lets bone meal work on plants it normally skips. It must be installed on both the client and the server, so a multiplayer host and every player need it. Forge builds exist, but they have stopped.
Loaders and versions
- Fabric: Minecraft 1.18.2 to 26.3. The newest build requires Fabric API, Puzzles Lib and Forge Config API Port.
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.20.4 to 26.3. The newest build requires Puzzles Lib.
- Forge: Minecraft 1.18.2 to 1.20.4, builds stopped after February 2024. The newest build requires Puzzles Lib and Forge Config API Port, optionally Forge Config Screens; builds for 1.18.2 to 1.20.1 require Puzzles Lib.
What bone meal can grow
Each plant gets its own growth behavior instead of one generic effect.
The new behaviors also work with dispensers. Each one can be disabled individually in the config, which suits players who want most of the changes but not all of them.
Installing and configuring
Put the mod file and the libraries listed above for your loader into the mods folder, then launch with that loader's profile. The mod installation guide covers the steps if you are new to this.
On Fabric, in-game configuration goes through Mod Menu, which is a separate install. Manual edits go in the .minecraft/config folder, in files named MOD_ID-client.toml, MOD_ID-common.toml or MOD_ID-server.toml. Not every type exists for every mod.
Fuzs credits Pifou's Improving Minecraft for a few behaviors, Josephcsible's ExpandedBonemeal for a few more, and Pepperoni Jabroni's Complete Bone Meal for the coral behavior. A Reddit thread inspired the sweet berry bush behavior.
Questions about Universal Bone Meal.
4 questions
Can I turn off individual bone meal behaviors?
Yes. Every new behavior can be disabled on its own in the config. On Fabric you can use Mod Menu for in-game settings, or edit the toml files in the .minecraft/config folder by hand.
Does Universal Bone Meal work with dispensers?
Yes. The new growth behaviors also work with dispensers, so a dispenser loaded with bone meal can trigger them. Each of the new behaviors can also be disabled individually in the config, which lets you keep the ones you want and switch off the rest.
Do I need Universal Bone Meal on the server as well?
Yes. The mod is required on both the client and the server, so a multiplayer host and every player need it installed. Each loader also has its own library mods, such as Puzzles Lib on Fabric and NeoForge, which go in the mods folder alongside the mod itself.
Does Universal Bone Meal still support Forge?
No. Forge builds have stopped, and current development continues on Fabric and NeoForge. Players on Forge can use the older Forge builds, but they will not receive updates or support for newer Minecraft releases.
