I have been gardening for 15 years, and I am a certified "Master Gardener." I have provided a large portion of my own calories for the past 5 years now, and I am happy to share my knowledge with you!
Survival Gardening:
I have been working on a “SHTF” garden in the woods on a piece of land that I lease for hunting. This garden has been grown using no power tools, irrigation, or chemicals. This year is my 4th year with this particular garden. Here are some of the things I have learned. This is a work in progress, and does not represent even a fraction of the knowledge I have to share. If you are interested in learning more, just ask me!
Tools:
Broadfork: get a broadfork now before SHTF. They will last practically forever if used properly. If you haven’t heard of a broadfork, look it up. Meadowcreature makes the best one.
Scythe: Mulch will be the fuel for your garden, and a scythe is the best way to harvest large amounts of it quickly.
Spade: A good shovel is always needed.
Hoe: Use a how for shallow weeding, and to help form rows.
Axe: You will need to chop down small trees.
Machete or kukri: this is for clearing land a scythe can’t handle.
Ensillage Fork: A good fork is necessary for moving hay and manure.
JADAM inputs: Advanced gardening inputs can be manufactured using JADAM techniques. https://en.jadam.kr/
JMS: JADAM Microbe Solution. This increases microbial life to prevent pathogens from overtaking.
JLF: JADAM Liquid Fertilizer: This is a fertilizer made using jadam techniques.
Castille Soap: This can be made with jadam techniques also.
Prepping the garden: Start prepping your garden now, now is the best time to start.
If you really need to get it started quickly, you will want to burn off the area to be planted. This will help fix the pH, assuming you have an acidic soil.
If you have access to manure, now is the best time to add it.
You can also spray JMS down to jump start your soil life.
After burning, and adding manure, you can loosen the soil with the broadfork.
Next, you will want to cover the area with mulch. Almost anything can be used for mulch. If you live in an urban environment, people usually leave mulch by the side of the road for garbage pickup. They even bag it up for you to make it easy to grab!
Try and get nearly a foot of mulch on new sites. This will prevent new weeds from coming up, and it will break down to increase the organic content in your soil. This carbon will hold water and nutrients for the plants to unlock as they need them.
This style garden grows best after a year or two.
move the mulch to plant and put it back as the plants grow.
Replace the mulch at the end of each grow season, and as needed.
Hand pull weeds.
Planting the garden:
What to plant? Calories, ease of growth and long-term storage are the most important factors when choosing what to plant in your garden. I live in the SE USA, so I will give recommendations that work for me.
Winter squash: This is great for a first-year planting. This can be planted directly in manure and mulch and will break through hardpan soils. Winter squash is extremely easy to store and will last for over a year on the counter if cured properly. Winter Squash is also resistant to the most pesky and persistent pests.
Sweet potatoes: sweet potatoes are packed with nutrition. They also store very well and grow great in hot humid environments. The foliage is also edible and makes a great replacement for greens!
Okra: Okra is hardy and grows with ease. The pods make great pickles, and the leaves are edible replacements for greens. The pods can be allowed to mature, and the seeds can be roasted and make a great flavorful coffee replacement beverage!
Garlic: Garlic has so many uses, from flavor to medicinal, as well as for making garden inputs. The foliage also helps repel pests, and when planted in a circle around the garden, they will even keep out small rodents.
Collards: Collards grow all winter long in my area and will sustain you in the hard times. They can be planted in late fall and you will have almost no competition with pests.
How to plant?
Always try and align your garden North to South. Plant three dimensionally. Consider for the height and spread of plants and their roots. Taller plants should be planted in the north-west corner of the garden. Plant short plants under tall plants. Plant root vegetables among all of it.
How to keep out deer: Deer are skittish animals. Bury tall saplings around the garden spaced out 15-20 feet. Tie clear monofilament fishing string up at 1-foot intervals around the perimeter of the garden up to about 6 feet tall. The deer will feel the fence and get scared. They will not jump it because they don’t know how tall it is.
Seed saving- always save your seeds for replanting. Make land-race crops by planting multiple cultivars nearby and keeping the seeds of your best fruit for several generations.
I have been gardening for 15 years, and I am a certified "Master Gardener." I have provided a large portion of my own calories for the past 5 years now, and I am happy to share my knowledge with you!
Survival Gardening:
I have been working on a “SHTF” garden in the woods on a piece of land that I lease for hunting. This garden has been grown using no power tools, irrigation, or chemicals. This year is my 4th year with this particular garden. Here are some of the things I have learned. This is a work in progress, and does not represent even a fraction of the knowledge I have to share. If you are interested in learning more, just ask me!
Tools:
Broadfork: get a broadfork now before SHTF. They will last practically forever if used properly. If you haven’t heard of a broadfork, look it up. Meadowcreature makes the best one.
Scythe: Mulch will be the fuel for your garden, and a scythe is the best way to harvest large amounts of it quickly.
Spade: A good shovel is always needed.
Hoe: Use a how for shallow weeding, and to help form rows.
Axe: You will need to chop down small trees.
Machete or kukri: this is for clearing land a scythe can’t handle.
Ensillage Fork: A good fork is necessary for moving hay and manure.
JADAM inputs: Advanced gardening inputs can be manufactured using JADAM techniques. https://en.jadam.kr/ JMS: JADAM Microbe Solution. This increases microbial life to prevent pathogens from overtaking. JLF: JADAM Liquid Fertilizer: This is a fertilizer made using jadam techniques. Castille Soap: This can be made with jadam techniques also.
Prepping the garden: Start prepping your garden now, now is the best time to start. If you really need to get it started quickly, you will want to burn off the area to be planted. This will help fix the pH, assuming you have an acidic soil. If you have access to manure, now is the best time to add it. You can also spray JMS down to jump start your soil life. After burning, and adding manure, you can loosen the soil with the broadfork. Next, you will want to cover the area with mulch. Almost anything can be used for mulch. If you live in an urban environment, people usually leave mulch by the side of the road for garbage pickup. They even bag it up for you to make it easy to grab! Try and get nearly a foot of mulch on new sites. This will prevent new weeds from coming up, and it will break down to increase the organic content in your soil. This carbon will hold water and nutrients for the plants to unlock as they need them. This style garden grows best after a year or two. move the mulch to plant and put it back as the plants grow. Replace the mulch at the end of each grow season, and as needed. Hand pull weeds.
Planting the garden:
What to plant? Calories, ease of growth and long-term storage are the most important factors when choosing what to plant in your garden. I live in the SE USA, so I will give recommendations that work for me.
Winter squash: This is great for a first-year planting. This can be planted directly in manure and mulch and will break through hardpan soils. Winter squash is extremely easy to store and will last for over a year on the counter if cured properly. Winter Squash is also resistant to the most pesky and persistent pests.
Sweet potatoes: sweet potatoes are packed with nutrition. They also store very well and grow great in hot humid environments. The foliage is also edible and makes a great replacement for greens!
Okra: Okra is hardy and grows with ease. The pods make great pickles, and the leaves are edible replacements for greens. The pods can be allowed to mature, and the seeds can be roasted and make a great flavorful coffee replacement beverage!
Garlic: Garlic has so many uses, from flavor to medicinal, as well as for making garden inputs. The foliage also helps repel pests, and when planted in a circle around the garden, they will even keep out small rodents.
Collards: Collards grow all winter long in my area and will sustain you in the hard times. They can be planted in late fall and you will have almost no competition with pests.
How to plant? Always try and align your garden North to South. Plant three dimensionally. Consider for the height and spread of plants and their roots. Taller plants should be planted in the north-west corner of the garden. Plant short plants under tall plants. Plant root vegetables among all of it.
How to keep out deer: Deer are skittish animals. Bury tall saplings around the garden spaced out 15-20 feet. Tie clear monofilament fishing string up at 1-foot intervals around the perimeter of the garden up to about 6 feet tall. The deer will feel the fence and get scared. They will not jump it because they don’t know how tall it is.
Seed saving- always save your seeds for replanting. Make land-race crops by planting multiple cultivars nearby and keeping the seeds of your best fruit for several generations.