9 Survival Gardening Crops to Grow in a Post Apocalyptic World

Buy high-quality metal raised beds: growepic.co/3N8bMW4 - Preparedness, prepping, SHTF - it all can seem a bit like a maniacal obsession with the end of the world. At the same time, there's real value in becoming even a LITTLE more self-reliant in our modern society - that's what growing your own food is all about!
Here are my Top 9 crops for survival:
1. Beans
2. Corn
3. Squash
4. Cabbage
5. Potatoes
6. Kale
7. Sweet Potatoes
8. Lentils
9. Herbs
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The video has a Spanish dub by Unilingo.
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[@epicgardening]

What do you want to see me talk about more in light of recent news?

[@chloroplast8611]

corona chan

[@CarootCarrot]

what parts of which trees are edible

[@Tabooza]

Which herbs are the most nutrient dense or medicinal

[@elijahwu4168]

how you come up with all your great puns 😂

[@monicaortez272]

Have you ever thought about doing a live. Or a straight Q&A.

[@user-wx3wc4bo7c]

When everyone was freaking out about toilet paper I was leisurely browsing the home and garden section for various types of seeds ..... Nobody around me clued in.

[@heatherkeenum6833]

Me too!

[@epicgardening]

You're one of the smart ones ;)

[@asteriagency9683]

Me too! Lots of food for us, and flowers for the bees♥

[@loriyoung653]

We did the same thing. Picked up tomato, zucchini, yellow squash today. Also getting the herbs started tomorrow morning and we'll go from there. Seeds are waiting for their containers (landlord won't let me plant in the ground).

[@user-wx3wc4bo7c]

@@loriyoung653 we cut up some used milk cartons to use as containers

[@traviscutler9912]

My grandmother canned everything, way more than we needed. She would always say you never know, the depression left a mark on her that never faded.

[@TheBlackSheepDiaries]

And now it's our turn, such a drag. But I did know it was coming, things were getting way too easy for us.

[@halloweenallyearround4889]

My grandpa, my mum and some of her siblings also almost hoard food permanently (along with other items such as pottery, cuttlery, tea sets, glasses, clothes and kitchen appliances). They had rough times growing up. It proved life saving when my mental health deteriorated years ago (major depression, social phobia, C- PTSD). I mean they're still very effed up and abusive but that's unrelated.

[@sohailislam3416]

@@TheBlackSheepDiaries naa i feel its getting worse but itll never really get bad

[@AnnieWarbux]

My grandparents would never allow for waste in the kitchen or your plate. My gram made koolaid for her kids by adding a lil bit of jello to their drinking water, as their "treat". My grandfather had raspberries. I cherish my time picking them with him. I have vine raspberries now and WHOA do they grow and take over! They take maintenance; in February. Thorny! But, the variety that fruits twice a year gives bowls and bowls of berries! (A 100yr old neighbor in a retirement home lost trees that fell, through a storm. The neighborhood worked together cleaning up. While in the yard near an old, antique benched, canopy trellis sat, with the few remaining few roses of her rose garden, I found a sole Raspberry vine. My landlord laughed and said I can bury it in my friend's garden, but nothing will probably grow. And though the fading fruited vines will not reproduce next year, their babies will.) 5 years after giving up on a Raspberry anything, thinking the guy was right, I was cleaning some Iris in front of the garage, and caught thorns! RASPBERRIES!! They grew along the ground from back on the side of the garage and only had ~6 berries. After learning a few lessons and finally doing good, I have a make shift trellis of Raspberries of my own! BOOM!)

[@1946shooter]

I’m 74 and living in Australia. My mum went through the depression living on a sheep property with 5 siblings and they grew their own produce and preserved anything left over in glass jars similar to mason jars! Once a month they slaughtered a sheep and what they didn’t eat was salted down. Their working dogs ate the offal that was unsuitable for human consumption. Wild rabbits shot with a .22 rifle were also a source of protein. Take care folks, these ain’t good times in our country!

[@fulanichild3138]

Years ago, my mom ordered some seed sweet potatoes. She was so excited when they grew and thrived, and was thrilled with her first harvest! Then they took over the back yard. She ate as many as she could, then started giving them away. After awhile, she was trying to kill it and said she'd never eat another sweet potato as long as she lived. Yup, that's definitely on my survival crop list!

[@bradleyroon7639]

NO sweet potatoes for us because of gophers

[@annabellavetra]

Hahahhahaba

[@RustyX2010]

Beans are the same thing

[@genkiferal7178]

the greens are edible, too. No need to buy the seed potaotes - just root in water or on a sunny kitchen window sill. I used to grow slips from stem cuttings and they sometimes lasted on a window sill from autumn until spring....I cut them bfore the first autumn frost.

[@kingofkleen1]

Just saw a video on growing sweet potatoes in large buckets with a trellis. You make them climbers instead of runners. You get lots of them in the buckets but the trellis prevents them from taking over.

[@Carolina-rd3gh]

- Beans (1:40) 🫘 - Corn (3:13) 🌽 - Squash (4:18) 🎃 - Cabbage (5:12) 🥬 - Potatoes (5:55) 🥔 - Kale (8:08) 🥬 - Sweet potatoes (9:02) 🍠 - Lentil (9:58) - Herbs (10:40) 🌿

[@Crimea_River]

Spoiler alert!

[@5801160052086]

Onions

[@ladymagveg]

lentil is so tiny that gets no icon🥺

[@cesgar7994]

I love you

[@bmxpro273]

No fruit ?

[@sonyalindee8676]

I was watching the interviews of the 1918 Spanish influenza survivors. A girls father had the forethought to plant sweet potatoes. Everyone in the town got sick, every home lost a family member. Her and her mother were the only ones who didn’t get sick so they fed and cared for the neighbors. That field of sweet potatoes fed the whole neighborhood. Back then because of the war every family had a victory garden.🍠

[@erwin643]

Victory Gardens were WWII, BTW.

[@Bobchai]

@@erwin643 , there were "war gardens" in WW1, as well. While the name "victory garden" is associated mostly with WW2, I did a quick online search and evidently the term "victory garden" was also used in WW1. If we remember that the US participation in WW1 was limited to the final 2 years (garden seasons) of the war, "victory garden" as a term probably didn't catch on the way it did in WW2.

[@erwin643]

@@Bobchai OK, thanks 🙂

[@adnel4142]

And this is where i doubt our ability to think.......we KNOW food is running out. We KNOW water and electricity is going to stop. We KNOW a cyber attack is planned. We dont NEED any of those to be provided. Plant root veggies, fruit trees, berries, nuts, herbs everywhere in your town. Sidewakjs, schools, prisons, rooftops. Use old tyres. Recycle all kitchen scraps. A few boreholes, buckets and willung hands and that takes care of food. Young people close to ground floor swop living space with more elderly close to top floor. Save fuel by cooking one large community meal a day.....from community crops! Work in daylight, rest at night. Develop your neighbourhood to be self sufficient. Dig roit cellars for cold storage. Save bottls, buckets, etc. If someone dies share their things with the most needy. Grow medicinal herbs. Choose a spot every 4 houses for 2 sewage drums. Use one, let one dry to kill pathogens. When dry feces can be burned to heat water. Or even provide some heat in one room of a home. Mix it with dry leaves, grass, paper, etc.to increase the volume. No community or individuel will make it if they do not work together. If we dont do this, billions WILL die as has been planned.

[@sonyalindee8676]

@@adnel4142 Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with Thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. -Philippines 4:6-7 At Matthew chapter 24 the Apostles asked Jesus about the things to come. Daniel chapter 11 describes the military battle of the king of the North. Right now we are in the pushing and shoving period. So because these things were written before hand we are not left unaware. Yes you are correct preparation is key but only a single key. God gave us the playbook and it’s not there to look pretty on a shelf. Notice how God succeeds in warfare, look at his tactic and you will not be afraid I assure you. 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5

[@abiyah3176]

I would add amaranth. The entire plant is edible (stalk, leaves and seeds) it’s drought and heat tolerant when other greens wilt. The seeds can be stored, popped, ground into flour or eaten like a hot cereal.

[@lindajones9191]

Amaranth is number two on my list, after potatoes, for all the reasons you mentioned. It's self sustaining as it produces so many seeds that you can capture and sow in future years. They make fabulous microgreens as well if you want fast nutrition.

[@Se7eNBlack]

Thanks for this. I never heard of it. So now I'm looking to see how to incorporate it.

[@kayrollo7962]

Was always my choice when asked “if you were on a desert island and had only ONE food you could take with you…”

[@livefreedom1776]

I just picked up some amaranth today! Haha

[@Regularcap]

@@lindajones9191 😮 didn’t know all of that! Does the same hold true for purple amaranth?

[@FastEddy396]

As a farmer and homesteader, this is mostly right on. Two comments: Winter squash may store well but they lose their nutritional density at about three months. So, work through those before dipping into your potatoes too much. If you have the space, you could grow either your own wheat or amaranth in order to make flour. Amaranth is gluten free for Celiac's. Great vid and thanks for sharing!

[@baneverything5580]

Amaranth has complete protein too and the leaves can be eaten. I just got three types of its seeds. Gonna plant some in odd places and let it get started as a wild crop in my area plus plant about 50 of them in my yard. I have over 100 types of heirloom seeds and am moving to a rural lot in a 30 ft camper soon. I`m going as off grid as possible. I have ten solar power stations plus solar rechargeable batteries for lights, fans, and radios. I can power my freezers and a dorm fridge from solar and also cook using 12 volt cookers directly connected to solar panels or batteries. Solar is amazing for anything under 200 watts. I bought a cheap gas generator for cloudy day charging. I have no choice but to grow my own food. I`m poor and can`t afford to own a car and spent my meager savings on off grid survival tools so nobody can turn off my electricity or deny me clean water and food again.

[@FastEddy396]

@@baneverything5580 have you done any of this before? You may find that you need some bull staples like rice, beans, flour, etc. Here’s one great nugget: use a third of a cup of powdered milk around all tomato and pepper plants. This gives the calcium They need to stop end rot. Calcium keeps their skins good.

[@baneverything5580]

@@FastEddy396 I have a bag of calcium nitrate for that. I grew up on a five acre farm in Louisiana where we raised 90% of our food or more. I`m moving to a rural lot by May and plan to get started preparing Fall/Winter garden areas immediately. I`m gonna try landscaping cloth to eliminate weeds in one to see if it helps. I plan to try a lot of new plants we never grew like amaranth, yakon, sun chokes, sorghum, kohlrabi, beets and rutabagas. I have no choice. Can no longer afford food thanks to democrats. I spent my savings on a 30 ft camper, solar power, and survival tools and have to live on 800 per month going forward.

[@baneverything5580]

@@FastEddy396 I have over 30 pounds of lentils and well over 30 pounds of rice plus 15 pounds of grits stored, plus powdered eggs, milk, and butter. I`m gonna get a grain mill and turn bags of deer corn into meal for cornbread to go with my greens and beans.

[@FastEddy396]

@@baneverything5580 just do your best. We’ve found that by planning the garden for enough to give to the food bank that we also do well for ourselves. Best-

[@carsonrush3352]

As a pioneer crop, carrots and radishes can make it to harvest in less than 6 weeks. If you're trying to survive off what's in the pantry until you can get something to grow, this might be your first guy to actually feed you. Radishes grow especially fast, and you can roast them like potatoes, but just remember that they will be a little bit zesty. I think it's worth it have a crop that you can get going in 30 days.

[@DD-ji2wx]

What carrots are you growing? All I've seen are more like 3 month. Radishes and greens are my quick crops

[@daniellebarker7667]

Radishes pretty well lose their heat when cooked. Especially stewed or steamed.

[@aggierowe9574]

I’m harvesting my watermelon radishes right now.

[@carsonrush3352]

@@DD-ji2wx, I found an article somewhere saying that finger-sized carrots can be harvested in a little over 6 weeks. With a bit of research, it's probably one of the Nantes or Ball varieties of carrot. Nantes grow fast, and Ball (aka "Mini") grow small. I also found that bush beans can be harvested after only 2 months, but I'd have to confirm the cultivar on that claim.

[@etee08]

​@@Santa-614 mites love beans! The risk of infection is very high, especially if you plant them in pots...

[@cherovimsolar1978]

I live in Milan Italy and I started my garden already in case there will not be enough food 😭 I hope we could all get through this soon, I'm so tired 😔😔😔 thank you Kevin for your videos, please take care too.

[@epicgardening]

Take care and be safe!

[@julzmgrforll7278]

With all my heart I hope you will not have to rely on your garden. Sending you much love from Moore Oklahoma

[@cherovimsolar1978]

@@julzmgrforll7278 thank you Julz, God speed!

[@ThornsandMyrtles]

Cherovim Solar prayers for you and your country! ✝️❤️🙏

[@northrockboy]

Thats very good idea. Still 2 months away from seeding here in Canada. Cant wait. Take care and stay safe.

[@novaricos]

My Nova Scotia, Canada, grandmothers said, "eat all you can, and can all you can't". my great-grandmother stored potatoes, apples, carrots, turnips, onions etc, in a root cellar near the kitchen back door too. She also told us about drying apple slices on towels and storing them cool, then 'resurrecting' them with boiling water to make pies. also strung green beans on heavy thread, hung them in the attic, and took the 'leather britches' as they were then called when dry, and boiled them to use as desired. fish fillets were salted and put out in the hot summer sun on loosely woven sticks on 'tables' called fish flakes, to dry for winter use. very resourceful people growing up on largely self-sufficient farms up there. no electricity, no indoor plumbing, you 'used it up, wore it out, made-do or did without!" They were all constant life-long readers and if not actually well-schooled officially, never quit learning . Grandma said, "we were poor (cashwise), but didn't know it because we had everything we needed and a great many luxuries as well!"

[@brendashelton6972]

You might consider the humble garlic. It helps with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and also has an excellent anti-viral ability. Not to mention the seasoning of your foods and it stores well after drying the garlic bulbs.

[@rashoietolan3047]

With powers like that it’s rightfully to be called noble instead of Humble

[@MsTuerKnauf]

Also helps against a bunch of pests!!

[@rriley2955]

I planted a raised bed of garlic this past november, getting to harvest in a couple weeks and it truly has been a set it and forget it success. The plants are so big and beautiful, can't wait to see what awaits me underneath.

[@flogzer0]

is blood pressure and cholesterol going to be an issue in the apocalypse?

[@ETBrenner]

Yeah, I was going to say some member of the alliums, and if you were going to pick just one, garlic would be the best choice. I would opt for some bulb/storage onions as well.

[@markedwards6455]

I'm 62.. was in the Cold War.. and grew up with my grandmother's both growing Depression era, WW II period "Victory" gardens, to feed their families in hard times and with food rationing.. A habit my parents kept on doing, passing it on to me.. Now my daughter is doing the same. Now, even when they did not know about such things as calories and nutritional content.. not surprisingly, they grew EVERY single thing you did.. as well as twenty raspberry bushes, black and red varieties, also concord grape arbors, for jams, jellies with the raspberries.. A couple of apple trees, a pear tree.. Mostly Acorn, butternut and Hubbard squash.. and onion sets.. yellow, as well as salad green onions, and herbs as you did.. By experience farmers then knew what was best,,.. even if they lacked the scientific knowledge to describe it. For me, we did it to save money.. as well as a fun summer hobby.. Now?... well given what's in the news?... I'm having cold war flashbacks, I was assigned to the Security Police, security specialist, 90th Security Police Squadron.. in the 90th Strategic Missile Wing,.. and trust me when I say.. You really don't want to know what didn't make the news.. Defcon 4.. When President Reagan was shot.. We all deployed with no idea if the world would still exist in the morning.. I HATE that Russia is back to playing that game with us.. Hate it.. So learning how to grow your own survival food is a practical skill everyone should know at least the basics on.. canned food only lasts about 3 to 5 years, depending on what it is.. Canned C-rations had a 15 year self life, because after canning, they were dosed with X-Rays to kill all bacteria.. but consumers were skittish about that process, which is why grocery store items are not X-Rayed.. MRE's were after my time.. so I don't know anything about them, except for what my son told me after he enlisted in the Army.. He's back home now.. Thank God..

[@LarryMAden]

We should always remember to tell everyone to plant pear trees downwind of their apple trees and both of those well upwind of any cedar trees, because all pomme fruits are susceptible to "cedar rust", and pears are most susceptible.

[@sweetysays6884]

Thank you for that great post! I LOVE gardening edibles! I had a small garden during my marriage, but a husband who'd eat nothing but corn, green beans and potatoes, drank milk, water and Pepsi ONLY! What a pain in the butt! I had been raised with a taste for just about EVERYTHING, so it was a struggle. However, after my divorce I got my 3 sons into eating anything that didn't jump off their plate, as well as teaching them how to cook. I didn't want any of them to have to depend on someone else to do their cooking for them!! I was raised to eat, or at least TRY everything that there is...being from a military family I got a taste of Oriental and German foods and passed that on to them! I just hope I can get away from this horrid apartment I have, get a little piece of land and teach my youngest son all about gardening...I think he'll LOVE it since he's a great cook and I think will be interested in learning about herbs-n-stuff! Again, THANK YOU for your wonderful post!!

[@geoffreydell7926]

I picked up my gardening from my Dad's "Victory" garden also.

[@sharondewey5529]

@@LarryMAden Not an easy task for me in my rural setting with cedar groves scattered all around, along with the deciduous forest. But I'll try! Thanks for the tip! Is there an organic way to prevent or destroy cedar rust if it occurs?

[@LarryMAden]

@@sharondewey5529, I can't remember, for certain, right now,, but I think that they use a copper sulfate solution, against Cedar rust. I am sure you should find good advice on the Net..

[@cindy4175]

My tip is: learn about wild herbs and what we consider weeds!! They are very nutrient-dense, have a lot of medicinal properties and are very easy to grow and find. They hardly get affected by diseases, they need little or no attention and they grow abundantly to feed you and your family. If you only knew about the medicinal properties and how much nutrients Nettles contain, you will never see them in the same light again...! For example: they contain much, much more vitamine C than lemons or oranges and they even have a pretty high protein content. Weeds get such a bad rep, especially with gardeners, but that's only because we forgot their value and how to use them. But during the apocalypse they can save your life! 😄👍 Stay safe everybody!

[@ailicrew]

how would you consume nettles? boiled like tea or ..?

[@funpic3238]

Tea or sauted

[@nathanlynn4929]

@@ailicrew The root and flowers make tea. If you grab some leaves or wear strong gloves and squeeze the tip and slide down to remove the hairs you can cook the rest like asparagus. Like dandelion you can dry and roast the root to stretch your coffee if you don't mind a lower caffeine content.

[@garethbaus5471]

@@ailicrew add them to a soup and call it a day.

[@andrewsmith1735]

Read an old frontier account. They mentioned most of the weeding process was actually to put food on the table. The old way was weeds were part of the food for the family.

[@longing_hiraeth]

If only everyone grew a garden outside their house than no one would be fighting for food.

[@hewasdeadwhenigotthere7109]

Co2 levels might drop as well with less need to go out to eat. And of course the plants producing oxygen

[@zbcdefga7787]

This should be top comment. I wish it was mandatory that everyone had to grow at least one food plant. Even in an apartment you could grow a herb or something. Then we could all swap with neighbours and help each other

[@gregsmith7949]

Unfortunately there have been families doing just that that local governments came down on for "code violations" etc...so sad.

[@longing_hiraeth]

Greg Smith that’s maddening...

[@petrpolasek5931]

Well, since I am living in 12 m^2 room, there is not much space for vegetables. I have herbs like parsley and thyme, but growing cucumbers is a different story...

[@edmartin875]

For those living in a more rural and wilder setting that have forested areas relatively near-by. Hike in the forest and find some small clearings. Carry in some fruit tree and/or nut tree saplings and plant them there. I have 4 apple and 2 plum trees just beginning to bear in the rough country near a lake in my area (but not near enough for boaters to see them). The wildlife will get much of the fruit as it falls but I now know a source of fresh fruit when in season. Pecan saplings are next then maybe some pears, peaches and hazelnuts. Also planted a few small but scattered patches of carrots. I let most go to seed after pulling one from each patch. Thinking about other root crops to plant in "my" forest farm. Lot of work hiking miles with one 8 to 10 foot sapling at a time but very pleasing work.

[@adnel4142]

Sow a few beans, onions in fact a mix over a 10m square patch in that area. Some are bound to come up when the plants go to seed and rain may very well distribute them over a much larger area. We are our own worst enemy because we are lazy and depend on stores. I am sowing spinach. onion, amarynth and tomatoes over a 20 km2 area which i know stays wet for long after rain. Perhaps i should put sime bulbs like potatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes in the ground too. I am old and sickly but i may just help someone survive. Its time to be generous. To think of someone other than yoyrself or yoyr immediate family. God have mercy on us all.

[@adnel4142]

Sow a few beans, onions in fact a mix over a 10m square patch in that area. Some are bound to come up when the plants go to seed and rain may very well distribute them over a much larger area. We are our own worst enemy because we are lazy and depend on stores. I am sowing spinach. onion, amarynth and tomatoes over a 20 km2 area which i know stays wet for long after rain. Perhaps i should put sime bulbs like potatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes in the ground too. I am old and sickly but i may just help someone survive. Its time to be generous. To think of someone other than yoyrself or yoyr immediate family. God have mercy on us all.

[@silentvoiceinthedark5665]

You will also a have a perfect hunting spot for game animals

[@melinda6024]

So wise, Ed! this is what my ancestor Johnny Appleseed did. when settlers journeyed out west, they found apple trees full of apples waiting for them, thanks to one person's vision.

[@louisevaughan2165]

What you are doing is what many old peoples that wandered / roamed did that along their routes for the very same reasons. Scientists (?) have identified places in the forests where so.e particular "food plants" don't normally grow & if I remember correctly they have called the " forest gardening" . The old people's were very resourceful.

[@dimpletoadfoot8631]

Potato tip: "Determinate" ones are determined to stay in one spot and not get any bigger that the one plant. These are also called 'first earlies'. "Indeterminate" ones are undetermined as to how big they will grow, so these are for hilling or growing in a big bucket where you can keep burying them and they'll keep producing tubers up the plant.

[@tb6303]

I didn't know that. Thank you.

[@daisycaldera8021]

I’d add elderberry, ginger and turmeric to the list. Great things to have on hand to avoid getting sick.

[@annak804]

Daisy Caldera elderberry is a bad idea with corona virus it can cause an over reaction that would cause your lungs to fill with fluid

[@EvelynKarlin]

​@@annak804 The evidence of Elderberry's effect on the flu is spotty at best, but we know for a fact it does nothing for the coronavirus. But it also won't cause any over reaction if taken while infected with the coronavirus, that's not a reason someone's lungs would fill with fluid. The two simply don't interact one way or the other. People could have allergic reactions to elderberry, but that's not related to COVID-19, and wouldn't cause pneumonia. The pneumonia (lungs filling with fluid) you're referring to is caused by normally harmless bacteria in the lungs, due to COVID-19 attacking the lungs' protective membrane which usually keeps that bacteria out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKWxXpqlrp6Jhbs Watch this if you haven't yet, it explains everything you should know.

[@daisycaldera8021]

@random chicks music what is your source on that statement? Personally, I feel it helps with cutting the duration and severity of symptoms when I get a cold. I take it daily along with fire cider. If I get sick and don’t take it, my colds tend to last longer.

[@HomesteadHopefulTara]

R Yes, elderberry is not appropriate in respiratory illnesses because it can cause cytokine storms. Citation below. integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/file/72354/Integrative+Considerations+during+the+COVID+3.18.20.pdf It says that elderberry can be helpful taken BEFORE infection, but dangerous when taken once symptoms appear.

[@SiohvanSings]

Daisy Caldera planted my Elderberry tree two was ago!

[@dystopiagear6999]

Don't forget your furry friends! We grow sweet potatoes partly because our dogs enjoy them as a nutrient-dense supplement to their diet. Plain pumpkin is good for dogs, too.

[@epicgardening]

Oh no way! Don't have a dog so had no clue :)

[@beckys8240]

And cats, hamsters, guinea pigs...etc.

[@adamg2671]

I slice them on a mandolin and toss them in a low temp smoker so my dog thinks she's getting jerky

[@siralbastoss2847]

One of our cats likes fried potatoes. Weird.

[@channahrose]

We do need to figure out how we will feed our dogs and our cats.

[@hannahlawson9435]

I’m a little late to the party. But I would add that there’s a lot of herbs that are not only great for seasoning but also have medicinal benefits (a lot of it has been scientifically proven it’s not just wives tales and hippy crap) so it’s also a good idea to not just grow herbs but learn how to use them as medicine and which do what maybe keep a notebook with what helps with what if you don’t want to have to memorize it. Because in an apocalypse situation you probably won’t be able to get medicines and proper wound treatment so it’s a good backup if something goes wrong. Also learning to can and ferment is helpful for winter months I like that you did mention that a bit. Also herbs can be great for trading for other things that you need from those people who have been eating nothing but unseasoned potatoes

[@ireneb3433]

"keep a notebook" ... YES! because in an apocalyptic time I doubt you'll just be able to go on to the internet to google it!

[@hannahlawson9435]

@@ireneb3433 that’s the thing! My sister always keeps all her info about herbal medicines and foraging info on her phone. I make sure to keep a hard copy book on herbs and I’m writing my own for foraging and the herbs I regularly grow and use because it’s so important to not only have the info, but have it in a physical book that you can read without electricity and internet. And no matter how much you memorize you’re sure to forget something in an emergency.

[@goldenkisses4u]

You are right. Plus you can grow microgreens indoor. Very easily and they are ready to harvest within weeks instead of months. The only downside to them being indoors is that you have to be able to have a light sources. But that can be fixed with solar with a combo of water turbine when you can't use solar. Store up the energy in multiple batteries.

[@colezy14]

Agreed

[@Menuki]

An oft overlooked crop is bamboo. Grows fast, self propagating, shots are edible, and an excellent building material. Natural piping

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

True, but it's also highly invasive, so it's necessary to contain it within its own bed, preferably walled with concrete. Our bamboo is restricted to a single bed, and its rhizomes have completely choked off the soil to anything else. That hasn't stopped a few tenacious plants from trying, like the linden saplings that inexplicably grew there from seeds off the main linden tree. I would add, be sure to boil the shoots for at least 20 minutes to denature the cyanogenic glycosides in them, and dump off the water.

[@Menuki]

@@FrozEnbyWolf150 we’re also talking about a doomsday scenario where invasive species are less of a priority

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

@@Menuki I was just thinking back to the video from this channel warning gardeners about bamboo. Don't get me wrong, I think bamboo gets a bad rap. In addition to the uses you mentioned, it's also a good carbon sink due to its rapid growth. It could be planted to fight pollution, mitigate soil erosion, and block burrowing pests from entering an area.

[@Organique_Omega]

Thank you for this

[@gooseii]

​@@Menuki that would be the worst time to let invasive species loose. You'd be basically doodling the earth for a little comfort in your short lifetime.

[@andiincali.4663]

When I grew corn before it went really well, it made the neighborhood squirrels very happy. They knew precisely when it was ready to harvest and ate it all.

[@annak804]

Try millet its good for birds and can be ground for flour or sprouted and eaten. Squirrel are good to eat as well and their pelts while small are really soft

[@totaltwit]

indeed, I have a cherry tree in my garden, the fruit are delicious but the birds also know when the cherries are the most tasty and eat them all.

[@dianaliberty3099]

cover corn ears with hosiery. cover fruit with hosiery.

[@kenduncan3221]

In a survival situation Squirrel is vital protein and your saving your corn.

[@MilanTheMan69]

@Windows 10 pesticide against birds?! ...and your name is: Windows 10 God we really need that asteroid to hit us...asap

[@soapsniffer]

Garlic would be a good one! Easy to grow, great for adding flavor, and I've heard the smell can repel some pest insects.

[@phubans]

It's also excellent medicine. Anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. Any time I'm starting to feel something starting in the back of my throat I eat a clove of raw garlic. It burns like hell and you'll stink for hours but it usually knocks it right out. Garlic and potatoes are definitely two of my most must-have foods.

[@john3_14-17]

phubans You can chop it up and swallow the tiny pieces with water too, you don’t have to eat the garlic like that.

[@johnbuck9701]

Prevents blood clots as well. Garlic is a super food.

[@acgraphics1139]

@@johnbuck9701 is there any since proof u can link I can't believe it can do that ,need some proof

[@acgraphics1139]

@@phubans where have u got these facts u got any proof ?

[@beestealth7245]

Carrots and celery would go on my list of herbs. The entire carrot green and all can be used, they will oftentimes overwinter, they may get a little woody but that wont matter in a stew. They can also be pulled anytime, even when they are only a pinky in size. I live in zone 8 and was told celery wouldn't grow here. Planted in full shade and we've had celery pretty much growing without care for 4 years now. The first set of plants stuck around for at least 2 full years and have self sown. We wont get grocery store size celery but we dont need that for stews and soups.

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

The main problem with carrots is their picky nature. Getting 'em to germinate is a pain sometimes. In a survival situation, just gardening all day isn't gonna be a good use of time. You'll need to establish a source of water and a source of heat pretty quickly if/when the power goes out and the plumbing runs dry. Sitting there and babying some carrot seeds in the hopes you might get something edible after a few months isn't good.

[@aalikane6219]

@@hauntedshadowslegacy2826 Had over 50lbs of carrots last year out of my garden. Didn't require any tending except watering on a daily/every other day basis like we did everything else. Was not hard to get them to germinate at all. And drying the greens can give a lot of carrot flavor to soups and stews once the carrots actually run out. We dried out all the greens last year and got well over 2 quarts worth of dried carrot greens and I'm still working my way through it.

[@sandra9456]

Hi I am from Germany and here we like to also plant the Jerusalem Artichoke (Latein Name:Helianthus tuberosus) also a great survival food! Plus it blooms very pretty and very tall so it also hides your other food from nosey people🙈😂. Leaves are also eatable just as sweet potatoes. A big plus if you have chicken they love the leaves. Greetings from Bavaria Germany 🍻✌️💌

[@tesscot]

The three sisters, corn, beans and squash, speaking of looking back at how ancient cultures did farming.

[@juliapalomo5139]

Chicken no need to buy eggs Goats provided good milk(don't eat as much as cows) Both are great eats.

[@kevinjoseph517]

@@juliapalomo5139 goats will eat small trees bushes etc.

[@suzubee9602]

@@kevinjoseph517 so wouldnt your cows? Just don't keep your small trees and goats in the same area

[@josiahtheblacksmith467]

@@juliapalomo5139 goat is pretty tasty meat the milk is good too if you can get it fresh.

[@everquestfan]

I heard these crops grown together keeps the soil balanced. Why farmers rotate beans and corn, corn take the nitrogen the beans put into the soil.

[@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380]

Substance farming never made anyone rich, but what good is money when there is nothing on the shelf?

[@epicgardening]

Well said!

[@tonyaanthefarm]

Isn't that the truth. My food supply issues today is not because of my lack of money to buy them that's for sure.

[@joelegrand5903]

You do not know Curtus Stone Substance garden $80,000.00 on one acre.

[@northrockboy]

People didn't starve 100-200 years ago waiting for grocery stores. They grew and stored most of their food. Not always the most selection though.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Depends on your definition of rich. Growing a garden is the first step to freedom from the system.

[@karenminter4235]

Hi thanks for your descriptive recommendations. One suggestion is to growing Mustard Salad, they grow in not much soil in any size pot. Sprinkle the Mustard seeds on top of damp soil. Do not cover over, just water a little daily and watch them sprout up. Cut when 2 inches tall, cutting off the tops as you need and sprinkle your fresh Mustard greens on top of your salad, they are peppery tasting and good for you! They only take 7 days to sprout up and will grow back after cutting the tops off. I love it, hope you'll like this too just as I found this a fun one to grow.

[@zeideerskine3462]

Generally speaking, I would recommend starting guerilla gardens on public ally available spaces and add mornings and fruit trees and certainly chilies and melons. The melons will come in handy when drinking water becomes questionable. Moreover, you want flowers to attract pollinators and tomatoes are also a good idea. Radishes and carrots are also good for low maintenance planting in easy soils. Depending on how much corn you have in your diet, you need to have some chalk for processing the flour. Keeping millstones around is another good idea and peanuts are good for the soil just like beans and pulses. Colored flesh potatoes will give you less blood glucose spikes than white flesh varieties. Of course, prefer planting open pollinated, heirloom varieties that can wild out themselves and adapt to the environment. Your area will also be good for coffee, citrus, bananas, mangos, and all kinds of subtropical spices. Growing unusual bananas and/or coffee may be a particularly good idea for barter trading.

[@ahveganpizzabella]

Public gardens will be the first to be looted or destroyed during disasters. Defo garden all these plants mentioned but in your safe space, secured from human and animal intruders, esp insects ( that's why he has a white net structure over his cabbages, so the white cabbage butterflies don't lay eggs on it, bc their caterpillars will munch down entire cabbage heads)

[@mooneymakes359]

everyone needs to set up a community harvest every yard does 1 crop then we all share at harvest i am going door to door tomorrow my nieghbors are loosing their jobs

[@tarynskinner7937]

That's going to encourage pest problems because you're basically growing monocultures. It would be better to organize a seed swap so households can grow a mix.

[@stoltzsguideservicestoltzs7782]

I met a gentleman from England. The area he was from did exactly what you are speaking to.

[@WTINP]

Fantastic idea. Good luck in your endeavors. I wish I had someone like you in my neighborhood!!

[@rodneyle3939]

you are a good person

[@weRbananas]

Strange Life with Mickey you can be that person in your neighborhood! :)

[@suzyq6767]

Your list is excellent, but I would also include onions and garlic. They perform so many functions, including pest deterrent and pollinator attractant. Plus, they not only make food taste great but they also increase the body's ability to fight off pathogens. Also, nuts, fruits, and other perennials are a good idea.

[@alexboyemuller3898]

You really do want to get some perennials going as well, they might not give anything for the first years, but you can have apples from late summer to early winter and that's just such a boost to have EVERY YEAR and just imagine having both multiple fruits and nuts! Plus nuts store really well

[@rodneygaul2227]

Bikini Island where US did it's nuke tests says other wise we need phosphorous for bones , The plants there use u235 instead so you may survive for a while , but any children are screwed

[@gregproefrock4114]

FWIW, I heard from a good source, garlic is especially healthful because its genome is the closest to the human genome, of all edible plants. So, it's one of the easiest to get nutrition from, for a wide variety of uses in the body. The farmer told me, if you cook it lightly, keep the temperature always below about 120°, then it keeps all of the best nutrients, but if the temperature goes higher, some nutrient molecules break down and ways that are not as useful to us. Also, he said, when garlic flesh is smushed by cutting or pressing, and allowed to sit for 15 minutes, some even more helpful molecules form. They don't last especially long. So, best to eat the crushed garlic between 15 and 45 minutes after crushing ... And let it sit the first 15 minutes without heat, for those molecules to form. Maybe enough nutrition can be gained via the nine plants in the video, or maybe garlic is a worthwhile addition. TBD by science...

[@stayinggolden2665]

Definitely a big fan of onions and garlic, I think he was going for most filling and plentiful but 100% I agree with onions and garlic.

[@jessicacanfield5408]

Nuts and fruits could take 2 years to 30 years to produce so for eating that year it is not pratical

[@sventer198]

I would add barley. Easy to grow, loves cold, makes an excellent green ground cover under other crops, can be used like corn.

[@ahveganpizzabella]

Except barley requires a huge field to grow and it's eally bad for human nutrition which is why it's only used to brew beer & other alcohol today. Millet and amaranth are much better, millet is comparable to quinoa in nutrition values

[@ayecaptin]

@@ahveganpizzabella barley is extremely healthy. I know its not popular with the permaculture crowd because it's typically grown as a monocrop, and that may be a valid reason to oppose it in some circumstances, but it's not a great idea to conflate ideals and nutritional information.

[@Bretta55]

Adding beets, turnips and carrots along the borders of growing plants is a good choice. You not only get the roots that keep well in a cool, dry place but you can also eat the greens. They don't require much nitrogen so they are great companions next to cabbage and tomatoes. They take up little space along the edges of your garden. Beets and carrots are high in essencial beta carotine and minerals.

[@riddick3943]

correction for later readers... beets definitely require lots of nitrogen

[@silverhawk3413]

Kevin, I've been a gardener for about 40 years. I thought that your presentation was fabulous. Simple, easy to understand, direct and eloquent. Many gardener's problems come from simply overwatering and not understanding that their soil. You may want to consider talking about foraging for edibles in your lawn, park or forest. Thanks for a very enjoyable video.

[@vidili68]

I started in 1975 Was also trying Hydroponics. It is doing ok. Have to grow . Have a good day be safe

[@daniellebarker7667]

One of my absolute favorite greens grows free and wild all over the place. Lambsquarter.

[@philkonestos2837]

Chickpeas. Never grew anything before I started with them, they don't need any attention, and just grow perfectly aaand they fertilize the soil for the next crop you plant on the same spot. And they grow fast. They are nutritious and have alot of calories.

[@marlymarmala91]

Chickpeas are SO VERSATILE!! I have been using chickpeas whole and as a flour for many different dishes ever since the lockdown. I had a large collection of chickpea type products on hand prior to this so have been getting creative with them...yum yum!

[@str8jenn.nochaser]

How do u grow them? Beginner here, I know its more that stick seeds in the ground and water.

[@philkonestos2837]

@@str8jenn.nochaser actually, no. That's it more or less.

[@raia9]

@@philkonestos2837 Ive never seen chickpea seeds anywhere - love to try it.

[@philkonestos2837]

@@raia9 buy dried chickpeas, puz them into whater for a day, flush them twice a day for three days, then put them into soil. 30cm distance between each one.

[@digitalranger4259]

I'm a fan of cherry tomatoes, specifically the Super Sweet 100 variety. In the Valley, I had a plant that went three years, and constantly gave me at least a few fresh tomatoes a week. Finally had a wet cold winter that killed it, but the plant tolerated the usual LA winters really well.

[@vectordarklord7919]

I would definitely add squash! When planted with the beans and corn it forms an amazing trio that help each other thrive!

[@johnturpin2865]

That is part of the video

[@TobiasMcGriff]

This is genuinely one of the most valuable channels on KZbin. I own a farm and just the fact that you know the difference between sweet corn and dent corn shows me you know your craft.

[@ShojoBakunyu]

That's really something that's impressive? I'm a city gal and know the difference.

[@samkitty5894]

Before refrigeration and electricity back in the "old" county, every year was "apocalyptic". They grew crops that would store well (root cellar) and last till next planting season. Potatoes, corn, beans, beets, turnips, carrots, cabbage family crops, squash, onions, garlic, and peanuts.

[@margerybedford4184]

Great, well presented video, thank you! I live on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. Last season (2021) I considered what I would need if I was not allowed into stores to buy food. YES! All parties in our government actually kept people from grocery stores in Canada and arrested the people that protested it! Your video is very timely. Time to take care of ourselves and our communities. In addition to your awesome list, I also grew beets (eat the tops too), swiss chard, onions, garlic which are all cold hardy. I put in black berries, raspberries and strawberries because of their nutrient value and because they are a sweet treat. I also put in perennial asparagus. I was blessed to find a patch of hazelnuts at the back of my new garden! Cheers everyone!

[@patricialacka9694]

No, I live in Ontario and the grocery stores were NEVER closed. Costco kept running out of toilet paper, but the regular grocery stores always had some. She is full of it and could use a little tp from Costco.

[@countryproud7618]

we added a watermelon and garlic to ours and planted more corn to supplement our self propagating flock of dual purpose chickens. one thing that is really good is put your herbs around the gardens include mountain mint as this variety doesn't go all over, to attract predatory bugs to keep the bad bugs out of your gardens. mint is good for soothing tummies as well as sore muscles or headaches. also the type of seeds you plant will determine if you can gather seed and have it produce the same type. and some seeds don't come on your vegetables until really late or the following spring. learning to gather your own seed and save it would be very important.

[@mmm-uw1ep]

Some other suggestions. Beets; their tops can be eaten as greens, they have a high sugar content, they can grow in colder climates and they can be dried into chips, pickled or canned. Onions can also be planted early, like colder weather and green onions will come up year after year if you only use the tops. They make everything taste better raw or cooked. Peas are an earlier crop if you're waiting for other crops to mature, they can be eaten raw or cooked and taste yummy. Dill is a great addition to your herb garden, great for cooking or canning, easy to grow, doesn't take much room and reseeds easily. Strawberries can be grown in a hanging basket when space is limited. And don't forget some flowers to attract the pollinators which are essential for growing a healthy garden. Include a few sunflowers and you have seeds that can be turned into a "nut" butter.

[@farisasmith7109]

1. Beans (string/ pole) 2. Okra 3. Peas 4. Corn 5. Potatoes ( sweet, white etc) 6. Tomatoes 7. Pumpkin / squash 8. Beets 9. Carrots

[@steviereybok1472]

Garlic

[@Jackrabbitfreedom]

10. Turnips

[@sadhumarga7422]

11. Sweet potatoes and other potatoes and more root crops.

[@FluffballKitties]

Lettuce, cabbage.

[@DaHappyHeathen]

+1 for beets. They are stupid easy to grow, the greens are delicious and can be sauteed or wilted (I especially like them with red Fresno peppers and matchstick carrots). The beets themselves can be pickled easily and if you pickle them with hard boiled eggs, you get interesting purple eggs and the pickling with eggs makes the beets even more delicious. I've learned to cook with them because they are just so easy to grow. The greens don't wilt in extreme heat like lettuces will either.

[@kevintodd8195]

Props and blessings to you fellow Kevin, it looks like you have turned every square foot of your yard into growing-productive space for the continuation of life. God bless I'm subbed.

[@SpiritHawk]

Great tips! Thanks for all the inspiration. I'm a big fan of the perrenial garden, things like asparagus, walking onions, Jerusalem artichoke, hostas, burdock, and one of my favourites too, the potato. Anything can be fermented. Pickled young hosta leaves are one of my favourites. The leaves are come again so you can harvest for quite a while. So delicious sautéed in butter. When I go for walks in the spring, I am spying on my neighbour's gardens :) That's been my favourite discovery in the last few years.

[@joliebe9805]

Bees! Honey and bee products are food, medicine and useful for many things. Also much improved garden output with pollination.

[@brendadarbyshire9414]

Purchase a queen and start your own bee hive

[@jessicakuhn2543]

I have that covered!

[@fredandersen9873]

@@brendadarbyshire9414 uh, no. Thats not the way it works. A lone queen bee will die in short order. In order to survive and thrive, the queen NEEDS abt 4.5lbs (2kg) of worker bees.

[@atrias144]

@@fredandersen9873 I'm not convinced that they meant ONLY a queen bee, but you're right about her needing a decent sum of workers to sustain the hive. It's not so much that the queen needs 4.5lbs of workers to survive, it's just that the hive needs enough workers to feed and care for said hive, particularly during temperature shifts and limited sources of food. During certain seasons, more bees will be needed to regulate hive temperatures needed to keep their young alive. There are many jobs in a hive and their survival depends on numbers. It's best to simply catch a swarm because then you know the bees are prepared to establish a hive from scratch.

[@FaZeZombieslayer]

Garlic for its medicinal properties, plus it can flavor other crops.

[@asteriagency9683]

and its another low maintenance one, keeps pests away, love love love garlic

[@serenesensationsart5782]

A great antiviral! And delicious

[@Lindy98]

Garlic and roses get along well together. So you can have survival crop and some beauty.

[@soggycereal8626]

Ooh good point

[@dashrubberbear]

Also green onions

[@fabergeartist5273]

I would add Purslane, though considered a weed, the leaves are very nutrient rich and taste fine in a salad. And the flowers will brighten your garden. Since it is a “weed”, it’s very drought tolerant. If it shows up on it’s own in your yard, celebrate and protect it. (Be aware that the relative to purslane, sold as Portulaca, has narrow leaves and I don’t believe they are edible. The flowers look the same, but purslane has flat fleshy tear drop shaped leaves with the pointed end toward the stem.)

[@chichestermaritime8174]

Portulaca grows readily here as a weed in Portugal and the local population eat it, I eat it and it makes great soup as well as salad.

[@mollyhanna9783]

Perennial, fruit-bearing crops are extremely useful too, especially when they do not require much maintenance during busier summer months. I think berry bushes and fruit trees are great to have, or at least not the location of near you, for vitamin c and antioxidants. Less great to store as is, but fabulous for preserving as jams, whole canned fruit, and dried/dehydrated fruit for adding into hot cereals, baking with the corn flour, etc. Fruits can also be fermented into wine/mead (and the herbs are helpful for adding to this, as well as foraged flowers)! So I would add at least one berry bush (preferably of different varieties to get production at different times of the year) and an apple tree for making cider / hard cider, dried apple chips, applesauce, pie filling, etc.

[@martinfiedler4317]

For me, Onions would be on the top of the list.

[@johngailey875]

I grew a onion last year for the seeds so this will be my first year actually growing onions. I saved the flowers but a lot of seeds dropped before and while i was grabing them. When the snow melted off of the last storm i noticed a few dozen little grass looking seedlings were growing where my onion mama was. I am really looking forward to it

[@ifukill7538]

I put just the half onion root end in water and hey presto..... Green onion shoots😍

[@jvittur]

@@ifukill7538 you can do the same with yellow and red onions as well. Just leave about 1/8 to 1/4 above the root, place over water and in about 4-6 days, roots will start and you can replant.

[@ogtckogctk8193]

Use ur chopped onion Roots(hair) and put into water with the Roots soaking in water. Reproduces Green onion. Check it up.

[@ducky169]

Yea without onions, tomatoes, garlic, fruits, it wouldn't be worth surviving, easy to grow and store very well

[@bellaciao6801]

The Three Sisters had a spicy brother, the jalapeño.

[@halloweenallyearround4889]

Chillis and peppers in general, yum.

[@katiehoang7493]

jalapebro if you will

[@josephspruill4199]

Sunflowers too helps keep the birds of the corn and helps bring pollinators.

[@reuse_or_die]

@@josephspruill4199 yes, and speaking as a mental health pro it's always good to bring sunflowers in for their endorphins! Just looking at them. Maybe add nasturtiums or marigolds. Both edible and marigolds(calendula) make a fab earl grey medicinal tea. My other herb staple -apart from lavender, is mint.

[@dashrubberbear]

Corn and sunflowers suck too many nutrients from the soil though. Don't go too heavy on them.

[@jennifermauch2349]

I learned that you can put scallions in a jar with water and they will continue to grow you just cut off a piece that you will use and they will grow back. Change the water about every two to three days. You can also do this with red leaf lettuce and Romaine lettuce, but you only want to put the water up to the very bottom of the lettuce. You can also grow sprouts by putting a 1/2 cup of green or brown lentils in a Mason jar with a screen or cheese cloth on top of the jar. Screw on the lid and let them soak in water filled 3/4 of the way full then drain the water out and lean the jar at an angle in a bowl or container and every time you think about it fill the jar up with water dump it out and lean it at an angle again. In about two to three days you will have a full jar of sprouts. There are recipes to make sprouted meatballs, sprouted tacos, they go well in a stir fry or on salads or just as a snack.

[@dianebrock7327]

I love my tomatoes you can grow them indoors also

[@lindacgrace2973]

I agree with Abiyah - I would add amaranth (sweet potatoes are really tough north of the Mason/Dixon line), alliums (garlic, shallots, chives, leeks, onions), and tomatoes. Tomatoes are not calorie-dense, but they are so nutritionally dense and so useful in the kitchen that they are indispensable. It is possible to cook without fats of any kind but it is difficult and unpleasant. I have discovered that people press their own oil from peanuts, tree nuts, and sunflower seeds, and also add that to the survivor's garden.

[@sarahloomis2034]

Nothing like tomatoes in terms of effort to yield, except zucchini

[@lindacgrace2973]

@@sarahloomis2034 Whole-heartedly agree! It's not summer without home-grown tomatoes!

[@annsanimationaddiction8024]

I started a pretty sizable garden in our backyard out of passion. Potatoes, two types of squash, two types of tomatoes, two different kinds of peppers, watermelons, and a pumpkin. Plus an herb garden. Now I'm super happy I have it cuz now I can trade produce for neighbor's eggs :]

[@GrowingOrganicTvShow]

Hey if you liked this video, you might want to watch my latest Survival Garden video too. Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5qraXuraM2krqs

[@plantmurderer2457]

This 👏 is 👏 what 👏 people 👏 should 👏 be 👏 doing👏👏👏👏

[@epicgardening]

1000000%

[@dystopiagear6999]

We need to encourage this for sure! There's patriotic historic value and tradition here, too. I'm thinking of the re-emergence of small home gardens in the 1930s and especially the Victory Garden campaign during the 40s.

[@Callas4409]

This is literally what I'm doing. I had already started planting seeds before all of this started, now I'm just kicking my gardening into high gear.

[@teekotrain6845]

LOL

[@MrMousedude]

are those hands clapping or hand-washing?

[@mendyviola]

Depending on your region, add berries or a fruit tree. Many varieties can also be grown in pots or in ground in a dwarf form.

[@jacobsmom742]

Oh, and garlic! I wouldn’t be without garlic for both its medicinal and flavor enhancing properties in an apocalypse.

[@johngailey875]

For sure! I grew lots of garlic last year and still have a few left. I love it I am rooting one now for round 2.

[@ifukill7538]

Chives / garlic 😍

[@whisperingwind2]

Garlic. Hell. Yes.

[@heidimisfeldt5685]

@Harry Harry Chew some parsley and there is no bad breath of any sort.

[@kirarussom5780]

Everyone's buying tp and I'm looking at the completely untouched plant seeds at work like wtf is wrong with people?

[@epicgardening]

Crazy right?

[@Mudoh415]

People don’t know how to grow stuff anymore.

[@MM-my8yt]

I’m convinced that if something really really bad happened worse then the virus That most of the population would die due to lack of survival skills.

[@kirarussom5780]

I found myself buying root vegetables that I can start into plants like potatoes, garlic, onion, ginger, tumeric, etc. (but that's because I already had a seed stash) I have tp already, and if things hit the fan for reals, I know how to sew reusable tp. Or there's other alternatives. Making things with my hands is a passion of mine, so I have books on how to-s and recipes of things. Not worried about the survivability. Worried about stupid people coming by to steal and pillage during the worst times. can't answer the door unless I know the person nowadays

[@Oneshot8242]

Denmark here. Two weeks ago I was speaking (at a distance) with our local planteskole (nursery). I said, "You gardening experts are going to be the new heroes." They were taken aback; they never thought about their profession as being critical or decisive.

[@WhiteCatShirataki]

I would add sprouted seeds and microgreens, as well as any crop that will grow extremely fast (under 45 days), like lettuces, radishes, etc. The fast-growing crops can be re-sown multiple times per growing season. I would also suggest doing treks around your local community to find/mark all the wild-growing edibles. Where I live, we have a public walking/biking trail that runs through our county and there are things like raspberries, elderberries, strawberries, rosehips, and mushrooms, that always spring up in abundance among the trees/bushes on either side of the trail during their normal growing seasons. At times, I think that we are still living in the Garden of Eden but no one realizes it. Another thing to consider is starting to raise rabbits, chickens, ducks, etc., because these can serve as protein sources as well as income.

[@erwin643]

Awesome stuff! My only issue with corn is that it's hard to grow tactically, If you're a suburban homesteader (I.e., guerilla gardening). I like your idea for running vines up the stalks, though.

[@johnturpin2865]

Running vines up stalks is a very old idea. He had mentioned 3 sisters. Thats in reference to that growing system which was practiced by certain indigenous groups

[@erwin643]

@@johnturpin2865 I like it!

[@michaelmorris1865]

The Three Sisters are definitely an important to consider, though traditionally we grow them together to allow them to help each other.

[@MeyreYoshizawa]

Everyone: let’s get toilet papeeerrrrr!!! Kevin: let’s grow apocalypse crops 💁🏻

[@epicgardening]

You know me too well

[@icarusmaybe6629]

@Amy Sternheim they used paper from catalogs like Sears or the corn cob.

[@farmergirlofchickens8779]

Corn cobs are surprisingly soft and silky substitution for toilet paper. Convenient handle, lol. 🌽

[@wofakwame4163]

Ask the Muslims for an answer

[@sillydog70]

Things get that bad and there will be plenty of dead neighbors socks and sheets cut up

[@richardanderson2742]

Not that you missed out, but one facet you really could stress more is the ability to Fall and Winter garden in at least Zone 6 and higher. Being in San Diego you of course take this for granted. However in my area those that Winter garden are still the rare exception. This year we were below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for quite a few nights. My cabbage and kale made it through totally unprotected without so much as a wind break. There are a number of "extended season" crops now readily available enabling fresh veggies year round. Also if you are raising your own meat, many of the winter crops make reasonable fodder, saving on feed costs. Another point is if you are in an apocalyptic mindset, you want to only grow open pollinated veggies so you can save the seeds and have them reproduce true to type. You might also mention spacing out the planting and harvest for non-storage crops. Nothing is worse than having a mountain of your favorite veggie for 3 weeks out of the year and no ability to store it or prolong the harvest.

[@newmexicogran3]

I used to garden on Long Island, NY. Great weather, good soil, excellent compost material. We grew the three sisters but we added a fish skeleton and planted the corn seed in the middle of it, beans around the edge and squash around the perimeter. Grew all summer no work, and the squash protected everything from squirrels. Now I live in Rio Rancho NM at 5000 feet altitude, colichi (hard flaky limestone), sand, sun from 5 am to 8 pm in the summer BUT with only about 5 inches of rain a YEAR. Everything I have tried to grow dies. There is nothing to create a mulch pile from- no green- no grass- soil amendments dry out within a day or so. Peat moss is a failure, straw mulch dries up and blows away. Tried raised bed gardening and got a great crop of mice- I was about to throw in the towel but your video gives me hope to try just once more. Thank you.

[@lalacrypto1]

Have you considered hydroponics? :)

[@newmexicogran3]

@@lalacrypto1 we have limited water that is heavily processed, even leaving gallons out overnight doesn't release enough chlorine residue for viable water use. Have rain barrels but this past year only had 2 inches of rain all year. Think I'll just have to grow catcus to survive. Thanks for the advice.

[@CallieCatCuddles]

I am a absolute novice gardener, but when I grew potatoes, I threw a potato on the ground and covered it with a good layer of straw. As the straw packed down, I'd throw more around the plant to thoroughly cover the new tubers. This way I could lift the straw and pick as many potatoes as I wanted for dinner without killing the plant. I'd pack the straw back around the plant and it would continue to grow, putting out new potatoes as it did so. There was no waiting until a harvest date. It was also fun to show children who could pick a potato for their own dinner any time they wanted to. The straw kept the ground moist saving on watering and I didn't have to weed. Any straw sprouts could be yanked and left laying on the surface to add to the mulch. Kitchen vegetable scraps could be tossed under the straw and left to also turn into mulch. No muss, no fuss.

[@epicgardening]

That's a fantastic way to do them - works so well

[@cuttwice3905]

The Ruth Stout method works.

[@bestill6635]

Would hay work well? Straw has seeds, but maybe that’s a good thing?

[@cuttwice3905]

@@bestill6635 Straw has occasional seeds. Hay has more and is much more expensive.

[@phoebeel]

Could I technically also use the grass left from mowing the lawn? Of course, I'd let it dry first

[@crystalhuff6811]

I highly recommend peas as a good apocalypse crop! Low requirements in terms of soil quality, can be eaten as greens or "fruit," hard to kill, just need a trellis.

[@mjollnir9075]

Agreed. And they grow FAST. All the things he mentioned were some of our staple garden items over the years. But peas was another one as well as root veggies like carrots and turnips and beets. And, with the latter 2, the greens are edible as well. He did mention squash, and we always had several varieties of that as well. Zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and tomatoes and green beans were every year too. And we canned thousands of jars over the years. What am i forgetting...oh! Lettuce! Different types of lettuce have different grow rates so we had at least 2 or 3 different varieties.

[@mariumaish]

I would add onions and garlic. They don't only add a lot of flavor to dishes, they are some of the most potent medicinal plants and can be used for many different remedies, from curing a cold to disinfecting a wound. Their greens are edible too. Onion peels can be used to make tincture for fabrics. You talked about sweet potatoes, they are deicious and nutricious, and they are nice to the eyes too, with those hart shaped leaves and their beautiful, bell shaped, blue flowers.

[@Igloo5555]

You're an excellent host and epic communicator too. Excellent info, clear and concise!

[@rebeccamd7903]

I love how you know and speak of the 3 sisters. I wasn’t expecting that. Native power 😁 ✊

[@MarysNest]

Thank you so much for this fantastic video! You gave me so much to think about! I love the idea of growing corn...dent corn...as a grain to be turned into flour. A good tip to remember for when you are preparing your corn flour is to soak the dried corn in water and calcium hydroxide (commonly referred to as “slacked lime” or “pickling lime”) as is done in Mexico and South America. The corn kernels will swell and loosen from the husk. Then you’ll want to rinse the corn really well to rinse off all the calcium hydroxide (and the husks). Then you can dry the corn kernels and grind them into flour. This is very important so that we - as humans - are able to absorb all the vitamins in corn and not develop any vitamin B deficiencies (pellagra) if corn becomes a main staple for us during food shortages. Calcium hydroxide is easy to find in the home canning section at local grocery stores or big box stores. Thank you again for this wonderful video and all the videos you share. You are such a wealth of information and I have learned so much from you!! God bless, Mary 🤗

[@akouwenhoven]

Hi, thanks, love your channel too. Would you consider doing a video on dent corn, how to process, and how to make nutrient dense food from? Take care.

[@1TornMonkey]

I believe what you are referring to is called nixtamalization.

[@jenniferprescott8655]

Wow, thank you so much!

[@maryhandy7963]

I had the same thought! Corn actually takes nutrients from the body to digest unless you undergo this process. This is how the natives processed their corn. After which it is a very nutrient dense food.

[@HisGlory768]

Love Mary's Nest!!

[@aussiepressconferences.4755]

Love you Kevin, great, clear videos, lots of sensible information and a variety of presenters. Brilliant work.

[@wanderingevahd6146]

I just watched this, and I smiled. For the past couple of years, as a prepper, I practice something I've coined "Self Reliant September". In this I only eat what I have hunted, fished, grown, foraged, or traded for. It has taught me alot about how much I eat, and what's the wisest things to grow..

[@Keyspoet27]

The Three Sisters, in a lot of Native American tribes, were actually known as the Four Sisters; with the addition of sunflowers, as a living fence around the entire growing area, which also provided natural trellises for additional beans, peas, or other climbing crops, such as tomatoes. In addition to providing a crop of sunflower seeds at the end of the season, which are a nutritious high-protein seed that can also be pressed into an excellent cooking oil, the flowers also bring in lots of pollinators, meaning that all the crops are likely to set more fruit with better pollination. At the end of the season, the spent sunflower stalks were often left standing, as a deterrent to deer, especially if they were perennial Maximilian sunflowers, which also provide edible tubers, and will come back year after year, providing even more food over time.

[@LarryMAden]

Yes, the Sunflower (Helianthus) family was just as important to Native American tribes as they are to the commercial world, today. And yes, some tribes did use Sunflowers for security fence around the distant sides of their gardens, but the most common Sunflower used as the Fourth Sister was the perennial Sunroot (Helianthus tuberosus), interplanted, half offset, in the same square corn hill pattern, one stride, by one stride. In this rather crowded but perfectly symmetrical pattern worked spectacularly to the benefit of all the annual Three Sisters, and they dug the sweet and nutty flavored tubers, in the early Spring, when the tubers are sweetest and food was most scarce.

[@rotmgWevouls]

I love the way sunflowers look, now I have a real reason to grow them other than the astheic, thank you stranger 😄

[@1Maklak]

1) Beans: I especially recommend string-beans, because you can eat the pods for months, without waiting for seeds. It can either be a bush or a climbing vine. In my experience, a couple meters of fence mesh covered in climbing string beans is enough for a family until first frost. The beans that you grow for seeds will store, but are a lot of work to harvest and dry. 2) Corn (Maize): It doesn't grow so well where I'm at and animals from the forest like to trample and eat it. A lot of stalks need to grow together to pollinate. I failed growing it, if you can make it work, this would be a good staple for surviving the winter. 3) Squash: This entire plant family (pumpkin, zuccini, cucumber) grows large vegetables that may store for months (but check for rot or soft spots). Cucumber can be pickled, if you have salt. The downsides are that squash needs a lot of water and space. 4) Cabbage: This plant family attracts caterpillars. I tried growing it, but there were bugs in my cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Brussels grew better and you can eat the tops and the leaves, but if you just want the green balls, it's inefficient. Lettuce was fine, though. 5) Potatoes: I have heavy soil, so they grow rather poorly, but I think I'll keep trying. For me, potatoes are a more realistic staple than maize. 6) Kale: It's so bitter, even the caterpillars don't like it, but it is hardy. 7) Sweet Potatoes: I got one from a store, put it in a pot, it grew a vine and I got maybe double the tuber I put in. Meh, but it might work in large scale. 8) Lentil: Never tried. 9) Herbs: Sure. I think this list lacks leafy vegetables, like lettuce (which can by stretched by eating the bottom leaves) and root vegetables. Also, a lot depends if space or work hours are more limited. Honourable mentions: 10) Cherry tomatoes: they grow like a weed, are tasty and more resistant to potato rot than regular tomatoes. They still eventually die to potato rot and are tedious to harvest, but you can can them. 11) Beetroot: Small ones are a good addition to a soup, leaves and all. Tubers can be stored in sand. 12) Celery: An aromatic addition to soup. Leaves can be dried and tubers stored in sand. 13) Leek: Good for soup or a salad. The plants can be left in soil to winter and are usually good to eat, unless there is a strong frost. 14) Carrots and Parsley: great if you can grow them, but they grow poorly for me. 15) Parsnip: Grows like crazy. The tubers are like larger and less tasty Parsley. 16) Raspberries: The ones that keep making fruit until the first frost are great for variety and can be harvested every 2-3 days. It's tedious, but 10 m^2 of these are enough fruit for a family. Most berries only have a crop for only two weeks to a month, so it's better to have something that just keeps making fruit. Some fruit, like apples, can be stored, but pretty much all fruit can be dried or canned or made into syrup or wine. Raspberries also grow fast from a sampling, so you don't have to wait for years, like with fruit trees. 17) Walnut or hazelnut: These need space and time to mature and squirrels steal them, but the trees don't need care once they grow and nuts are great to store for winter. A walnut forest is good if space is not a concern and you're willing to wait 20-30 years.

[@chkngrl]

Try doing straw grown potatoes, they do great, come out super clean and offer a no till option especially for those of us who have hard, rocky or poor soil.

[@TheOnlyKingBee]

U can hunt the animals that come after Ur crop

[@1Maklak]

@@TheOnlyKingBee My country has restrictive gun laws and I don't want to walk through unused land and look for boars.

[@TheOnlyKingBee]

@@1Maklak mine too. You can set up traps. Also you're not in a survival situation also corn and lentils may not be that great of an idea if you dont have a mill.

[@whittenfamily8371]

Fava Beans are very important, cold hardy below frost and drought resistance, has saved lives in drought before

[@GrimbolTheDruid]

Thanks for your videos, time, effort, and energy you put out into the world. I appreciate you!

[@InsideLookingOut1203]

Appreciate the info fam! Real talk! Anxiety was starting to building up as I was trying to think and guess about sustainable crops. Thanks for doing the thinking part for me😮‍💨

[@charlenekociuba7396]

you missed the all important berry, blueberries can be grown in a container. I have a couple of rows, border. Raspberry are self propagators and blackberry. Strawberry needs a little finessing but can also grow compactly, upwards or downward like your tower. Varieties can be chosen for greater yields. As a Senior, I chose to grow food plants that I can depend on.

[@robinnmangual9464]

I'm curious. What all do you have planted? If you don't mind me asking. I'm starting a "container garden" on my porch and am still uncertain about what I want AND what's reliable.

[@FatBeardBob]

Charlene Kociuba BLACKBERRY!!! The best berry.

[@josiahtheblacksmith467]

I've got raspberry and blackberry growing! Blackberries are my favorite. Hoping to have whole sections of my back fence covered in berry brambles in a few years time if I take good care of them.

[@sherryporsch9349]

Those little potatoes are so good roasted in the oven with olive oil, an garlic salt. 😀

[@riffhurricane]

Forget toilet rolls, Olive Oil will be the new gold in a SHTF situation.

[@teresasanchez8853]

I keep the my olive oil in the refrigerator, don't want it to go rancid. I have a small bottle for everyday use, when it's getting low I take out the one from the frige. Let it warm up then I refill the smaller bottle and I always have good oil.

[@mycelticstardust]

Absolutely, and add carrots, parsnips too!

[@Joh2n]

@@mycelticstardust Forget those parsnips , they are just weird tasting. God bless

[@mycelticstardust]

@@Joh2n I hated them at first, but gave them a try about every three years, now I tell myself it is carrot - not! Lol

[@jackboss1150]

I used your intro in chatGPT, want to see what it said? In a survivalist setting, it's important to focus on crops that are easy to grow, provide essential nutrients, and have a high yield. Here are nine crops well-suited for such conditions: Potatoes: Potatoes are versatile, high in calories, and can be grown in various soil types. They are a good source of carbohydrates and can be stored for an extended period. Beans: Beans are rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals. They fix nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility. Varieties like black beans, kidney beans, and lentils are recommended. Corn: Corn is a staple crop with high calorie content. It can be ground into flour or used as animal feed. Corn also serves as a windbreak and can provide shade for other crops. Squash: Squash plants, such as zucchini and butternut squash, are easy to grow and provide valuable vitamins and minerals. They have a long storage life and can be consumed fresh or preserved. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and can be grown in pots or small spaces. They require proper sunlight and support for vertical growth. Leafy greens: Plants like spinach, kale, and lettuce are fast-growing and provide essential vitamins and minerals. They can be harvested multiple times throughout the growing season. Cabbage: Cabbage is a hardy crop that can withstand harsh conditions. It's rich in vitamin C and can be stored for an extended period after harvesting. Carrots: Carrots are packed with nutrients and are relatively easy to grow. They can be stored in the ground and harvested as needed. Herbs: Growing herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme can add flavor to meals and have medicinal properties. They can be grown indoors or in small containers. Remember, crop selection should also depend on your climate, available space, and personal dietary needs. Additionally, learning basic gardening and seed-saving skills will be crucial for long-term sustainability.

[@sundancer442]

Another one to grow is Tree Cabbage. It's a perennial that takes up little space, and you just pick the leaves.

[@marygolden6192]

Turnips are very nutritious, easy to grow (I grew them) and can stand in for, or be supplement to, potato dishes. Also the greens are edible, have a flavor similar to kale so they are good in smoothies or steamed/sauteed. They can grow in cooler temps and are a storage crop.

[@LarryMAden]

You are so right. In fact, all root crops are the best of "survival" crops. I prefer Sunroot (Helianthus tuberosus), as the very best, then, Parsnips are my next long-season favorite. But, we must not discount the great importance of all of the many short-season root crops and greens, either. All that can be planted early in cool soil is very important, but nothing is more important than planting that which yields an early harvest, as humans can only last about 6 weeks without food. Eating regularly is a great strategy for anyone who wants to "survive"...

[@thegardner80]

Yeah, kale and cabbage are both brassicas. I would’ve dropped on the favor of a root crop, radish, turnip, or beets. They all are edible top to bottom and grow in all weather. I guess for survival I’d go with red beets for nutrition density, but they are slower growing.

[@LarryMAden]

I think that most people would prefer kohlrabi to either kale or turnips. I am not a picky eater, myself, but I even know people who absolutely wont eat kale, turnips, and not even cabbage, but they like kohlrabi... Humans is funny critters...

[@michaellind3653]

During ww1 the germans had what they called the winter of sticks and turnips, because every crop failed but the turnips basically. So even when potatoes fear to grow, the turnip will

[@LarryMAden]

@@michaellind3653 , only Helianthus tuberosus is more dependable, productive and nutritious than turnips. BUT, turnips are shorter season. Everything has its pros and cons, and, luckily, variety is the spice of life. Yet, it can definitely be said that root crops, in general, can better guarantee something to eat, thru all of the vagaries of weather.

[@HomesteadHopefulTara]

Great list! I’d add moringa. One moringa tree can grow several feet in a year and you can eat both the leaves and seed pods. There’s an insane amount of nutrition packed in it. And even if you live where it dies off in the winter, you can either grow the dwarf variety in pots and bring them in for the winter or just let the trees die back and replant the next year from seeds you collect.

[@yakhouba9]

can confirm, currently on lockdown here in the Philippines and moringa is an essential part of our meals for the last 3 weeks, good thing we have it on our backyard

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

Thank you for sharing this!!! I’m buying Moringa seeds thanks to you! 😍

[@crystallaner230]

@@PeaceIsYeshua direct sow them. They don't tolerate being moved very well. Good luck!

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

Crystal Laner, thank you!!! I’m going to order some seeds right now! Appreciate your help! 💕😊

[@GrowingOrganicTvShow]

Hey if you liked this video, you might want to watch my latest Survival Garden video too. Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5qraXuraM2krqs

[@thumbs2toes1]

I found Chard to be an excellent green to grow. Cutting off only the bigger stalks as they grow allows the plant to grow all season. Stalks are edible too and there are many ways to season them.

[@newpinglegend9304]

I like this one a lot. First up, last down, here in the Northeast. Here you can have chard for as many as nine months out of the year in my experience depending when the frosts fall. That's growing it in pots, too.

[@misaelfraga8196]

Since covid I've had a garden and have taken up the hobby. Plus, bird feeding/watching as an added bonus.

[@lindakallinen7353]

Just thinking of gardening makes everything better.

[@GrowingOrganicTvShow]

Hey if you liked this video, you might want to watch my latest Survival Garden video too. Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5qraXuraM2krqs

[@ladyEnchantressGarden]

Good for your physical and mental health ❤🌻

[@veronicastewart1112]

And it safely gets you out of the house.

[@gilbertarzner]

Carrots really worked good for me last year. I live in zone 5 and the carrots grew the entire winter. They are one of the best crops that I have found for winter gardening. Just use hoops and some row cover for best results.

[@michaelsherron5750]

Are you able to make a video on how you did this?

[@gilbertarzner]

@@michaelsherron5750 Sorry. but I just found this. I am not good at editing, but I could give it a try.

[@michaelsherron5750]

@@gilbertarzner I believe that YOU can do it! 😁 You got this. Send me the link when you're done. Thanks.

[@jenniferfarler1564]

I would LOVE a link also. I'm going to try carrots this year when our weather is right. I'm zone 8 so not real sure when that is. 🤣

[@lisabillard8049]

Great video! I’m glad to see you share your experience on the 30 day challenge. I never thought I would get tired of potatoes but hearing your experience makes me think twice. I learned so much from you about crops that have caloric values to those that have nutrients. Thank you for your hard work and sharing great advice.

[@carmenmanzo2924]

Thank You so much! This video is so helpful. Many Blessings to you and your loved ones.

[@tashabattaglino1887]

Radishes. I planted seeds the other day and i already have sprouts. Super fast growing. You can eat them raw but im planning on fermenting them and making a radish kimchi out of them.

[@asteriagency9683]

Radish pickles are DELISH and they make the brine pink ^_^

[@michelangelou7]

Yuuum

[@elenachristian9860]

Can you also eat the sprouts?

[@truthseeker7754]

Good thinking! I've got loads of radishes ready to harvest in a week so I'm definitely going to try that

[@dalemills8052]

Radishes are also awesome cooked

[@lawsonkrista]

I know that we're mostly watching this within the context of the pandemic, but.. How do these crops hold up with respect to a climate apocalypse? Maybe a good Part 2 would be to talk about how these or other crops that can withstand erratic weather (excessive heat or cold, flooding, drought). Thank you for your videos!

[@GardeningInCanada]

krista lawson kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKWcYqOErqp-m9k I actually just did a video on this and it’s based around cold climates and prolonged storage

[@YamiKisara]

The most important thing you need for long term growing is a cow, or some other manure producing animals. Manure provides nutrients to the plants and stores massive amounts of water (healthy soil is black, smells nice, and is roughly 90% water). Especially something like corn can't be grown without huge amounts of fertilizer! Mulching further slows down evaporation, though large fields obviously can't be mulched. For everything else it's just better to grow your crops in areas that don't flood easily, store rainwater and potentially use certain kinds of textiles to protect the crops from both, heat and cold. If late frosts are expected, you can put a candle in your greenhouse or burn old hay between the beds (again, probably not suited for large fields). Just do it safely. It's how orchards used to be protected in the old days, because fruit trees blossoms freeze easily. Another option to prevent scorching from excessive heat is to place your beds beneath trees. Just make sure to give the trees enough space with just plain grass, so their roots won't suffocate or get harmed by garden work. Old crop varieties are much sturdier than new ones. If you're lucky, you might be able to find a particular local kind that sustained your ancestors for generations. At least in Central Europe we have those. For example, pretty much every village in Northern Germany has it's own kale variety. Luckily, there are people doing their best to preserve those old varieties (mostly they were able to get seeds from some old people that were still growing the variety and then continued to grow them themselves and store the seeds), they are generally willing to share the seeds.

[@applescotchpie3003]

HYPE THIS UP

[@melanieevans4143]

Icelandic Farmer explains the climactic shift

[@melmedina9055]

That is such an excellent point! Thank you for bringing some light to it.

[@bradgetz]

In Appalachia the old timers used to store cabbage all winter long by digging up the plant, wrapping the loose outer leaves close into the head, turning the head upside down in its own hole and covering it with dirt with the root sticking up so you could locate the head even in the snow! All winter you go to the garden, grab a head of cabbage, take off the nasty outer leaves and enjoy! I learned this from a senior citizen friend of mine who grew up dirt poor in East TN, and whose mother would often send him out to grab a head of cabbage for dinner during the winter months.

[@ireneb3433]

I'm in Brisbane, Australia. I've just started harvesting papaya from some 'volunteers' that grew in my compost pile. I get a feed everyday and have even been sharing with friends and family. I would definitely plant some (or many!) of these in my 'victory garden' (love that term!)

[@blackhagalaz]

I'd definitely add some "Ground cover" plants to grow in between the nutrient hungry Squash, Potatoes etc. Some strawberries to cover up the ground, an onion or garlic here and there, Salads to fill in the gaps (and are fast to harvest, even if they are not that nutritious it fills the belly). And, well a lot of "bad weeds" that come by itself, like chickweed, dandelion or ribwort. Nice plants to add to Salads and seasoning, have some beneficial nuriens, an they are literally for free and preserve water in the ground for the bigger veggies

[@annak804]

Creeping thyme is a good one as well or luffa gourd

[@purplephoenix4969]

I was going to mention onions or shallots. Extra nutrients and a strong flavour to improve taste if you're getting sick of the same flavours. They tend to store well too and can even be good for things like ear ache (I'm presuming that a trip to the doctors for antibiotics to clear up an ear infection isn't going to be a thing in said apocalypse).

[@CarootCarrot]

Number 10 is the toilet paper tree, probably the most important crop of all. Without its fruit, survival is impossible!

[@DisgruntledVet]

😂😂😂

[@epicgardening]

Lolol

[@charlottevallierehord6549]

@@epicgardening Potatoes - nightshade family so create pain, as you know, for those prone to arthritis. I'd like to learn more about how to grow sweet potatoes here in the north east (Canada near Maine). Thanks!

[@prcdguyaustralia5659]

Thanks for the tips, Lol I'm in Western Australia down the bottom end of the state we have the paperbark tree an have one in our yard. Plenty of jokes arise in this COVID 19 panic .

[@sallyhenry1716]

LMAO!!!!!!🧻🧻🧻

[@preppercoops741]

Nothing missed here. Awesome content. Thank you so much EG. Really appreciative of your sharing.

[@MyelinProductions]

THANK YOU! Awesome Useful Information! Good stuff & well done. Be Safe out there! Peace & Health

[@kalykalypso]

microgreens for all you apartment dwellers. high in vitamin A, B complex, fiber and many other nutrients.

[@epicgardening]

Couldn't agree more, I love microgreens

[@alpoter]

I am sorry but you need to have wheat for microgreens. You can’t grow seeds if you don’t let your microgreens to mature to macrogreens. The whole idea is sustainable survival here.

[@1caramarie]

My issue with microgreen, the lastest trend, is the fact that you need thousand of microgeens to fill your stomach. Sure, grow them but use some of those seed to grow full size plants that will fill your stomach. You can starve on microgreens.

[@HomesteadHopefulTara]

1caramarie Microgreens aren’t for filling you up, they are for providing valuable nutrients missing in other survival foods like beans and rice.

[@HomesteadHopefulTara]

alpoter You can always do like I do and take a few microgreens seeds and sprinkle them into a plastic tub of soil and let them mature and collect the seeds. Voila, sustainable. 😊

[@donogic]

Always great to have a fruit tree and berry bushes if you have the space!

[@epicgardening]

100%!

[@songbirdforjesus2381]

Thornless blackberries, blueberries, strawberries. Having a garden is like having a child. You have to feed it the right nutrients check on it daily or multiple times to make sure predators are not getting at the garden. Also, know which nutrients to give which vegetable and what Playmates they are allowed to be around, meaning other fruits or vegetables. It takes a bit of time and patience to have a garden.

[@JNoMooreNumbers]

Raspberries will go wild and get alot.

[@SM-ov5rf]

Absolutely - and in a nutrient sense, the vitamin C from berries helps your body absorb plant based iron from legumes and dark green leafy vegetables

[@maenewcombe6543]

Fantastic list! I've done some growing and I agree with all you said and love that you included lentils. I've never grown them, so your info was good. Thanks!

[@Itried20takennames]

I had 3 little decorative squash or small pumpkins that set out on our front steps from October to late March, when I finally cut them up for compost. We had totally ignored them. and we’re in Zone 10, so not at all a cold winter to preserve them…when I cut them up after nearly 7 months, the fruit and seeds were perfectly fresh and looked like it just come home from the grocery store, and I can see why they were a beloved crops before refrigeration was common.