Why is my Pamtre Berry not growing in Pokemon Sapphire?

Question

I am trying to increase my Feebas' beauty to make it a Milotic for a gen 3 living dex, but when I planted the Pamtre berry trying to double it it refuses to grow past the "One PAMTRE BERRY was planted here" stage, and remains a mound of dirt.

No message stating the internal battery has run dry pops up when I turn the game on, and the Shoal Cave tides still shift every 6 hours. The clock in my character's room also keeps time consistently whether or not the cartridge is inserted in my gameboy.

I know that the Pamtre berry takes 72 hours to grow in 18 hour stages but I planted it over a week ago and it hasn't progressed to the next stage once whether I water it or not.

I've also just planted a Cheri berry and Rawst berry next to the Pamtre to see if it's all berries having this issue.

The only other details I can think to add are the dirt patch I planted in is the northern-most patch on Route 104 just below Rustboro, and the version of the cartridge/game is the European english release.

Please help, is there something I'm missing???

Comments

Have you watered the berry?

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Is the Cheri berry growing?

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I have watered all three berries and not one of them has grown :(

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Your cartridge may have the berry glitch: https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Berry_glitch

Actually I'm sure of it. I dont believe there is any other explanation.

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Cicada, post that as an answer with a brief explanation of the glitch

Answer 1

Your cartridge very likely is affected by the berry glitch.

As the name may suggest, berries no longer grow. It occurs 366 days after the game is first started, or 366 days after the internal battery is replaced, and makes all calendar events delayed by 366 days.

The glitch can be fixed with the Berry Program Update from Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald; a patch from Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon XD, Pokémon Channel, Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire, the e-Reader, or a specific interactive demo disc. (Some of these solutions are hard to come by now days and you can no longer send cartridges to Nintendo.)

It's different from the battery running dry, so you don't get that message at the start of the game.

For more details on how it works/how to fix it read on Bulbapedia:
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Berry_glitch