INTRODUCTION
Preparing for catastrophic events is one of the most important things every family should do.
You don’t know when disasters will come, their impact on the economy, and how long they’ll last. So, you must prepare in advance and ensure you and your loved ones get through them.
Supply chain disruptions, high unemployment rates, and food shortages are one of the main things you should be concerned about. That is because if you can’t provide for your needs, it becomes difficult for you to survive critical times.
This is why most preppers invest in survival gardening. It will help you and your loved ones stay healthy and nourished through difficult times.
Today we’ll talk about 10 survival garden crops to grow in an uncertain world so that you can plan for emergencies and be ready when they come.
Let’s dive in!
- POTATOES
Potatoes are one of the best survival foods because they can tolerate any climate. They make it easy for you to survive tough times and are easy to grow.
You can rely on them for nourishment and keeping your family healthy even during catastrophic events.
The best part is that potatoes can adapt to many different soil conditions and aren’t affected by cold fronts that destroy most crops. They can yield in high quantities and last for a long period without refrigeration.
Surviving difficult times doesn’t mean you have to neglect your physical health and not be concerned about the nutrients you are getting from the food to eat. That is why you have to ensure you have crops that provide all the essential nutrients for better health.
Potatoes are high in many nutrients and are a great source of carbs, fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese.
Sweet potatoes are also another low-maintenance and nutritious survival crop you should add to your garden.
Eating the same kind of food repeatedly can be tiresome. However, during survival times, you may find that unavoidable. So, to ensure you don’t get tired of eating the same foods, try out different recipes.
For example, in the case of sweet potatoes, you can bake them, fry them, make sweet potato cookies, or mash them with butter and milk.
The most important thing is to use different cooking methods so that everyone around the house enjoys the meals.
- BEANS
Beans are also easy to grow, nutritious, and can last months without processing or electricity. That makes them one of the best survival foods to add to your garden.
They are a great source of fibre, protein, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin A.
They are a great rotational crop and can be harvested across different maturity stages. For example, you can harvest green beans in 50 days or harvest mature, dry beans that are ready to cook in 80 days.
Preppers always add different types of beans to their emergency food supply or survival pantry because of the nutrients you get from them.
You don’t have to worry too much about them expiring because beans have a longer shelf life when compared to most survival crops.
All you have to do is add variety to your garden and grow different species of legumes. For example, common beans, peas, and lentils.
Understand that legumes thrive in different conditions and do your research before planting each crop. For example, if you want to grow lentils, find out what type of soil is required and what weather conditions they thrive in. This will help you focus on crops that are easy to grow during uncertain times and ensure survival.
Remember that you don’t have to wait before disaster strikes to start your garden. Start prepping and stocking up on food now so that when emergencies come, you’ll be ready.
One of the best things about beans is that they can be grown in multiple ways. For instance, you can either grow dry beans or shell beans and then decide whether you want pole beans or bush beans.
Try out different cooking methods to keep your meals interesting. Go on YouTube and search for healthy bean recipes you can use.
- CORN
Corn is rich in protein, iron, dietary fibre, manganese, and vitamins. It yields a higher quantity when compared to other crops. Making it the best survival crop to plant.
You don’t need a huge piece of land to grow the crop. You can get enough of it to get you through difficult times even from growing it in your backyard.
The best part is that corn is easy to harvest and doesn’t even require threshing.
You can depend on the crop to help you reach your nutritional goals during catastrophic events and prepare it in various ways. For example, grilling, boiling, oven roasting, or pressure cooking.
You can also try different corn recipes and enjoy the health benefits that come with them.
You have the option to add it to your prepper pantry as dry corn for survival.
- CABBAGE
Cabbage is nutritious, versatile, and frost tolerant. It can lower the risk of critical illnesses, combat inflammation, and improve digestion.
It can last a couple of months once harvested. Making it one of the best survival foods you can depend on.
If you want to grow the vegetable for long-term storage you can easily do so. Simply dry it up, make sauerkraut or kimchi, or slice it up and freeze it.
There are many ways to cook or prepare cabbage and enjoy it. For example, you can make cabbage steaks, fry cabbage with meat, boil cabbage, eat it in salads or soups, and use it as a wrap.
The vegetable can take a long time to grow but you can still harvest individual leaves even before you have a full-grown cabbage head.
Be on the lookout for worms as they are the most common threat to growing the crop efficiently. Inspect your garden regularly to keep pests away and use the best prevention methods that will help you control cabbage worms. For example, manual removal and spraying.
- SQUASH
Winter squash and summer squash are both great to have in your survival garden. They are high in antioxidants and rich in magnesium, manganese, potassium, and fibre.
The best thing is that you can never get tired of eating squash because you have different options to choose from.
You can either grow summer squashes like scallopini or yellow crooknecks or go for winter squashes including buttercup squash, pumpkins, or acorn squash. Depending on your needs and preferences.
You also have the option to grow both winter squashes and summer squashes in your survival garden. If you prefer.
Add dried summer squash to your food storage to ensure survival.
- CARROTS
Carrots are one of the simplest and fastest foods to grow. They can be harvested in 60 days and throughout the season.
Rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients, the vegetable is the best survival crop to plant in your backyard.
Unlike other survival crops, carrots can be grown in cooler months and still retain all the important nutrients.
They can improve your eye health, lower your risk of diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels under control, and strengthen your bone health.
You can enjoy them as healthy snacks, add them to your salads, and use them in different meals. Their sweet, tasty, and crunchy flavour and the many health benefits make them the best survival food to grow.
- ONIONS AND GARLIC
Onions are the best non-perishable and long-term crops that are easy to grow and rely on to get you through times of uncertainty.
You can store them in large numbers and never worry about expiry dates. They have a long shelf life which makes them the best addition to your survival pantry.
Onions add flavour to your meals and ensure you enjoy various dishes during uncertain times.
You can either use the young onion greens or wait for the full onions to form and add them to your dishes.
Garlic has many medicinal properties and also adds flavour to your meals.
It supports heart health, protects brain health, boosts your immune system, fights flu, lowers cholesterol levels, prevents cancer, and cures hypertension.
Garlic is pest resistant, easy to grow, and stores well.
You can harvest the scapes and add them to your meals or wait for the bulb to develop and use it instead.
The best thing about garlic is that it is perfect for long-term storage and can be used over longer periods without rotting.
The most important thing is to only store dried garlic and keep it in a cool, dark, and dry place.
It can either be canned or pickled for long-term storage.
- TOMATOES AND PEAS
Tomatoes are easy to grow, high in nutrients, and have many health benefits including reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.
They are a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, potassium, and other essential nutrients vital for your heart health. Which makes them one of the best fruits to have in your garden.
Tomatoes can be used in many different dishes. You can add them to various meals and enjoy the health benefits they provide.
Use them in soups, salads, and stews, or eat them raw.
Tomatoes don’t lose their taste and can either be enjoyed fresh or preserved.
Whether you freeze them, can them, or sun-dry them, they’ll still retain their taste.
Peas are also easy to incorporate into different meals and are the best survival foods you can depend on.
Use them in stir-fries, stews, or salads.
Peas are high in zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients.
They can strengthen your immune system, lower your risk of diabetes, and reduce inflammation.
You can freeze or dry them for long-term storage.
- SPINACH AND BEETROOT
Spinach is high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K1.
It can help prevent cancer, improve eye health, reduce blood pressure levels, and reduce oxidative stress.
The leafy greens can be cooked, fried, or eaten raw in salads.
Spinach can be preserved in many ways. For example, by dehydrating it, freezing, or crushing it into powder for long-term storage.
Beetroot contains fibre that can help lower your cholesterol, control your blood sugar levels, and keep your weight in check.
The best way to store them is to place them in perforated plastic bags and put them in the fridge. You can also keep them canned or store them in a root cellar with peat moss, sand, or sawdust.
Incorporate beets into your sweet dishes or savoury meals and enjoy mealtime.
The leaves are also edible and provide you with a tasty, secondary food source. So, use them to make a salad, a smoothie, or just stir fry them.
Beet greens can improve oxygen levels in the body, improve digestive health, enhance exercise performance, and support brain health.
Another important survival crop that’s worth mentioning is lettuce. It is rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
It can improve eye health, promote sleep, strengthen bones, and boost your immune system.
Lettuce can grow quickly and in very high quantities. Making it one of the dependable survival crops to have in your garden.
- CUCUMBERS
Cucumbers are high in nutrients, contain antioxidants, are easy to add to your diet, promote hydration, and can help you maintain a healthy weight.
They are packed with vitamins and minerals. Such as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin C.
You can enjoy them in salads, smoothies, dips, soups, and dressings.
Add them to a stir fry, pickle them, toss them in drinks, eat them as a healthy snack, or ferment them.
There are many ways to use cucumbers. You just have to be creative about it.
Go online and search for the best cucumber recipes and tips you can try.
Watermelons are another nutritious survival fruit to add to your survival garden.
They keep you hydrated, improve heart health, help relieve muscle soreness, reduce inflammation, aid skin health, and are packed with essential nutrients. Such as dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, carbohydrates, sugar, calories, and protein.
There are many ways to use melons. You can make salsa, a watermelon drink, watermelon sorbet, a watermelon icicle, a smoothie, or enjoy it as fruit.
For long-term storage, cut the melon into slices and dehydrate it. You can also store the sliced melon in the fridge but it may lose texture. So, to avoid that, place it in the refrigerator without cutting it.
Another effective preservation method is to cut the watermelon into pieces and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Other survival crops to consider or add to your garden are turnips, broccoli, barley, peppers, kale, perennials, and fruit trees. Such as cherries, berries, and plums.
KNOW HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SURVIVAL CROP
Starting a survival garden and succeeding in your venture depends on the type of crops you grow.
The right crops will not only help you survive difficult times but provide you with all the nutrients you need. They make it easy for you to prepare your meals and enjoy the health benefits.
So, know the best crops to choose for your survival garden and only focus on ones that will help you reach your nutritional goals during uncertain times.
A few things to consider when choosing your survival crop are the type of crop, type of soil, requirements for growth, weather conditions, harvesting methods, cooking methods, storage options, and the nutrients you get.
Since you are preparing for emergencies, focus on crops that are easy to grow and maintain so that when disaster comes you can continue to tend your garden.
Know when you can harvest the crop you want to plant and the best ways of doing so. Avoid foods that are difficult to harvest or require specialised equipment.
Consider storage. Find out if the crop is easy to store, whether or not it has a long shelf life, and know the best storage methods to use.
Your main goal is to focus on crops that are easy to preserve, store, and allow you to reach your long-term storage goals.
Identify the nutrients you get from each crop you intend to grow and make sure you plant a variety of foods that will provide you with balanced meals.
Until Next Time
Dominus Owen Markham
