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Growing your own survival garden marks a significant move towards self-reliance offering a sustainable source of wholesome food that could be vital in times of crisis. This form of gardeninges conventional methods by emphasizing on plants that are high-yielding, nutritionally rich, and versatile, ensuring a reliable food source all year round.
The initial stage in growing your own survival garden is picking the perfect spot. Ideally, this area should get plenty of sunlight (a minimum of six hours daily), possess good drainage, and be shielded from harsh winds that could harm plants.
If you’re dealing with limited space or poor soil quality, think about using raised beds or growing plants in containers, both of which can be quite effective. The choice of crops is crucial, it’s important to choose those that are packed with calories and abundant in essential nutrients and vitamins to maintain a balanced diet.
Here are some tips for growing your own survival garden, along with the list of 7 easiest vegetables to grow.
Crops like potatoes, beans, squash, and corn are great because they’re packed with calories and have a long shelf life. Quick-growing leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard are nutrient-dense.
While herbs may not be calorie-rich, they’re important for their medicinal qualities and can add flavor to stored food. A diverse garden is vital, not only for a balanced diet but also to manage pests and diseases.
Planting an assortment of crops can mitigate the risk of losing everything to a specific pest or disease. Companion planting, where certain plants are grown together, can naturally deter pests and enhance soil health, reducing dependence on chemicals.
Grasping the concept of growing seasons and organizing your planting timetable is fundamental for optimizing yield. Many survival gardens incorporate both perennials like asparagus and berry bushes, which yield food repeatedly, and annuals that need to be sown each season.
Adopting the practice of succession planting, where crops are planted at different times, ensures a steady supply of food throughout the growing season. Preserving your yield is as crucial as growing it. Methods like canning, drying, and fermenting can increase the shelf life of your produce, giving you access to your garden’s produce even during off-seasons.
Mastering these skills can also help you maximize bulk purchases or seasonal surpluses, further boosting your food security.
Efficient water management is another key aspect of a survival garden.
Creating systems for collecting rainwater and drip irrigation can keep your garden thriving even during water shortages. Mulching helps maintain soil moisture and control weeds, which reduces the amount of water and effort needed for your garden.
Does not really matter if you have just a few containers on the balcony or a full-sized allotment, there are plenty of delicious fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow yourself. Here are 7 easiest vegetables to grow in your garden for beginners.
These will ensure you get plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber, all of which might be in short supply in certain catastrophic events.
Growing your own salad greens is not hard at all, and you don’t even require a garden do so. You can simply plant salad leaf seeds in a tray filled with damp compost and place it on a sunlit windowsill. You’ll be able to savour your own freshh, crisp produce in just a short span of three weeks. If you prefer growing outdoors, you can plant the seeds in patio pots, window planters, elevated beds, or directly on the ground during the late spring season. By sowing additional seeds every few weeks and only picking the leaves you need, you can extend your harvest season.
There are a variety of easy-to-grow salad leaves to experiment with. A mix of ‘Nice ‘n’ Spicy’ salad leaves offers a blend of textures and flavours with a hint of spice. If you’re looking for a visually appealing and tasty mix of red and green lettuce leaves, try sowing ‘Crunchy Blend’ seeds. They make a delightful base for salads or a great addition to sandwiches.
Growing your own potatoes is a straightforward process that can be accomplished by planting seed potatoes in large containers or bags on your patio. Starting from March, you can plant your tubers in a rich mix of compost or organic matter, taking care to shield them from frost. It’s crucial to keep them well-watered and to consistently ‘earth up’ the emerging potato shoots. When it comes to harvesting, it couldn’t be simpler – just overturn the container onto a plastic sheet and sort through.
If you reside in a cool, moist region, peas are an excellent crop to consider for growing your own survival garden. There’s a vast variety to select from, including shelling peas, crisp mangetout, and sweet sugar snap pods. Plant your pea seeds straight into the soil from March to June, and don’t forget to provide support to these climbing crops with sticks and chicken wire. They’ll be ripe for harvesting around two to three months later, typically June and August. The most exciting aspect? The more you harvest, the more your pea plants will yield!
Broad beans, the unsung heroes of the cold season, are your ticket to a abundant harvest. By incorporating these resilient plants into your survival garden, you can pave the way for bountiful yields from November to March, even as the temperature dips. But remember, this doesn’t come without some effort from your side. You need to ensure the ground isn’t frozen and your precious plants are well-hydrated. Providing support with posts and string can also prevent them from drooping when they start to grow.
Let’s talk about the varieties. ‘The Sutton’ is a compact and sturdy variety, ideal for container gardening. It isn’t demanding and can thrive with minimal support. Then we have ‘Robin Hood’, another compact variety with an impressive yield. Last but not least, ‘Crimson Flowered’ broad beans are not just about productivity but also aesthetics, with their beautiful purple flowers and generous-sized beans.
So, get ready to roll up your sleeves and plant those seeds. With some effort and care, you can look forward to an exceptional harvest of broad beans. This isn’t just about growing plants; it’s about nurturing life, and reaping the rewards of your hard work.
Invest a little of your time and energy between April and July, post the final frost date in your region, to plant your runner bean seeds. Remember, these beans are robust and vigorous growers, so they require strong support and much hydration to flourish. Participate actively in this journey by providing them with what they need. Being an exciting promise, a single row of your nurtured beans will bestow upon you a nearly ceaseless bounty of pods throughout the summer.
The key here is to consistently pick them, stimulating the plants to keep generating. When the pods reach a tender 15cm in length, that’s your signal to harvest them. Nurture them, and they will reward you bountifully. This is not just about the destination, but the journey to get there – and your active participation on this journey is critical.
Imagine the incredible satisfaction of biting into a juicy, ripe tomato that you’ve grown yourself! It’s a journey you can embark on with ease – by planting ready-to-go, grafted tomato plants directly into tomato grow bags. Opt for a bush variety that’s not a cordon, and you’re looking at a hassle-free experience. No support cane, no need to prune side shoots, just simple, unadulterated growth. Yes, these young plants crave water and thrive on a high potash feed every fortnight.
But the reward? Fresh, delicious tomatoes grown by your own hands. A testament to your dedication, a symbol of your nurturing spirit. It’s not just a tomato, it’s the fruit of your labor. The road to personal fulfillment lies in a tomato grow bag. Take the first step today!
One cannot forget the potential of beetroot in your diet for a vibrant, healthful boost. This humble root vegetable is a powerhouse of taste and versatility that can take your meals from drab to fab. At the same time, it’s one of the 7 easiest vegetables to grow in any survival garden.
Whether you enjoy it raw in salads, roasted to perfection, transformed into a hearty soup, or preserved in a tangy pickle, beetroot is a culinary delight waiting to be discovered. Seize this opportunity to sow beetroot seeds directly into moist soil from March to July. As they emerge, nurture them by thinning them to a gap of about 5cm. The fruits of your labor will be evident May to September when you can harvest your beetroots, once they’ve swelled to the size of a golf ball. This journey of growing your own food not only promises a rewarding harvest but also an enriching experience.
Investing time to understand and experiment with growing your own survival garden will reap considerable rewards. Each season is a new opportunity to discover what thrives in your specific climate, allowing you to fine-tune your strategy and increase crop yield over time.
Involvement in a community of like-minded gardeners can serve as a supportive network, a source of seeds, and a wealth of shared knowledge, all of which can bolster your gardening success. A survival garden represents more than simply a source of sustenance; it is a symbol of tenacity and forethought of those who nurture it.
With thoughtful planning, diverse crop planting, and honing your preservation skills, you can establish a self-sustaining food source, strengthening your independence and preparedness for any eventuality.
This endeavor of growing your own survival garden ensures not only your nutritional security but also fosters a profound connection with nature’s cycles, providing both physical nourishment and mental wellbeing. Embrace this journey, as it is through hard work, dedication, and patience that you’ll reap the immense benefits of growing your own survival garden.