In order to have enough food during the COVID pandemic or any other emergency that comes your way, you should consider what are the best crops to grow for your survival garden. Having enough food is vital to sustaining you and your family. But how do you create and grow a garden that will produce enough nutritional food for you? We will show you how to plan a garden and some tips to cultivate it. You’ll be eating wonderful produce before you know it and be prepared for any unforeseen emergency.
Why Do A Home Garden?
As a prepper, you may have survival kits and have stocked your pantry with non-perishable foods and canned goods. But it is wise to think about a food source other than outside grocery stores and food suppliers. A home garden is self-sustaining. This means you are the supplier of your food.
Keep in mind a home garden can be of any size. It doesn’t matter if you have a big or small yard or no yard at all. A small garden or even a container garden can be used to grow your own food.
An additional benefit of having your own home garden is that it is an activity that is healthy for you. Not only will gardening provide a physical activity that is good for your body, but it also is a big stress reliever. Certainly, an emergency situation can make you anxious. Tending your crops will bring you a sense of accomplishment and peace.
Which Crops Are The Best For Survival?
When deciding what crops to plant for a survival garden, consider the following:
- Nutritional and Caloric Content
- Ease of growth
- Shelflife/How long will the crop last?
- Yield/What are the expected quantities of the crop?
Nutritional and Caloric Content
When planning your garden, you’ll want to plant crops that are calorie-dense so that they give you the carbohydrate energy you require each day. Second to that, think about crops that also provide other vitamins and minerals.
Ease of Growth
What you will be able to grow is a huge factor in planning your survival garden. Think about where you live and it’s climate and season. How much sun do you get and what is your soil like? Make sure you research crops so you know what you will be successful in growing. A good resource to use to know what plants to grow is The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Shelflife and Preservation
As you prepare your garden, think about how you’ll store the fruit and vegetables that you produce. Storage and preservation qualities are an important factor in choosing which crops you plant. Where in your home will you store it? And how will you store it? Many harvests will require a cool dry place. Consider your kitchen cabinets, pantry, spare room closets, and basement. Think about containers and supplies for your crops such as refrigerators and freezers, storage bins, laundry baskets, newspaper, and egg cartons. Last, consider preservation through dehydration, freezing or canning/jarring.
Yield
For your survival garden, you need to consider how large your family is. You may have many mouths to feed. You will want to grow foods that produce a good amount. Not only will you be able to feed your family, but additional crops will give you leftovers that you can barter or trade with your neighbors.
Staple Crops
And now, here’s our recommended list to the top crops you need to consider planting to survive an emergency:
Beans
Consider growing beans as it is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Specifically, choose pole beans to produce a higher yield. They provide great nutritional value and will even help neighboring plants grow.
Potatoes
Think potatoes when you are planning your survival garden. They are a filling food that is a great source of both carbohydrates and proteins. They are also rich in vitamin C, calcium and minerals. Plant in early spring.
Corn
Corn is a very good survival crop as it can produce a few ears per stalk. It provides you a good source of proteins, iron, and calcium. Keep in mind that you need to grow corn in summer months.
Squash
Squash grow well in most gardens so they make a great choice for your growing garden. There are a variety of squash types and they are are a great source of carbohydrates, vitamins A and C and carotenoids (antioxidants). Squash are known to grow really well so you probably will get quite a lot. Summer squash can be eaten during the summer and dried for winter storage. Winter squash stays fresh during the long winter months.
Carrots
Grown in the early spring or fall, carrots are a great source of beta carotene and vitamin A. They are a great addition to your survival plantings as they don’t take too much room and are easy to grow.
Cabbage
Adding cabbage to your survival garden will provide you with a vegetable you can eat raw or cooked. It is healthy for you including beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber. Cabbage grows best in cooler weather either early spring or the fall.
Kale
Kale is a leafy green that is a wonderful addition to your garden. It is great raw in salads and can be dehydrated into chips. Kale is extremely nutrient-rich and is a hardy, easy to grow crop.
Garlic
While you don’t think of eating garlic as a main dish, it is a wonderful add on to your list of survival crops. It has antioxidants to boost immunity and is a great flavor to add to many foods. It is also an easy crop to store and lasts a long time in a cool, dry place.
Herbs
You should think about adding herbs to your list because of their healing properties. Additionally, they add wonderful flavor to your foods. Consider basil, feverfew, chamomile, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, peppermint, and lavender.
Conclusion
Now you know which staple crops to grow for survival during a difficult time. Make out your list and plans and you’ll be well on your way to planting your garden! Soon, you’ll be eating delicious food that you’ve grown and be more relaxed and self-sufficient.