How to Start a Survival Garden

[@JoeSkylynx]

Ya' know times are getting rough when Gardner Scott starts talking about prepping.

[@michellecasteleiro1610]

Right?

[@johne1460]

My coworker about a month ago said he caught his wife watching prepping videos on her phone. She admitted to buying food and hiding it around the house.

[@tennesseenana4838]

Lemon Balm makes a super tasty iced tea, especially when combined with Spearmint or Peppermint.

[@seanaames6855]

It's also an herb with a reputation for calming nerves.

[@j.b.6855]

Even if you dont buy into prepping and "survival gardens" starting a garden is a smart move. Even if you dont grow everything you and your family eat, you can grow some things that have better quality and taste compared to whats found in grocery stores. It isn hard, can be done on the cheap, doesnt take a lot of room if you start small, and you may find you enjoy it.

[@scottstewart6260]

yup, learn what you can grow in your native soil now, start composting for next year when it really gets tough.

[@j.b.6855]

@@scottstewart6260 I personally dont think next year will be that bad. But learning to garden and making compost is a great skill to have. In my 4th gardening season now, and it all started when my wife volunteered me to start "our" garden. I was a 55 year old computer junkie who stayed inside most of the time and didnt like the heat. Turned out I loved it and the garden turned out nicely. The benefits go far beyond saving money on the food bill, but it is a good thing to grow a lot of what we eat in the summer and preserve for later in the year.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

A neighbor of mine said once that having a garden was pointless, because you could get the vegetables cheaper in the store. He then said with the cost of food going up so much, it's a good idea to have a garden. Gardening is a good skill to have, as is food preservation techniques. The skills our parents and grandparents had to use, when they were around in the Great Depression, will definitely come in handy in these times. Thanks for sharing this video. Cheers, Scott! ✌️

[@CharliePFoogo]

Can't say enough about the value this channel provides. Thanks for posting!

[@HomesteadForALiving]

Great stuff! I think it’s very wise right now for people to be stacking any kind of organic matter they can get their hands on onto their land. Wood shavings, crass clippings, leaves, hay, etc. If you can make compost, you can make food.

[@GraeMatterz]

Crass clippings would be uncultivated. I don't think you'd want them in your garden. 😉

[@rebeccalay119]

I started peppers in the fall in containers, kept them in my greenhouse over the winter, then when frosts were over, I brought them outside. I am already harvesting lots of peppers.

[@lynnparis5506]

I have seeds for things that my husband and I don't care for but chose to grow some of them anyway. I had the room and it's things that our New Zealand meat rabbits love. It's cut down on the cost of feed for sure.

[@Rivenrock]

Rabbits are so handy for getting rid of garden refuse and trimmings.

[@garynorcal4269]

I consider my garden a supplemental and hobby garden. However, call it anything that you like and start growing what you like to eat, grow, look at. There are many reasons for growing ... help the bees ... greenhouse gasses ... conserve water Choose your motivation and start growing ...

[@GraeMatterz]

My folks were both raised on homesteads in W. MT during the Great Depression/WWII. Victory gardens were so ubiquitous the food grown in those gardens accounted for about 40% of the total food on family tables. My folks, especially my dad, grew a ginormous garden in the back and side yard of my childhood home. The side yard was actually a second house lot that my dad grew corn in. Tthe veg garden was behind the house and took up most of the back yard. It included an ancient apricot tree that had bumper crops nearly every year. I remember my mom canning for days and we always had her home canned goods on the shelves in the basement. Unfortunately, my dad died when I was 10 and mom just couldn't handle the garden on her own (and eventually had to sell the side lot) so I never got the opportunity for their knowledge of gardening to be passed on to me. I'm now in my 60s and for the first time in my life have the space/time to create a garden patch of my own. I rent the lot my mobile home is on (just moved a brand new home in last June) and park rules state that projects must be completed within a year so I have to get all my raised beds situated and filled this year and get mulch around them before fall, so the advice of "start small" can't apply. No planting in the beds this year but have 5 tomato plants that I grew from seed from the tomatoes my niece gave me from her garden last year. Not sure if they were hybrid or not, but I wanted to try my hand at growing at least *something* from collected seed this year, even tho' I may have started a little late (I'm also in 5b). I plan on transplanting them into buckets once I have them hardened off. I decided to get the 100pk Survival Garden bucket and while I may not be able to plant them in my beds this year I hope to have at least one bed planted next year and would like to try the lettuce indoors in the Leaf tower (that I also purchased per your recommendation) as I don't have the yard deer-proofed quite yet. (I did buy some solar powered motion detecting sprinklers to scare them away as the landlord doesn't want permanent fences of any kind so I hope this works.) Thanks for being such an inspiration, Scott.

[@scrappyquilter102]

A great message Gardener Scott! It takes a cultural change and you are a great spokesperson!

[@Rivenrock]

'Start small'. Good advice

[@Dovorans]

Something that helped me when money was tight is that zucchini and squash leaves are edible if cooked. Zucchini are already hardy and famously (or infamously) abundant, and unlike many salad greens you don't have to worry about them bolting in hot weather.

[@danbolton3180]

@@SunsetGazing Have you ever grilled zuccini? Slice, baste with olive oil, and salt to taste.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

We did this with our winter squash that was sprawling all over the garden and yard last year. I was growing Tahitian butternut, and the vines grew a good 50 ft from where I'd planted them. Plenty of leaves to harvest, and we ended up with a lot of gourds too.

[@emdorris3319]

Hello, Gardener Scott. This was good information. I started my root vegetables already in my CO garden. Today, I ate my first meal from the garden. We made a pot of turnip greens with my radish greens and radish pieces thrown in. My husband and I ate it with cornbread. We are both originally from the South and love this meal. It was delicious. I can’t wait to pickle some of my beets and turnips. Thank you for the info. I may order more seed packets to save.

[@ninemoonplanet]

While there are some plants I personally don't enjoy by themselves, I grow a few to flavour stews and soups. I have a tiny space for growing, so resetting the pots all spring, summer and autumn can give me a lot of what I need. Lemon balm is one thing I definitely don't need to get seeds for, like the mint family, it's spread all over. My one herb I do keep that isn't cold hardy is rosemary, so every autumn it comes inside. I love it in so many dishes.

[@dustyflats3832]

You are so right about lemon balm spreading🤣 How do you keep the rosemary alive in winter? I just haven't figured it out. It dries up.

[@ralphditchburn1456]

My first year planting. Gave 80 away. Got flowers 60 and 220 veg

[@ralphditchburn1456]

9 of last 10 days. Homegrown salad consisting of radish. Strawberry. Kale. Romaine. Boston. Beet greens. And from fridge as not ready. Blueberry. Celery.

[@ralphditchburn1456]

Parmesian Swiss. Dill. Parsley red salad lettuce. Chives. Broccoli. Green apple. More

[@cindynielson4231]

Not only can a garden feed you it, can be a fun activity. Thanks for the great info. 👍🌱

[@danbolton3180]

Got year old seeds free from a local nursery then spent $5000 to build my 20x20 garden with waist high raised beds and fencing to keep out deer and zombies!

[@anidnmeno]

Survival has got some good stuff

[@annieb7919]

Every gardener must grow Egyptian Walking Onions! Nothing easier, for sure!

[@johne1460]

Potato onions too. Perennial and multiply like garlic does

[@annieb7919]

@@johne1460 Potato onions? New to me! Where can I purchase them? I'd like to give them a try. Thanks.

[@bobertcronos8433]

Right plant for the right climate Egyptian walking onions don't mind the heat I have them spread throughout my yard

[@johne1460]

@@annieb7919 I grew them from actual seeds from ebay, but I have seen the bulbs for sale on occasion on Etsy.

[@gjk1504]

Very important stuff to know!

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank You! Great information! I always grow extra vegetables to share with my neighbors.

[@cammycary4544]

Thank you for giving us realistic expectations. Again, great video!

[@DanCooper404]

One crop I would definitely add to this list is sunchokes, a.k.a. Jerusalem artichokes. They grow prolifically with little to no maintenance, give an abundant harvest, and you can simply leave a tuber or two in the ground, and have a whole new crop the next year with no other effort.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

I'd second that. I started some last year from store bought tubers. They gave me the highest returns of any tuber crop I grew, and now I can't seem to get rid of them. They're so prolific, I've seen them grow from tubers 3 feet down that I accidentally missed, or tiny broken off chunks of tubers I didn't even know were there. I would caution that you need to protect them from deer, as the deer have already damaged the tops of mine. Fortunately, sunchokes can grow back from that, and I have so many growing, they should still be fine.

[@GardenerScott]

I agree. That's a great crop.

[@DanCooper404]

Mrs. Scott when she walks in and sees Gardener Scott playing with his new seeds. "Is that 180 new seed packs?" Gardener Scott: "Um...yes..." Mrs. Scott: "Are those for a video???" Gardener Scott, thinking furiously: (Smiles slowly) "Yes. Of. Course."

[@totoroben]

Getting your common variety seeds from the dollar store is gonna save you tons. Those packets are 25 cents each, and they germinate well. If the plants do okay for your climate then it's not a bad idea.

[@freedombug11]

My first time around, I didn't want to shell out for expensive seeds, so I have gotten most of them for 25 cents at the dollar store. They are non-GMO, but not heirloom. But Goodwill (the thrift store) did have a whole bunch of heirloom seeds, similarly priced!

[@aloras405]

Gmo seeds aren’t available to home gardeners. Any stores you buy seeds from will be non gmo.

[@freedombug11]

@@aloras405 They bother to label it "non-GMO," that's all I knew.

[@sandy-rr1by]

@@freedombug11 perhaps they label as non-GMO to charge more.

[@aloras405]

Because non-gmo is a big buzz word for marketing. It’s like putting gluten free on say, a can of peas. Technically they aren’t lying Peas don’t have gluten naturally but companies put it on the label to pull people in.

[@aloras405]

@@sandy-rr1by for some companies, that’s exactly what they’re doing.

[@scottstewart6260]

best way to start is find out what type of soil you have, and what the local farmers plant near you. the native soil may only be good for a few vegetables. Plant corn and beans in the ground. plant the rest in containers or beds.

[@frankbarnwell____]

Well GS, I like beans. And planted 5 pockets of bush beans... maybe 20% germination rate. But purple hull peas sprang up in hours. Same seed company . Dry blackeyed peas from grocery store did the same. Oh well. Still trying with the bean seed I have. Hmmm Salvia

[@duanelamotte4640]

We love your video s

[@kjrchannel1480]

I am to the point of growing variety Beet, lettuce, Chard, Sweet Pepper, Tomato, and like flower packs. I just found myself buying more seeds from Migardener in a 30% off sale until the 10th of June 2022. That adds to the seed hoard. I will have to see if the new to me Parsnip growing does. I will be happy if the Luffa finally grows good this year. If push comes to shobe I will p!ant so e thing in every spot I can find. I am also not opposed to growing a sample of a plant variety as a test. People don't have to dedicate huge spaces to one variety or plant type as some might think. As for the review items shown. I would prefer it if I got to choose the plant varieties for the package deal. I thought I would mention that onion family plants will thrive in shallow ponds. I jhave been growing chives as.an ornamental in one.

[@beebob1279]

Great presentation. Potato is important. Nutrient dense. My uncle grew them and used the small ones as seed the next year

[@juliaryan1410]

I went to their website to find out if the packaging indicated any ounces/grams/or number of seeds on any of their packets and didn't easily see any of that information. Was there any of that supplied with the kits? Or did I miss that on the site? And, thank you for finding and reviewing more vendors for us. I appreciate your research and sharing. and making us smarter. Oh! And I still love love love your idea of marking up a calendar to plan planting....it's my new favorite gardening tool!

[@dustyflats3832]

Luke @ MI Gardener sells seed a $1 a pack and his followers are very happy. He has over a million subscribers.

[@busdrivers3365]

@@dustyflats3832 They are $2 a pack now for the last couple years. However, he is where I order all my seeds from, great quality and you get a good amount!!

[@GardenerScott]

It varies by seed, but my packs range from 1.5 to 10 grams with ample seeds in each packet for planting. Thanks.

[@dustyflats3832]

@@busdrivers3365 Oops! Thought I seen a recent video --must not have been. Still like you say they must be good quality.

[@kjrchannel1480]

​​@@dustyflats3832 They are $2 a pack, but there is a sale for 30% off until the 10th of June 2022.

[@eliandkate]

This was just great advice for anyone wanting to start their first garden :D The survival thing isn't quite as common here but this video is just great advice for everyone, and some interesting sounding seeds too.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks so much. 🙂

[@barbaralong8665]

Good information. Onion and garlic Important but I didn’t hear them. Agree herbs important. Need potatoes or sweet potatoes and some beans. Larger assortment had much better nutrition and calorie density

[@mmsdcb9081]

When things get bad, one will have to have security for their gardens too. It would be very unfortunate to wake up one morning and find your garden raided. That has happened in the urban area where I live last year. So sad, that people destroy and steal . Alls they have to do is ask and one will gladly share.

[@fransiedutoit7338]

Thank you :)

[@Tsuchimursu]

onion is a real survival food. Cheap, easy to grow, stores well, and somewhat tasty. you don't need much else, you can get by just eating onionsin a tough spot. My grandfather refuses to eat onions because at a time in his childhood they had nothing else to eat...

[@juliesimmonds7445]

My concern would be the onion seeds. They do not seem to keep long. That would not be a deal breaker though.

[@janavigilante5280]

Hi Gardener Scott - Looks like you’re in Colorado Springs- Larry Stebbins showed me the Galileo greenhouse when it was just built! And he & friends introduced me to gardening at Harrison Urban Gardens. This year heart concerns confined me to containers on my driveway and shaded deck in Cheyenne Canyon. Results varied with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers etc. It would be great fun to show you results &/or include you in a post season autopsy, and I could use some advice on reviving & reusing potting soils… Let me know! Jana Vigilante PS - your thoughts on communit gardens with continuity, like HUG, vs totally plowed under ones like Bear Creek?

[@GardenerScott]

Hi, Jana. Continuity is key to community garden success. Larry was great in creating PPUG but it suffered with his retirement and other gardens have similar failures without continuity in place. Here's my video on revitalizing potting soil: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5K9Z2uObZyCnbc

[@davidgasparro2048]

Hi Gardener Scott, Do you have any experience growing gluten free ancient grains like millet, quinoa, buckwheat and sorghum? It would be good to have a video for those of us who have celiac and for those who might have a problem getting products with wheat.

[@GardenerScott]

I've used buckwheat as a cover crop, but haven't grown any of the others. As I build my garden I am planning an area to grow grain crops. My son is allergic to wheat and I've used many wheat alternatives and have planned a video like that for a long time, but it's still a couple years away.

[@davidgasparro2048]

Thanks for your reply. A video covering ancient grains is greatly needed with prices of necessities going into a critical area that can have a serious effect on many peoples lives. Learning how to be more knowledgeable about growing and also preserving food could very well keep one with food instead of hunger.

[@Barrell60]

Thank You

[@i.a.4694]

Hi scott, nice videos, thx for that. I am wondering why you don t know kohlrabi in the u.s. because it s such a nice, easy and tasty vegetable... lots of greetings from germany

[@GardenerScott]

You're right that kolhrabi is not common in the U.S. I grew a purple kohlrabi last year and it grew great in my garden.

[@zoeshorthouse7913]

I remember that my grandfather used to grow kohlrabi when I was very young. But then, his parents came from Bavaria, and probably grew it in their garden when they came to the U.S.

[@wilma6181]

I got survival garden packet of seeds from Amazon and most of them would not work in zone 5b. And with out directions.

[@dustyflats3832]

I'll let you know if the sunflowers from them grow. They were Not cheap. The One other time I ordered off Amazon, seed from another company, the germination was horrible. I saved my mammoth grey stripe and my seed was larger than theirs, but the birds prefer black oil seeds. I wanted the black oil seed and grey stripe came with it and the black oil seeds were very small. I think they were like $6. I didn't know if the birdseed we had would grow large sunflowers so I ordered them. We planted today and we will see--may be a lesson learned. I have seen a few videos and talk about some possibilities of future food insecurities. I just planted a squash from Bakers Creek Butternut Ragosa Violina that was given to me. It is suppose to be larger and better tasting than usual butternut. I'm hoping to separate the different squash varieties so I can save the seed same for tomatoes. $1 a pk is great, but I know the seed on Amazon by them was much more. I don't remember the seller, maybe that was why the sunflowers were pricey. If we don't start getting some regular rain and a lot less wind I'll be eating dust. It's true to grow what you know you will eat and have a plan on how to preserve it. My FIL was from depression era and he always said if your hungry anything tastes good. So drop the melons and go for more nutritious veggies that have more ways to use them. Squash and or pumpkin are great choices. Survival gardening can include avoiding food recalls like the recent strawberry hepatitis problem. Just WAY TO MANY RECALLS. Since the pandemic it seems like the ball has been dropped on inspecting where our food comes from in a Big Way.

[@sonnyamoran7383]

Does anyone know about coffee or tea?

[@alanschilling9080]

Hello Mr Scott, I have a question Concerning one of your other video. You have a cinder block garden bed and I'm thinking about starting some next year. Do you have any issues with the block seeping anything into the garden ? Are there any precautions I need to take using concrete block?

[@GardenerScott]

I've had no issues at all. Mine are concrete blocks and I don't take precautions. Though rare, actual cinder blocks made with ash can still be found in some regions and may pose minimal problems. A barrier between the blocks and plants can help.

[@alanschilling9080]

Awesome ty so much

[@emjordan1989]

Is a survival garden the same as a victory garden?

[@dustyflats3832]

To me it seems there is a war involved somewhere and I would be inclined to say yes.

[@GardenerScott]

I think they're very similar. The idea of growing food is the same. Victory gardens were promoted and encouraged by government agencies while survival gardens are being encouraged by citizen groups.

[@dustyflats3832]

@@GardenerScott Yes, that is the exact difference is the groups encouraging gardening. I do it because I enjoy it, relieves stress, reduces risk of my food being recalled And the fact we don't know what may still be coming. During war time they did it to conserve resources and to ensure they had food to feed the troops. In 1944 it is said by the Smithsonian Institute the home gardeners supplied 40% of the produce--Wow! An interesting subject and one that was recently mentioned by another KZbin video was the possible shortage of DEF that is an additive needed in diesel fuel used by farmers and truckers. That perked my ears up. Either way we reap(ed) the benefits of stress relief for both eras and they are both created from a war. The current war is not with the US directly, but it is affecting the supply chain of oil from Russia and the crops that will not be planted in Ukraine. With prices and uncertainty what they are the people (groups) are taking control to have some sense of security. If something happened to the food chain in winter we gardeners in most colder areas wouldn't have a backup plan and even if it wasn't cold out it takes time to grow food. Great and interesting subject of dissecting the diffence--thanks EM Jordan and Gardener Scott!

[@emjordan1989]

@@GardenerScott Thank you ... we have a ministry house that provides free food, and counsel. Phase 2 will be organic fruit trees, vines and veggies. I was thinking of calling it our "victory" garden because we are focused on helping folks live a victorious lifestyle. Hence, wondering whether or not that would be appropriate. 🤩

[@emjordan1989]

@@dustyflats3832 Thank you :)

[@tranthiduyen615]

Xin chào anh lời chào từ Vietnam, chúc anh buổi tối vui vẻ và nhiều sức khỏe.

[@freedombug11]

I wonder why nobody ever seems to include the plant for black pepper (peppercorns/berries) in their herb garden. That would be more useful to me than cilantro! (I hate the taste of cilantro.)

[@GardenerScott]

The black pepper plant is tropical, needs temperatures above 60F and can take 3-4 years to produce fruit. In zone 12 it's a possibility.

[@freedombug11]

@@GardenerScott Well I guess that explains it! What about growing it in greenhouses?

[@GardenerScott]

That may work if the greenhouse temps can be controlled.

[@blakeumthun8128]

Let cilantro go to seed and you'll have coriander. It's such a great spice for cured meats.

[@Izumiorra]

Should beetroot be peeled before you eat them and how should a novice gardener grow beetroot? My sister got a box full of heirloom seeds and one of them is beetroot

[@GardenerScott]

I peel before eating them raw, but often peel after cooking. They are simple to grow from seed in beds with good soil. Sow about 1/2 deep when soil begins to warm in spring and thin to about 4 inches apart after they sprout.

[@matthawkins4579]

I do like the survival garden series but I have noticed one glaring omission. Access to water. In the event of an emergency, like the *big one earthquake * forecast for my area we will likely not have municipal water to rely on. So how bout some water conservation tips. Remember that in the Pacific North West, we have rainy winter and drought summers. So how we shield ourselves from that by preserving water?

[@GardenerScott]

That's a good question and one to plan for. In my area we have recurring drought. Here are some ideas of how I save water: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHy4pH2wod93bKM

[@maketheconstitutiongreatag5038]

Everyone should grow at least some of their own food

[@iconicplay2237]

If I plant several types of pepper plants together can I save the seeds and grow the same plant or will it be a hybrid?

[@GardenerScott]

Peppers have flowers that are more likely to self pollinate than not. I've grown many different peppers close to each other, saved the seeds, and grown the same plant. Cross pollination is possible but not as likely as plants like squash and melon.

[@iconicplay2237]

@@GardenerScott thank you, maybe another video idea in the future.

[@GardenerScott]

I've already started working on a cross pollination video that will come out in a few weeks. Peppers are just one of the plants I'll cover.

[@freedombug11]

I always hear how you need to get heirloom seeds if you want to be able to save the seeds from your harvest and get the same exact type of plant, but why does that matter so much? What is wrong with saving hybrid seeds and just being okay with whatever you get, as long as it's a tomato (or whatever)? Is this really that big a deal? I've also heard that hybrid seeds are hardier and more resistant to pests and diseases.

[@blakeumthun8128]

I've started wondering that myself. So, this year, I'm going to save some of the hybrid seeds and see what happens next year. Who knows... I might find a new favorite

[@kjrchannel1480]

There really isn't a problem with it, but there are chances that a melon could taste like a cucumber or squash. Although I would like to see a cucumber that tastes like a sweet melon. Tomato hybrids can be more hardy, but saving seed may revert back to one of the parent plants rather they be an heirloom, or hybrid. It takes a few generations to stabilize a variety. I have saved a few crossed heirloom varieties in the past and it was a gamble of tastes bad, and tastes good. If you do that, just plant a few seeds to try at a time. That way alot of space won't be used for something that isn't good eats. You may end up with another tasteless wonder store Tomato.

[@seanaames6855]

Looks like leeks on the left and onions to the right.

[@marvinmulford2536]

Good to have someone thinking for me! What is the address of that company? I'll get some for next year.

[@GardenerScott]

Here's a link you can use: survivalgardenseeds.com/?ref=GARDENERSCOTT

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Scot, is it too early to talk about the Asian Jumping Worms? ....Today I bought a few plants and I washed the roots out before planting to make sure there was no cocoons in the soil. It might be overkill but I have great soil and a crazy amount of worms and I'd hate to see that all get destroyed.

[@GardenerScott]

It's not too early because they are becoming a problem in many areas. Taking preventative measure as you are is a good idea.

[@wilma6181]

Do you ever use shade cloth on your garden?

[@GardenerScott]

Definitely. I show it in other videos.

[@aloras405]

Ok this bugs me. You mentioned that heirlooms will produce consistent varieties when you’re saving seeds. That’s not strictly true if you have 2 or more varieties of the same type of plant planted close together. They can cross pollinate and the seeds will be hybrids. All hybrid means is a cross. It’s like a mutt. It’s not necessarily a bad thing though.

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, different heirloom varieties will cross pollinate. To save true seed, single varieties should be grown or precautions taken to avoid cross pollination.

[@iconicplay2237]

Thanks I was wondering this/heard the same. How can small Gardner's save the seeds and still have variety

[@PH-dm8ew]

What is that plant growing in back of you in this video?

[@GardenerScott]

It is garlic.

[@sonnyamoran7383]

I wonder when they'll come up with "cow" seeds. Most men want meat. LOL 😂

[@petrag.4092]

👍❤️🙏🇺🇸

[@laurabartoletti6412]

Thanks Gardener Scott, excellent information for any garden, especially a survival garden!! 🍀🍅🍓🥔🥬🌶🐝🐞🧄🙃