give me your definition of what a survival garden is to you and whats in it and whys,what etc behind it.what makes it a survival garden and why you would call it that.
Survival Garden
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My idea of a survival garden would be a sustainable garden.Learning to master potatoes and they would be number one crop, next is greens and yellow. Potatoes are filling and have nutrients. I'd grow then in containers to save space. Beans takes up alot of room for what they produce so I'd go up with beans.
Standard storage veggies from the dark ages. That means root crops that can be stored over winter in cellars and winter squashes for same reason.
If the intent is to live off the garden, my parents had five kids. We did not have access to modern amenities of any kind including grocery stores.
2 acres of potatoes
2 acres of combined carrots, onions, turnips, horse radish, parsnip, cabbage, beets and green beans for canning.
1/4 acre of summer foo foo (non storage) crops such as lettuce, radish, spring onions, chard
This accounted for eating and seed saving
It was too cold for squash, corn or tomatoes
If the intent is to live off the garden, my parents had five kids. We did not have access to modern amenities of any kind including grocery stores.
2 acres of potatoes
2 acres of combined carrots, onions, turnips, horse radish, parsnip, cabbage, beets and green beans for canning.
1/4 acre of summer foo foo (non storage) crops such as lettuce, radish, spring onions, chard
This accounted for eating and seed saving
It was too cold for squash, corn or tomatoes
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I have never thought about a garden as a survival garden. Clem's list is great!
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It certainly is! Fortunately, southern Idaho provides us with a climate for squash, corn, tomatoes AND sweet potatoes, as well as peppers, all of which lend themselves to storage without electricity, should things get bad. Of course, what canning Dawn and I do is with a propane stove, but I suppose I could can with a wood or charcoal fire.
The guy across the street runs twenty acres of garden beans and winter wheat on alternate plantings, and another neighbor raises sweet corn. I don't have enough land under cultivation (eight 4' X 16' raised beds) to do that kind of production, but I do have two beds of potatoes (pontiac reds and yukon golds), one bed of onions (red and yellow) which should last the two of us for a good while, if the harvest is good.
I feed the chickens and goats on commercial feed-store food, and I haven't thought about how to feed them in a SHTF situation other than turning them into free-range critters.
What I would like to have (but I don't -- yet) would be a greenhouse, which could keep us in the summer foo-foo crops long enough to make them an important part of a year-round survival garden. I wish I'd begun gardening earlier in my life! There's so much to learn, and not all that much time left....
Any vegetables I can freeze or can.
For that time (SHTF) when I can't run down to grocery store.
Beans ,white , Lima, green, brown
Root stuff that will store long time carrots , beets, turnips,
Corn,okra.
Jim
For that time (SHTF) when I can't run down to grocery store.
Beans ,white , Lima, green, brown
Root stuff that will store long time carrots , beets, turnips,
Corn,okra.
Jim
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Clem's list is a good one. Anything that can be stored well. Root crops are #1, beans, maters, cukes, all kinds oif stuff can be canned. Most anything that can be dried
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If I had the land and the ability, I would have a field of sweet corn, some field corn, a field of potatoes, a large planting of various beans for drying, green beans and tomatoes, and like Clem says, an area with a large planting of other foods such as garlic, peas, carrots, turnips, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, onions, herbs and medicinal herbs. Some would be cold stored (root cellar) (potatoes, root veggies), some would be canned (tomatoes, green beans), some would be frozen (peas, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, some of the onions pre-chopped) and some would be dehydrated or dried. Also, selling at farm stands or to individuals would be a thought, except that might give some people a heads up about what I (you) have in the way of food that they may not.
Why I wouldn't try to grow a small amount of wheat: it is not worth all the equipment necessary, it takes a lot of land to produce wheat, it is not so easy to grow wheat for an individual. I have family who grow and some who have grown wheat. It is just not something to grow in a survival garden, IMHO. I believe potatoes are a better crop to grow for survival purposes. Storing wheat is easy and it lasts forever if well contained and stored. It is also inexpensive.
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You don't need a lot of land to grow food, container growing is the way to go if your older too grow potoes, varrots, beets onions, etc, in containers.
.Also you can use hydroponics for squash, tomatoes, peppers,leyyuce
Peppers,cabbage,etc,etc,etc,.
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We had great success with hydroponic with lettuce, squash, cabbage, tomatoes galore! Roots.We just got too busy lately to continue. Also think if heat was't a problem Aqiponics is the way to go. Our reservours just got too hot .duckweed will feed your fish. I wish all the things we learend were'nt wasted ,since none of the family is into prepping sustainable living.
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Yes, many things do well in buckets. I have many buckets going this year. I am not sure that corn does very well though.
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I like corn but its not worth the two ears per plant to plant a field of it for us now at our age. No corn in container,lol.
Greens of all kinds ( can be canned or dried for storage and too many vitamins and minerals to list)
Tomatoes ( vit C, vit K,vit A)
Cabbages (vit K, vit C )
Peppers sweet (vit C, vit B6, Potassium,vit K,vit E
Zucchini ( vit C, vit B6 )
Pumpkins (vit A, vit C, Potassium)
Potatoes ( vit C, vit B6, Potassium)
Beets ( nitrates lowers BP, and their greens are power houses)
Beans of all types ( can be dried or canned, protein, carbs and vitamins)
Root vegetables ( long tern storage, vitamins and minerals)
All the foods can be dried or canned
My list doesn't include any wild foods I can find and harvest like dandelion or perslane(sp?),cattails,wild berries, nuts and any herbs I can grow
Tomatoes ( vit C, vit K,vit A)
Cabbages (vit K, vit C )
Peppers sweet (vit C, vit B6, Potassium,vit K,vit E
Zucchini ( vit C, vit B6 )
Pumpkins (vit A, vit C, Potassium)
Potatoes ( vit C, vit B6, Potassium)
Beets ( nitrates lowers BP, and their greens are power houses)
Beans of all types ( can be dried or canned, protein, carbs and vitamins)
Root vegetables ( long tern storage, vitamins and minerals)
All the foods can be dried or canned
My list doesn't include any wild foods I can find and harvest like dandelion or perslane(sp?),cattails,wild berries, nuts and any herbs I can grow
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IMHO, survival means cut off from everything & everyone not already in your BOL.
So anything more is good, but you should garden with what you have & can save from seeds or cuttings.
A greenhouse will double growing & saving plants, sweet potatoes vine cutting & sweet peppers.
Rootcellar will keep harvest longer in 15F or colder winters.
1) perennials- Fruits,nuts & vegetables, some like blueberries & asparagus last 20-30 years.
2) annual seeds from crops, tubers & rooted cuttings keep above 40F.
3) edible flowers, that are perennials, as back up for crop loss.
4) as many wild herbs & edible as you have room to grow, they are like blueberries, in that once established, all you will need to do is keep them from taking over your other plants.
You should be growing what you want then,now. We learn by doing.
That includes a water source, that is off grid, or a way to collect & store rain water, at least 500 gallons.
Asparagus, Rhubarb,sunchokes, Horseradish,Potatoes onions, welsh onions, walking onions, garlic,leeks,Collards, tree collards, walking stick Kale. Skirret,caucasan spinach, mint family.These are easy to grow & most will grow with out a lot of help after the first year.
White & sweet potatoes,corn,winter squash, pole beans,carrots,beets,turnips,radishes,cabbage,broccoli, cauliflower, bamboo.
Peppers,Tomatoes, eggplant,okra,lima,shelly beans, winter & southern peas. These will need much more care, but will bring in large harvest & full some of the Spring gap. Carrots,beets,turnips,cabbage will cover until tomatoes & beans start to make.
Plant any fruit or nut tree that will grow in your planting zone, it could mean life or death if the annual garden fails or is raided.
Of course you should have chicken for pest control & egg, hogs for weed & snake control, both for compost material, as well as garden fodder. A small wood lot or hedge row for wind break & fire wood.
So anything more is good, but you should garden with what you have & can save from seeds or cuttings.
A greenhouse will double growing & saving plants, sweet potatoes vine cutting & sweet peppers.
Rootcellar will keep harvest longer in 15F or colder winters.
1) perennials- Fruits,nuts & vegetables, some like blueberries & asparagus last 20-30 years.
2) annual seeds from crops, tubers & rooted cuttings keep above 40F.
3) edible flowers, that are perennials, as back up for crop loss.
4) as many wild herbs & edible as you have room to grow, they are like blueberries, in that once established, all you will need to do is keep them from taking over your other plants.
You should be growing what you want then,now. We learn by doing.
That includes a water source, that is off grid, or a way to collect & store rain water, at least 500 gallons.
Asparagus, Rhubarb,sunchokes, Horseradish,Potatoes onions, welsh onions, walking onions, garlic,leeks,Collards, tree collards, walking stick Kale. Skirret,caucasan spinach, mint family.These are easy to grow & most will grow with out a lot of help after the first year.
White & sweet potatoes,corn,winter squash, pole beans,carrots,beets,turnips,radishes,cabbage,broccoli, cauliflower, bamboo.
Peppers,Tomatoes, eggplant,okra,lima,shelly beans, winter & southern peas. These will need much more care, but will bring in large harvest & full some of the Spring gap. Carrots,beets,turnips,cabbage will cover until tomatoes & beans start to make.
Plant any fruit or nut tree that will grow in your planting zone, it could mean life or death if the annual garden fails or is raided.
Of course you should have chicken for pest control & egg, hogs for weed & snake control, both for compost material, as well as garden fodder. A small wood lot or hedge row for wind break & fire wood.
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One thing that I think would be important for a survival garden is an herb, tea and medicinal area or at least plantings for these kinds of things. There are many plants and herbs that can be used for teas.
Various mints can be invasive, but in a survival situation, an excellent resource. I am replanting mine in an area where there is only concrete all around it, so no where to go except there.
Various mints can be invasive, but in a survival situation, an excellent resource. I am replanting mine in an area where there is only concrete all around it, so no where to go except there.
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We have two seasons here in the tropics The dry season (winter) and the wet season (summer).
Winter crops -Potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, beans, greens, broccoli, cabbage.
Summer crops - Sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkins, eggplant, chilli, capsicum, okra, Jew's mallow, water spinach, snake beans, choko.
Variety selection plays a huge part in the crops surviving under your particular conditions.
It's something you need to trial and chose the hardiest.
I myself have been caught with seed producer's claims of a varieties disease resistance only to have the thing fail miserably.
Winter crops -Potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, beans, greens, broccoli, cabbage.
Summer crops - Sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkins, eggplant, chilli, capsicum, okra, Jew's mallow, water spinach, snake beans, choko.
Variety selection plays a huge part in the crops surviving under your particular conditions.
It's something you need to trial and chose the hardiest.
I myself have been caught with seed producer's claims of a varieties disease resistance only to have the thing fail miserably.
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By the time my gardens are in true Survival Mode, they are also in stealth mode to prevent being targeted by thieves.
For years, I have been growing plants that are not easily recognizable by the average person as food in my area. These include common weeds as well as plants that are grown for food in other parts of the world but mostly unknown here.
Many of my edibles and medicinals have naturalized (allowed to grow wild) which translates to almost zero cultivation and maintenance.
I do not have conventional rows of vegetables. Instead, I grow them in guilds or patches here and there among other plants that serve as friendly companions. (I am a big fan of companion plantings that work to enhance growth and deter pests.)
To illustrate how I “hide” vegetables: instead of growing big tall okra plants, I plant a type known as Cajun Jewel, which grows only 2 - 4 feet tall and can be harvested in about 50 or so days. They are hidden among tall plants such as Sweet Wormwood (Artemisia annua) that I use for medicine, or Lamb’s quarters (common weed for food), or Jerusalem Artichoke, etc.
Cajun Jewel seeds: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Saving the Past for the Future
Bonus: I recently learned that okra leaves are edible! The leaves and shoots are cooked and enjoyed in several countries and supposedly have a mild cucumber-like flavor, have numerous health benefits, and are extremely nutritious. So yeah, I think I will enjoy a double crop from my okra plants.
The same thing goes for sweet potatoes. The leaves are edible and I enjoy them as much as I do the tubers. I grow the exotic-looking vines just about everywhere.
Pumpkin leaves are edible as well. Pumpkins can be hidden when they are grown among other stragetic plantings.
To keep the deer and rabbits from munching too much of my garden, I plant deer and rabbit-resistant weeds, herbs, and vegetables in guilds around the stuff that critters like to eat, and then lay down pine cone “mulch” around some of the guilds. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals hate walking on the prickly cones! The “mulch” serves as a weed barrier and keeps the soil cool and moist as well. The deer are further repelled by monofilament fishing lines strung around the garden. They bump into the invisible (to them) line and are spooked by something they cannot see and usually go no further.
(I am in the process of setting up electric fencing around the property to deter bears.)
For years, I have been growing plants that are not easily recognizable by the average person as food in my area. These include common weeds as well as plants that are grown for food in other parts of the world but mostly unknown here.
Many of my edibles and medicinals have naturalized (allowed to grow wild) which translates to almost zero cultivation and maintenance.
I do not have conventional rows of vegetables. Instead, I grow them in guilds or patches here and there among other plants that serve as friendly companions. (I am a big fan of companion plantings that work to enhance growth and deter pests.)
To illustrate how I “hide” vegetables: instead of growing big tall okra plants, I plant a type known as Cajun Jewel, which grows only 2 - 4 feet tall and can be harvested in about 50 or so days. They are hidden among tall plants such as Sweet Wormwood (Artemisia annua) that I use for medicine, or Lamb’s quarters (common weed for food), or Jerusalem Artichoke, etc.
Cajun Jewel seeds: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Saving the Past for the Future
Bonus: I recently learned that okra leaves are edible! The leaves and shoots are cooked and enjoyed in several countries and supposedly have a mild cucumber-like flavor, have numerous health benefits, and are extremely nutritious. So yeah, I think I will enjoy a double crop from my okra plants.
The same thing goes for sweet potatoes. The leaves are edible and I enjoy them as much as I do the tubers. I grow the exotic-looking vines just about everywhere.
Pumpkin leaves are edible as well. Pumpkins can be hidden when they are grown among other stragetic plantings.
To keep the deer and rabbits from munching too much of my garden, I plant deer and rabbit-resistant weeds, herbs, and vegetables in guilds around the stuff that critters like to eat, and then lay down pine cone “mulch” around some of the guilds. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals hate walking on the prickly cones! The “mulch” serves as a weed barrier and keeps the soil cool and moist as well. The deer are further repelled by monofilament fishing lines strung around the garden. They bump into the invisible (to them) line and are spooked by something they cannot see and usually go no further.
(I am in the process of setting up electric fencing around the property to deter bears.)
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Trees are part of this too. On the farm, we've got two apples, two cold weather peaches, two pears and two plums, and I think there's still cherries. Pops tends those trees, I haven't had much to do with them since I moved out of the home county...
If it grows in your area, I'd strongly suggest asparagus. It grows wild all over the place around me, and it comes in during late spring when other garden plants haven't come up yet. I think it tastes like butt, but it's good for ya...
If it grows in your area, I'd strongly suggest asparagus. It grows wild all over the place around me, and it comes in during late spring when other garden plants haven't come up yet. I think it tastes like butt, but it's good for ya...
all good answers.
for me i look at it at many angles. mainly calories and its ability to keep producing itself on several levels,meaning its its own seed source or cuttings for expansion etc.like potatoes being planted back in spring.
i am growing a patch of painted mtn flour corn this year to see how it does. so far i have mixed emotions about it. i think its weak standing corn myself.i have a test patch of dent corn from some very old seed i had forgotten about that was suppose to be drought tolerant.its got huge brace roots and thick stalk and is tasseling at about 4ft now and the stalks are like tuning forks when you pull them and let go. see i am testing them out..i wanna see just how tough it is.the PMC is not like it but to be fair i dont know if you can compare a flour corn against a dent corn. i got to see if i can find out more info about that.
i am also growing out a single clump of very old corn seed,over 15 years old that was still good. all i know/remember was it came from a reservation out of southwest. its very small and looks like PMC but kernels are about half the size.it looked like wheat growing forever when it was young. the PMC is super aggressive growing,probably the fastest growing corn i can recall in fact.
last several years i stopped growing corn because of wind issues so for me my first choice is a corn that stands wind and produces a crop. i will know more as time goes on.
will post more about other crops .
for me i look at it at many angles. mainly calories and its ability to keep producing itself on several levels,meaning its its own seed source or cuttings for expansion etc.like potatoes being planted back in spring.
i am growing a patch of painted mtn flour corn this year to see how it does. so far i have mixed emotions about it. i think its weak standing corn myself.i have a test patch of dent corn from some very old seed i had forgotten about that was suppose to be drought tolerant.its got huge brace roots and thick stalk and is tasseling at about 4ft now and the stalks are like tuning forks when you pull them and let go. see i am testing them out..i wanna see just how tough it is.the PMC is not like it but to be fair i dont know if you can compare a flour corn against a dent corn. i got to see if i can find out more info about that.
i am also growing out a single clump of very old corn seed,over 15 years old that was still good. all i know/remember was it came from a reservation out of southwest. its very small and looks like PMC but kernels are about half the size.it looked like wheat growing forever when it was young. the PMC is super aggressive growing,probably the fastest growing corn i can recall in fact.
last several years i stopped growing corn because of wind issues so for me my first choice is a corn that stands wind and produces a crop. i will know more as time goes on.
will post more about other crops .
That's great! I had no idea or about the sweet potatoes either! And I love the Pine Cone Mulch!
One of my gardens is visible but mostly underground plants. I have let it go to weeds somewhat for camoflauge and will weed eat it down before digging. May not be a good idea. I will update when I dig.
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I agree.
Corn is a vegetable & a whole grain, bio-mass for animals or compost. I like Old Henry & Silver Queen. I thinking about Buckwheat for the bees, also. Corn is gultin free, which is not a problem for me, but what of the children & it requires alot less labor.
Corn is easy to grow, if you can fish you can grow corn.
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I have had poor harvest on cabbage, but all other cole plants do great for me.
1) cabbage are to small, but this alone is not a "big" problem, I would just plant more plants.
2) they spilt open after a spring rain.
So I grow more collards, which have lived for four years, even in 100F heat as long as I water them every other day, I have let weeds grow around them for ground shade & they still produce a large crop 10 months out the year.
The collards stop growing in Jan. & Feb., if it is real cold, which was like 5 years ago, we have had warm wenters most years.
So maybe I will try green house grown cabbage.
1) cabbage are to small, but this alone is not a "big" problem, I would just plant more plants.
2) they spilt open after a spring rain.
So I grow more collards, which have lived for four years, even in 100F heat as long as I water them every other day, I have let weeds grow around them for ground shade & they still produce a large crop 10 months out the year.
The collards stop growing in Jan. & Feb., if it is real cold, which was like 5 years ago, we have had warm wenters most years.
So maybe I will try green house grown cabbage.
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@Bacpacker
Sorry I was editing the post and messed it up so I deleted it.
Sorry I was editing the post and messed it up so I deleted it.
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MAN! I could eat all winter off the outer leaves, alone on those four in the front row.
While you are rubbing salt in my wounds, can you give a poor boy any tips on growing cabbage.
Do not have to be as big or as picture perfect as yours, just not splitting open. We never get below 14F & I am going to try Red acre variety.
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