If you dont have the greenest thumb, then now is a good time to start learning.
That means youll need some seeds.
Its easy to get overwhelmed with seed buying.
Growing your own food can be an excellent part of a long-term survival plan. Image: Shutterstock/amenic181
There are thousands of different varieties, and just as many questions.
Whats the difference between heirloom and hybrid?
How do you know what grows well in your area?
Even herbs can come in many varieties. Basil can be lemon, lime or sweet-flavored, among many others.
And what if youre not the worlds most accomplished gardener?
How do you know how much to grow for your family?
After a disaster isnt the time to decide you want to take up survival gardening.
A dandelion is the perfect example of open pollination.
Types of Seeds
There are three main types of seeds: open-pollinated, heirloom, and hybrid.
Understanding the differences can set you up for success.
All heirlooms are also open-pollinated, and theyre also called true to jot down.
A tasty dish like this could come entirely from your own property — even in a grid-down situation.
In other words, theyre the original real deal.
Heirlooms are all open-pollinated, but not all open-pollinated are heirlooms.
To maximize this benefit, always take the seeds from the strongest, highest producing plants.
With a little work, gardening can be a calming, sustaining endeavor.
When deciding which seeds to start with, keep in mind your climate, gardening skills and goal.
Red tomatoes, green lettuce, orange carrots.
Your lettuce can be leafy, sweet, or spicy or even all of the above.
Your garden can produce bright colors, fresh textures, and exciting tastes.
Half the fun of planning your garden is deciding what kinds of vegetables you want.
Some companies cater specifically to those looking to get into survival gardening.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seedsis my favorite site.
They specialize in rare and exciting varieties at reasonable prices.Johnnys Selected Seedsis another great site for survival gardeners.
Another option isLegacy Food Storage, which offers bulk kits of survival seeds meant to be stored long-term.
Check out those companies first, and then get to buying!
