Survival gardening is the process of creating a garden that could if it needed to, become your main source of food. In some cases, homesteaders have created gardens that could be their only source of food for at least a season, if not longer. This kind of self-sufficient gardening takes a lot of careful planning and hard work, but it’s not impossible. One of the keys to success in survival gardening is choosing the right plants.
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In a survival garden, you’ll need high-yield plants that offer the human body a variety of nutrients and plenty of calories. Here are the top three plants for a self-sufficient garden:
• Beans:
Beans offer a ton of protein, and when dried, they can be stored for years. They are also a low-carb food, meaning they would work well for a diabetic-friendly diet. Beans are very filling and can be used for everything from frying to baking.
• Potatoes:
Whether you go with a sweet potato or a white potato variety, this is one plant you can’t afford to ignore. Potatoes offer a very high yield; some gardeners have learned to grow upwards of 50 pounds of potatoes in a very small space. They’ll give you the good carbs you need for energy, and also offer proteins and essential amino acids.
• Squash:
There are many varieties of squash, and any would be a great staple crop for your survival garden. Squash are filled with vitamins and nutrients, and they usually offer very high yield. They are easy to pickle, dehydrate, freeze or simply can, and can be used for a variety of recipes. They also offer a nice bit of color to your menu.
As you create your perfect survival garden, you’ll probably identify many other plants that you want to include in your must-have crops. But with beans, potatoes, and squash, you’ll be able to get the protein, good carbs, and vitamins that you need for a very basic survival diet.